Shape tested: The best moves for sexy legs

There are dozens of exercises you can do to sculpt your thighs, calves and even your butt - but which are the most effecitve? To find out, we turned to kinesiologist Stuart Rugg, Ph.D., chair of the department of kinesiology at Occidental College in Los Angeles. Rugg tested 50 moves with an electromyograph (EMG) machine, which recorded activity in five superficial lower body muscles - the vastus lateralist (outer quadriceps), biceps femoris (hamstrings), gluteus maximus (upper buttocks), gluteus medius (upper hip) and gracilis (inner thighs). Here are two moves that were at the top of the list. (To find out which other moves topped the list - and for a complete lower-body workout plan - see pages 116 - 120 of the January 2002 issue of Shape, on stands December 3, 2001).