There is very little that I have in common with the Princess of Wales. We are both tall (5 feet 9 inches), have long brown hair, are married with young children.
But there is one attribute, above all, where Kate defies comparison: her absolutely flawless and highly envied legs. So how does she keep them in such good shape?
By toning, firming and strengthening them, says personal trainer Jemma Thomas, who explains that the leg can be divided into seven muscle groups, from the buttocks to the ankles, each requiring a different exercise to get them in shape. But you don’t have to be a runner and gym goer like Kate – you’ll get the same result by working out at home with this expert guide.
You’ll need to work each muscle two to three times a week, as part of a 30-minute workout, for at least six weeks.
And be sure to warm up first with a brisk walk or five minutes alternating jogging on the spot with star jumping.
There is very little that I have in common with the Princess of Wales. We are both tall (5 feet 9 inches), have long brown hair, are married with young children.
But there is one attribute, above all, where Kate defies comparison: her absolutely flawless and highly envied legs. So how does she keep them in such good shape?
ENCOURAGE YOUR BACK
Crucial to Kate’s butt, the glutes comprise three muscles in the buttocks. The best movement to work these muscles is hip raises, also known as hip thrusts or “bridges,” says Jemma Thomas of justmovingwithjem.com.
“Lying on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, squeeze your butt and lift your hips toward the ceiling, keeping your shoulders on the mat,” he explains.
“Lifting each leg off the mat when you’re in this position increases the challenge. You can also add a dumbbell, held at hip height, for added resistance.
Repeat the hip raises, slowly and with control, 15 times before resting, then do it again two more times.
Yoga ‘chair pose’ is also great for toning the butt. “Stand with your feet hip-width apart and raise your arms above your head,” says Cheryl MacDonald, founder of yogabellies.com. ‘Lower your hips as if you were sitting in a chair. Squeeze your buttocks to help maintain balance and hold for five to 10 breaths.
Crucial to Kate’s butt, the glutes comprise three muscles in the buttocks.
WORTH THE WEIGHT
Kate’s quads are perfectly toned, thanks to years of running and cycling that keep the big four muscles in her upper thigh in tip-top shape.
To further hone those quads, weighted squats are key, says Matthew Hirst, owner of Blast Fit Studios (blastfit.co.uk) in Ealing, west London, and a former personal trainer at the £325-a-month Harbor Club. in Chelsea. where Kate and William are members.
Plant your feet on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder width, straighten your back and bend your knees, moving them down as if you were going to sit in a chair.
Lower your upper body in a controlled manner as deep as you can, pushing your hips back as you do so, before slowly returning to a standing position.
“If you’re just starting out, hold a very light weight (2kg in each hand) and repeat the exercise 25 times,” says Matthew.
‘As you get stronger, do two sets instead of one. Then if you’re looking to build muscle, increase the weight, to 8kg or 10kg total, and reduce the reps to ten.
It’s the time your legs spend under tension that’s important, so move slowly and steadily, he adds. “Each movement should last four to six seconds, contracting the muscle and really focusing on it.”
Kate’s quads are perfectly toned, thanks to years of running and biking that keep the four large muscles in her upper thigh in excellent shape.
STREAMLINED AND SLIM
For thighs like Kate’s, which are lean and strong, you need to work the adductors (inner thigh muscles) and abductors (outer thigh muscles).
Matthew Hirst recommends a move called ‘the clam’ to strengthen the inner thigh. “Lie on your side against the wall so your back is against it, raise your legs to a 45-degree angle, knees together, and clam your knees in and out,” he explains.
To strengthen the outer thigh muscles, the abductors, Jemma Thomas recommends a ‘banded lateral walk’. ‘Take a resistance band just above the knee, sit in a squat and sidewalk in a pulsing motion, four steps to the left, then four to the right. Continue for 45 seconds, with a 15 second rest, and repeat three times.
RUN AWAY FROM INJURIES
The hamstrings, the name for any of the three muscles in the back of the thigh between the hip and the knee, are prone to injury, especially for runners like Kate. But you can strengthen them, says personal fitness trainer Kat Sterbova of katfitness.co.uk, who recommends a single-legged deadlift.
Stand up straight with both feet on the ground and your hands hanging in front of you. Slide one leg back and lift it up, keeping your back flat until your body forms a ‘T’ shape. If you’re using dumbbells, hold them in your hands and lift them up and in toward your chest at this point. Lower your leg until it meets the other on the floor and repeat, 25 times on each leg with a light weight (or no weight), and eight to 10 times if using something heavier.
To target the lower hamstring, Jemma Thomas recommends calf raises. ‘You can make them anywhere. Just lift your heels up to stand on your toes, hold, and then release. Do 15 times, then rest and repeat three times. To add a challenge, hold some weights.
GET IN SHAPE
Even Kate’s knees look perfect without the unsightly sagging so many of us suffer around the knee joint.
This is due to a strong popliteus, the often overlooked triangular-shaped muscle that sits at the back of the knee, just below the joint, and is responsible for unlocking the knee when we walk.
To target the knee, Kat Sterbova suggests ‘cutting down’. “She starts on a step and goes down on one leg, not both, so one stays on top of the platform and the other moves up and down,” she explains.
“This really isolates the knee and the popliteus muscle. It is very effective for someone who runs a lot. Try 25 of these on one leg, then repeat on the other.
PERFECT BALANCE
To achieve Kate’s perfect poise, even in high heels, you need to build muscle and tone the sartorius that crosses the hip and knee joints, explains Jemma Thomas.
Stand up, take a big step forward with one leg and plant it firmly with the knee at a 90 degree angle, lowering the other knee to the floor in a forward lunge.
Then step back through your front heel to a standing position and repeat alternating legs for 45 seconds, before resting for 15. Repeat three times.
“To get your muscles going, take a dumbbell in each hand – around 5kg is a good starting point,” advises Jemma.
“When you get back up, keep the dumbbells by your side.” Dynamic stretches, like high kicks, can also help, says Matthew Hirst.
To achieve Kate’s perfect poise, even in high heels, you need to build muscle and tone the sartorius that crosses the hip and knee joints, explains Jemma Thomas.
STRETCH AND GET STRENGTHEN
Kate is known to be a fan of yoga, which is a particularly great way to stretch and tone leg muscles, says Cheryl MacDonald, who recommends downward-facing dog for shapely calves.
“Start on your hands and knees with your hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart,” she explains.
‘Lift your hips up and back, straightening your legs as far as you can. He presses his heels into the ground to stretch his calves and holds for five to ten breaths.
To further tone your calves, try “pedaling” your legs by moving one heel toward the ground, then the other.
Kate is known to be a fan of yoga, which is a particularly great way to stretch and tone leg muscles, says Cheryl MacDonald, who recommends downward-facing dog for shapely calves.