At only 20, Rayna Vallandingham has already won 13 taekwondo world championships.
Here’s her best advice for long, strong leg muscles.
By age 6, shed earned her first black belt.
(Taekwondo roughly translates to the art of kicking and punching.)
Immediately, I just loved it.
Instead of watchingDora, I wanted to go to the dojo.
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It is a way of life, she says.
It takes a tremendous amount of strength, flexibility,andpower.
Of the three, I think strength and flexibility are the top two, Vallandingham says.
I have permanent damage to my bodyI have tendonitis [because of this].
(FYI, mobility is product of flexibility and strength.)
Then shes ready to lift.
One of her favorite exercises for strong legs is agoblet squat.
Shell bend and extend her legs several times in this position.
I love utilizing aBosu balltheyre pretty much in every single gym, she says.
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The secret to Vallandinghams explosive kicks
Power is a product of strength and speed.
If Im building power, Im also maintaining control of my movements, she says.
My hips are opening on their own, and Im not having to force anything.
Consistency is so much more important than intensity for attaining maximum gains, she says.
Dont be overly hard on yourself; dont apply too much pressure.
And not just to your joints.
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