The seven little-known muscle groups YOU can work on to get amazing super tight legs like Kate

There are few things I have in common with the Princess of Wales. We are both tall (six feet), have long brown hair and are married with young children.

But there’s one feature in particular where Kate defies comparison — and it’s her utterly flawless, much-enviable legs. So how does she keep them in such good shape?

Strengthening, toning and strengthening them, says personal trainer Jemma Thomas, who explains that the leg can be broken down into seven muscle groups — from the buttocks to the ankles — each of which needs a different exercise to get it in shape. But you don’t have to be a runner and gym goer like Kate – you’ll get the same results from working out at home with this expert guide.

You should train 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-minute jog on the spot with star jumps.

PEP YOUR BACK

The glutes – crucial to that pert kate posterior – are made up of three muscles in the buttocks. The best way to work these muscles is hip raises, also known as hip thrusts or bridges, says Jemma Thomas of justmovingwithjem.com.

“Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, squeeze your buttocks and raise your hips toward the ceiling, keeping your shoulders on the mat,” she explains.

“Lifting each leg off the mat when you’re in this position increases the challenge. You can also add a barbell, held at hip height, to add resistance.”

Repeat the hip raises, slowly and with control, 15 times before resting, then go two more times.

The yoga ‘chair pose’ is also great for toning the buttocks. “Stand with your feet hip-width apart and raise your arms overhead,” says Cheryl MacDonald, founder of yogabellies.com. Lower your hips as if you were sitting in a chair. Tighten your glutes to keep your balance and hold for five to ten breaths.”

WORTH THE WEIGHT

Kate’s quadriceps are perfectly muscled, thanks to years of running and cycling that keep the four major muscles at the top of the thigh in tip-top shape.

To further tighten those quads, weighted squats are key, says Matthew Hirst, owner of Blast Fit Studios (blastfit.co.uk) in Ealing, west London, and former personal trainer at the £325-a-month Harbor Club in Chelsea where Kate and William are members.

Place your feet on the floor – slightly wider than your shoulders – straighten your back and bend your knees, moving down as if you were sitting on a chair.

Lower your upper body as far as you can in a controlled manner, pushing your hips back, before slowly raising back up to a standing position.

“When you start, 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 want to build muscle, increase the weight – to 8 kg or 10 kg in total – and decrease the number of repetitions to ten.’

What’s important is the time your legs spend under tension, so move slowly and steadily, he adds. “Each movement has to last four to six seconds, contract the muscle and really focus on it.”

STREAMLINED AND SLIM

For thighs like Kate’s that 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 tone the inner thigh. “Lie on your side against the wall so your back is against it, pull your legs up at a 45-degree angle, knees together, and open and close the knees like a shell,” he explains.

To strengthen the outer thigh muscles, the abductors, Jemma Thomas recommends a “lateral band walk.” “Take a resistance band just above the knee, squat down and walk sideways in a wrist motion, four steps to the left, then four to the right. Continue for 45 seconds, with a 15-second break, and repeat three times.”

WALK FAR FROM INJURY

Hamstrings — the name for one of the three muscles on the back of the thigh between the hip and 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-leg deadlift.

Stand up straight with both feet on the floor and your hands hanging in front of you. Slide one leg back and lift it up, keeping your back flat until your body makes a “T” shape. If you use weights, hold them in your hands and lift them up and in toward your chest at this point. Lower your leg until it touches the other on the floor and repeat, 25 times on each leg with a little (or no) weight, and eight to 10 times if you’re using something heavier.

To target the lower hamstring, Jemma Thomas recommends calf raises. “You can do them anywhere. Just lift your heels so you’re on your toes, hold and release. Do 15 times, then rest and repeat three times. Hold some weights to add a challenge.”

STEP IN FORM

Even Kate’s knees look perfect without the unsightly sagging many of us have around the knee joint.

This is due to a strong popliteus, the often overlooked triangular muscle at the back of the knee, just below the joint, which is responsible for unlocking the knee when we walk.

To target the knee, Kat Sterbova suggests “step-downs.” “Start on a step and step off with only one leg, not both, so that one stays on top of the platform and the other moves up and down,” she explains.

“This really isolates the knee and popliteal fossa. It’s very effective for someone who runs a lot.’ Try 25 of these on one leg, then repeat on the other.

PERFECT STAND

For that perfect Kate balance, even in high heels, you need to build muscle and tone in the sartorius that crosses the hip and knee joints, explains Jemma Thomas.

Stand up straight, 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 drive back through the front heel to standing and repeat on alternate legs for 45 seconds, before resting for 15 seconds. Repeat this three times.

‘To get the muscles going, take a dumbbell weight in each hand – about 5kg is a good start,’ advises Jemma.

“When you stand back up, keep the dumbbells at your side.” Dynamic stretches, such as high kicks, can also help, says Matthew Hirst.

STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN UP

Kate is known as a yoga fanatic — which is a particularly good way to stretch and strengthen leg muscles, says Cheryl MacDonald, who recommends downward dog for shapely calves.

“Start on all fours with your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees hip-width apart,” she explains.

“Lift your hips up and back and straighten your legs as much as possible. Push your heels toward the floor to stretch your calves and hold for five to 10 breaths.”

For extra calf strengthening, try “kicking” your legs by moving one heel toward the floor and then the other.