
Squats and lunges are amazing functional exercises. They are great for getting stronger legs and a great booty.
However, doing a lot of squats and lunges can bulk up your legs more than you’d like.
If you don’t want to grow your leg muscles, then you should avoid these exercises, especially if you’re an endomorph or mesomorph body type since they can both grow muscles pretty quickly.
If you’re not sure what your body type is, complete our quick quiz and never have to worry about doing the wrong exercises for your body type!
We get a lot of requests from girls who aren’t sure what exercises to do instead of squats and lunges. So we’ve gathered the top exercises you can do as an alternative that will get your legs toned without getting too bulky for your liking.
RELATED POST: How to Slim Down Muscular Thighs
Exercises to do Instead of Squats and Lunges
1. Resistance Band Deadlifts

2. Single Leg Deadlifts

3. Prone Leg Lifts

4. Donkey Kicks to Fire Hydrants

5. Three-Legged Dog Press

6. Feet Elevated Glute Bridges

7. 45 Degree Leg Lifts

If your goal is to slim down your legs, but you don’t know where to start, we suggest checking out our Lean Legs Program 1 which is perfect for beginners.
This is an 8-week workout program designed to slim and tone your legs. It’s also tailored to your body type, so you won’t have to worry about doing exercises that could bulk up your muscles unless that’s what you want.
Love Rachael and the Femme Nativa Team
Very good exercises. They supplement the ones I do now. Difficult but I will get into them. As an 82 year old man, I find that if I don’t exercise rigorously and faithfully i become incapable of even going up one step, just overall very weak. I studied ballet for a short period sixty years ago. Now I pretend that I am continuing. Thank you.
John