Emi Wong’s 21 Day Leg Transformation Program Review
I receive lots of questions about my thoughts on workout programs besides my own! I support you trying out different programs to achieve your fitness goals, and I want to help you navigate all the different choices out there! :)
I’ve already written about my thoughts on three other fitness programs. Be sure to read my reviews on Kayla Itsines’ BBG, Chloe Ting’s 30 Day Lean Thigh Challenge and Leslie Sansone’s Walk at Home Program :)
One of the most popular programs I receive questions about is Emi Wong’s 21 Day Leg Transformation. Emi does a great job with her program, but I want to help you understand it in more depth.
Every program is different, and it is important to make sure that your routine matches your personal fitness goals. Here’s all about Emi’s leg transformation program:
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EMI WONG’S 21 DAY TRANSFORMATION
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
Emi’s program consists of 21 days of workouts. Every day, you do two or three workout videos. For example, on day one you do her 15 min Inner + Outer Thigh & Calves video and the 10 min Stretch to Slim Calves video.
Each workout is anywhere from 15 to 50 minutes, depending on the day. For me, this is a good amount of time. It isn’t too short or too long, and I like that there is variety!
WHAT DOES EMI WONG’S PROGRAM DO?
A quick scroll through Emi’s videos will show you that this program is very focused on lower-body resistance training and HIIT. Almost every single one of the workouts includes squats, burpees, lunges, or a combination of all three.
These exercises are not bad to do. However, for girls who want to slim down their thighs, doing lots of these exercises can lead to problems. Each of these moves targets your lower body heavily, especially your quads (the muscles at the front of your thighs).
When you do any form of strength training, even if you are just using your bodyweight, small tears occur in your muscles. Your body repairs these tears, and this is how your muscles become stronger and bigger. Doing squats, lunges, and burpees will make your legs larger.
If your goal is to get toned and you don’t mind gaining a bit more muscle in your legs, you might really enjoy Emi’s workouts. However, if you’re hoping for smaller, slimmer legs, keep in mind that for most girls, this program probably won’t work.
Emi says this program is all about transforming your legs, and that is true. Transformation doesn’t always have to be about slimming down though. :) This program will definitely help you tone your lower body and get stronger. But I wouldn’t expect it to help you make your legs leaner and slimmer.
RELATED POST: HOW TO LOSE INNER THIGH FAT
WHO IS THIS PROGRAM FOR?
Emi markets her program for all women. After all, anybody should be able to transform their legs if they want to. :) But, in some of her videos, she makes specific claims about the type of women that will like her program:
WOMEN WHO WANT A BOOTY AND SLIM THIGHS
In some of her videos, including this booty workout, Emi says that her workouts are good if you want to build a butt without growing your thighs.
This is a common request I hear from women too! However, this workout does include a lot of squats and lunges, so I’d be careful if you don’t want bigger quads (which are part of your thighs!).
If you want to try a butt-focused workout that doesn’t work your quads, try this one. It is one my favourites! :)
WOMEN WHO WANT LEGS LIKE KENDALL
Emi also says in this video that her workouts will help you get legs like Kendall Jenner.
The problem is that Kendall Jenner is an ectomorph body type, and she works out in a specific way for her body type. You can read more about her exercise and diet routine here.
Kendall, as an ectomorph, has trouble gaining weight and putting on muscle. This isn’t the case for most women (including myself!). There are three main body types (although you can be a mix of two!), and two of the three types can gain muscle very easily!
Emi’s program focuses a lot on HIIT and resistance training. That’s a great way to burn calories and build muscle. However, it isn’t the best way for most women to achieve leaner legs.
If you want to slim down your legs, it is important to burn fat through low to moderate intensity cardio and avoid exercises (like a lot of squats!) that cause bulky muscles. Some bodyweight resistance training can help tone your legs without adding bulk.
RELATED POST: HIIT VS LISS – WHICH IS BETTER FOR FAT LOSS?
IS EMI WONG’S PROGRAM RIGHT FOR YOUR BODY TYPE?
We aren’t all going to have bodies like Kendall Jenner. Different workouts affect different women differently depending on their body type.
Here’s a quick review on the three body types:
- Ectomorphs: They are slim and have trouble gaining weight or muscle. Most runway and fashion models are ectomorphs.
- Endomorphs: They are curvy and beautiful! They have a higher body fat percentage, and they may struggle to lose weight or muscle.
- Mesomorphs: They tend to be more athletic. They can gain or lose weight relatively easily.
If you are an endomorph or a mesomorph and are wanting to tone your legs without making them bigger or bulkier, I do not recommend workouts that include squats, lunges, and burpees. Since you tend to put on muscle relatively quickly, these exercises will make you bulkier than you want!
Instead, I suggest you focus on cardio (mainly walking) and full-body resistance training. It is important to include strength training to make you stronger, boost your metabolism, and help you get toned. But, if you don’t want to get too bulky, then you should not do lower-body resistance training every day.
RELATED POST: HOW TO GET LEAN LEGS – WHY YOU NEED CARDIO FOR FAT LOSS
WILL YOU LOSE FAT?
This program does not include low-to-moderate intensity cardio or a meal plan. Low-intensity cardio and eating a healthy diet are very important for slimming down the fat in your thighs, especially if you are an endomorph or mesomorph.
In my experience, bodyweight resistance training works the best if you want to look lean and toned without gaining too much muscle. It helps you get toned and also burn more calories. However, if your goal is to lose fat, power walking is going to be your best friend! Resistance training and HIIT burn a lot of carbohydrates and speed up your metabolism, but power walking will help you burn fat!
I typically recommend that most girls do resistance training 3-4 times a week. You don’t need to do it more than that. And, if you do, you will most likely see your thighs get bigger.
However, if you’re an ectomorph who is struggling to build muscle tone, you can try doing more resistance training than this. You might need the extra sessions to get the tone that you’re wanting. :)
RELATED POST: IS WALKING OR RUNNING BETTER FOR FAT LOSS?
SO, WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM EMI WONG’S PROGRAM?
I think there are two types of people who will really benefit from and love Emi Wong’s program:
- Girls with endomorph and mesomorph body types who don’t mind gaining a bit more lower body muscle and who also want to develop more muscle tone in their legs and butt.
- Ectomorphs who are struggling with gaining muscle tone.
RELATED POST: THE FEMALE GUIDE ON HOW TO GET LEAN AND TONED WITHOUT GETTING BULKY
EMI WONG’S PROGRAM WEEK BY WEEK REVIEW
WEEK 1
The first week is intense! Beginners might struggle with some of the exercises. Luckily, some of Emi’s videos are optional, which I think was a smart decision. Also, Emi includes a rest day with a stretching video. Rest days and stretching are important, and I’m so glad she included this!
The rest of week 1 is all about resistance training and HIIT. Emi includes 11 resistance training workouts and 3 optional HIIT workouts. All of them are very lower-body focused. She includes lots of lunges, squats, and burpees right away.
In one video, Emi promises to help you slim your calves through stretching. I love stretching, and you shouldn’t skip stretching after your workouts. But I’m actually not sure it is possible to slim your calves this way. Instead, I’d try following these guidelines on how to slim down your calves. :)
WEEK 2
Week 2 is very similar to the first week. It includes:
- 11 resistance training sessions
- 2 HIIT sessions (both optional)
- 1 Burpee session
- Rest day/stretching day
Again, this week is very leg focused. It includes lots of squats and lunges, and there one whole session dedicated to burpees!
WEEK 3
There’s even more resistance training in week 3, plus three optional HIIT workouts. Like the other two weeks, there is no low or moderate cardio this week.
By this point in the program, women who put on muscle easily will probably notice that their legs are getting bigger. When I used to work out with lots of squats and lunges, I could tell my shorts were getting tighter after just two weeks of lower body strength training!
RELATED POST: HOW TO LIFT WEIGHT WITHOUT GETTING BULKY
MY THOUGHTS ON 21 DAY LEG TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM
I wish this program included more low to moderate cardio. I think that would really help participants feel like their transformation is more significant by helping them to lose body fat. But, to be fair to Emi, she rarely mentions slimming thighs down. She is mostly focused on toning the legs!
Like I have mentioned, girls who put on muscle easily could bulk up from this program. But body preferences are subjective. You might want thinner thighs, while your friend might be looking to bulk up some more. Everybody has different tastes and goals. :)
Emi is an ectomorph body type. She said it took her a long time to build her butt! (Great work for doing that, Emi, you look fantastic!) Doing workouts like these don’t bulk her up much because of that.
Emi is an excellent example of an ectomorph girl that can get toned and build beautiful lean muscles. So if you also struggle with toning up, Emi’s routine will probably work great for you!
But if you’re more like me (and can see bulky muscles developing after just two weeks of squats!), this program will cause your legs to get bigger. If you want that, great. If not, that’s ok too.
RELATED POST: WHY I DON’T LIFT HEAVY WEIGHT ANYMORE
EMI WONG VS CHLOE TING – WHICH PROGRAM IS BETTER?
OK, this question comes up a lot. Which program is better – Emi Wong’s or Chloe Ting’s.
If I had to choose, I’d pick Chloe Ting’s program. She also includes plenty of squats and lunges but she also has low to moderate intensity cardio in her program.
This is just what matches up to my personal goals more though. You might have different goals, and that’s ok! :)
SHOULD YOU COMBINE EMI’S PROGRAM WITH MY LEAN LEGS PROGRAM?
Doing both programs at the same time is not a good idea. This isn’t because either program is bad! It is just that doing both at the same time will cause significant overtraining. You don’t need to do that much resistance training all at once.
Also, I don’t think that Emi and I have the same goals with our programs, so it might not make sense to do them together. If you are doing my program, you probably want leaner legs, but Emi’s program will probably give you stronger yet larger legs.
I help girls slim down without creating unnecessary muscle bulk. With my program, your thighs slim down and don’t get bigger, and I purposefully avoid lunges, squats, and burpees.
Remember, Emi’s program is about leg transformation, which may not mean slimming down the legs. She has a LOT of squats, lunges, and burpees, so I don’t really think she designed it specifically for slimming down your thighs. She includes some workouts that are meant for thinner legs, but even those include squats and lunges.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Emi’s program is excellent if you are wanting to build strength or develop more muscle in your legs. You might be able to lose body fat in this program if you eat at a calorie deficit, but you would still see muscle bulk in your legs at the end of the 21 days.
For women who are wanting to slim down their legs specifically, this probably isn’t the best program for you. :)
I hope that this review helped you understand more about Emi’s program and the results you should expect if you do it. Finding a program that is right for your goals can be challenging, but it is worth it!
As always, thank you for asking me about Emi’s program and inspiring this article. Emi is talented, fun, and has worked hard to put together some awesome routines.
If you have any other programs you’d like me to review, let me know in the comments. :)
Love Rachael xx
Images credit: @emiwong_
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Rachael is an Australian born certified personal trainer and nutritionist who holds a Bachelor degree in Science.
After struggling for years to find an exercise and diet program that is tailored to women striving for lean and toned body with no bulk she designed her Lean Legs Program. This program is tailored to each body type and focused on helping women get toned but feminine bodies, without getting bulky.
Her mission is to empower women and help them stay in shape in a healthy and balanced way.
Hi Rachel, thanks for this great review! It would be great if you could review Blogilates’ leg workout too. Thank you! 🤗
Hi lovely,
Thanks for this suggestion! We’ll make sure to forward this to Rachael for a possible review. xx
Hey Rachael. I would love if you review Nina Dapper’s lean legs and hips challenge ❤ Thankyou:)
Hi lovely,
Thank you for this great suggestion! We’ll make sure to forward this to Rachael for a future review. <3
When you say “gaining a bit more muscle” for Emi Wongs program, do you mean tone muscle, like will the measurements of your legs get smaller or do you mean full on bulkier? I think I’m a mix of ectomorph and mesomorph but more on the mesomorph side?
I really want to slim my thighs but really stuck because I feel like squats, lunges etc can get me slim and toned legs but also I’m scared to even try
Hi lovely,
thanks for reaching out! <3
For mesomorphs, it may cause bulkiness. The best way to check is to try the exercises and observe your body to see if you notice any bulkiness. If you do, you can simply stop doing the workouts :) If you're looking for a Program that won't cause any bulkiness at all, I recommend that you try Rachael’s 3 Steps To Lean Legs Program :) It designed to get you slim and toned without any bulkiness <3
I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any questions! xx
Love,
Sanja
hi i wanted to do emi wong work out routine but since high school mu thighs grew thick for some reason but does not slim down and i want to lose it and i also picked up weight [definitely did] for those 5 years and 4 years later out of high school i picked up a tiny bit of weight but when i followed up on emi wong i couldn’t tell the difference on my owm body which is what i am scared of so i stopped because i was unsure which routine should work follow to slim down and tone up a bit but eats normal but not alot and can loose weight fast but pick up weigbt fast, i am not sure where i fit between endomorph or mesomorph. please is there a good recommendation she would suggested
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! <3
If you haven't yet, feel free to take Rachael's Body Type Quiz. If you’re unsure, you can email us your photos in fit/ sports clothing at info@rachaelattard.com. We will gladly help you determine your body type and give you tips and guidelines to achieve your goals. :)
Love,
Len
What’s your opinion on John Benton workouts?
Hi lovely,
thanks for reaching out! <3
Rachael hasn't done a review on Jon Benton workouts yet. I will definitely bring up your suggestion to her <3
Love,
Sanja
Hi, Rachael thanks for your review? I would also like you to comment on coffee lam’s workout. Thanks!
Hey lovely,
Thanks for your suggestion! Rachael will add her to the list of girls who she’s supposed to do a review on. :)
Love,
Ana
I am already done with this 21 days Emi challenge this is nice …I really love to do this .My legs looks more toned n also I have gained some muscles but infact I want to slim down my thighs and my calves but there is no change in these …so I found a conclusion that I m not doing only leg based workout ..I m an Endo meso girl with a short height .I m 5’1″ so I look not good to have big thighs or muscular legs. I start to walk 7000 to 8000 steps from 3-4 days ago every day. I registered your 7 days free program which was started from 14th of sep . I m a student so I can’t buy your previous program .. Can u PLZZ suggest some more tips to slimming down my legs fastly????? ..Also I m a vegetarian n I m indian eating whole wheat chapati 2 times in a day is our routine .. but I don’t eat eggs .
Hey lovely,
You said that you are between a mesomorph and endomorph body type.
In this case, Rachael suggests that you act like an endomorph in order to avoid any chances of bulking up. :)
Here is the link to her blog post on endomorphs, where you can find all the key information on how to slim down.
Hope this helps! xx
Love,
Ana