Strong, toned thighs allow you to hike, walk, and cycle for both fitness and everyday activity. Your legs perform a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to getting through the day, so it’s critical to take care of them and ensure they’re up to the task.
The largest muscles in the body include the hamstrings and quadriceps and the abductor on the outer and inner thigh. When you exercise to strengthen your thighs, you’re laying the groundwork for everyday movement, ensuring that you’re healthy and strong enough to walk (or run, leap, and climb) through anything life throws at you.
Because your thighs are engaged in so many important daily activities, selecting exercises that target and tone these muscles is relatively simple. To get the most “bang for your buck” out of your thigh-toning routine, use compound exercises that target numerous muscular groups, such as squats, lunges, and step-ups. Consider including at least three or four of the following exercises into your workout two or three times a week to begin building muscle in your legs for that strong, toned appearance.
Step-Ups
Step-ups are an activity that works all of your legs’ major muscular groups, including the glutes, quadriceps, and, to a less important extent, the hamstrings. Step-ups are softer on the knees than lunges yet engage the same key muscle groups, making them an excellent choice for those who suffer from knee pain.
Step-ups can also be utilized as a warmup quadriceps exercise, and doing them for a minute or two will enhance blood flow and elevate your heart rate, notably your thighs.
How to Perform a Step Up
Stand facing a solid step, bench, or chair. Choose a step height of 12 to 24 inches; a higher step will be more difficult than a lower step up.
Place your right foot carefully on the step, ensuring it is fully supported. Step up by pressing through your right foot and fully extending your right knee as you bring your left foot to the step.
Reverse the movement and place your left foot on the floor before returning with your right foot to the beginning position.
Alternate which leg you start with, then lead with your left leg on the next repeat.
Finish a set for time or repetitions. If you want to save time, try doing less sets. If you’re going for reps, do 2-3 sets of 12-15 repeats each leg.
For an added challenge, attempt a weighted step-up with both hands grasping dumbbells.
Squats
Squats are one of the best workouts for toning thighs because they work the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core. Furthermore, there are numerous variations of squats, making it simple to vary your program while keeping your muscles challenged and growing. You may always add dumbbells or other weights to your squat for an extra challenge. If you’re doing bodyweight squats, try doing them for time or with a larger number of repetitions each set to truly test your thighs.
Squats
Stand straight feet slightly wider than shoulder distance apart and engage your core. Press your hips backward and start lowering your glutes to the ground. To maintain the downward motion, bend at the knees while keeping your chest and shoulders erect and facing front. Keep your weight equally distributed between your feet, with your heels remaining on the ground.
Squat as low as you can comfortably go, keep your knees aligned with your toes and not stretching in front of them. Stop when you can no longer comfortably squat lower.
Press through your feet and rise up, fully extending your knees and hips while squeezing your glutes and thigh muscles.
Finish a set for time or repetitions. If you want to save time, do 2-3 sets of continuous squats for 45-60 seconds each. If you’re going for reps, do 2-3 sets of 15-18 reps. You want the final 2-3 repetitions to be difficult (but not impossible) to finish while keeping perfect form.
Walking lunges
Walking lunges, like squats and step-ups, work all of the lower body’s major muscle groups, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Walking lunges can be done with or without additional weight to make the workout more difficult. If you’re new to the exercise, keep in mind that it’s also a balancing exercise, so start without weight and work on your form before adding additional weights.
How to Perform Walking Lunges
Stand tall, feet hip-distance apart, and core engaged.
Take a large stride forward with your right foot. It should be larger than a usual step, but not excessively so.
Plant your right foot firmly on the ground (heel down). Your torso should be evenly positioned between your front and back feet. Avoid tilting forward at the hips or waist.
Bend both knees (allowing your left heel to lift off the floor as needed), then lower your back knee toward the floor.
To begin the upward part of the lunge, press through your feet. As you do, lift your left foot from the ground and take a large stride forward, utilizing your right leg to propel you up and forward while extending your right knee and hip.
To help with balance, place your left foot around 1-2 feet in front of your right foot while keeping the gap between your feet around hip distance.
Continue the exercise, but this time do the lunge to the left.
Finish a set for time or repetitions. If you want to save time, do sets of alternating walking lunges for 60 seconds each. If you’re going for repetitions, do 2-3 sets of 10-12 lunges each leg. You want the final 2-3 repetitions to be difficult (but not impossible) to finish while keeping perfect form.
Side Lunges
Side lunges, like other lunge exercises, work all of the lower body’s major muscular groups. However, because of the lunge’s lateral action, they target the inner thighs more than most other lunges. Do not add weights so you can focus on your from, add dumbbells or kettlebells to the mix for a challenge.
How to do side lunges
Stand tall, feet together or a few inches apart. Engage your core and maintain proper posture. You want to keep your torso upright and tall throughout the activity.
Take a broad stride out to the right with your right foot, firmly planting your foot a few feet away from your left foot, toes angled slightly outward.
Keep in mind to bend your right knee and press your hips back, make sure you stay in line with your right toes as you lunge to the right. The left leg should remain straight – once you’ve lowered your hips as far as you can safely go, cease the downward action.
Push off with your right foot and stretch your right knee and hip as you return to the starting position. Continue with a single set on the right side before switching sides.
Finish a set for time or repetitions. If you want to save time, do 30-60 seconds of lunges on one side before switching sides. Finish 2-3 total sets. If you’re going for repetitions, do 2-3 sets of 10-12 lunges each leg. You want the final 2-3 repetitions to be difficult (but not impossible) to finish while keeping perfect form.
Curtsy Lunges
Curtsy lunges are another excellent lunge variation, working the lower body. Curtsy lunges, like side lunges, work the inner and outer thighs. Begin this exercise without any additional weight, but when you’re ready for a more difficult challenge, add dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell racked across your shoulders.
How To Perform Curtsy Lunges
Stand tall, feet hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent, and core in tact.
Cross your body with your left foot, planting the ball behind and to the outside of your right foot.
Keep your middle body upright and forward-facing, and make sure your knees are in line with your feet. After keeping your lower knee on the floor make sure both knees are bent. Stop the movement when your back knee is a inches off the ground and your knees are bent at around 90 degrees.
Return to standing by pressing through both feet and stepping your left leg back to the starting position. Perform a whole set on one side before switching.
Finish a set for time or repetitions. If you want to save time, do 30-60 seconds of lunges on one side before switching sides. Finish 2-3 total sets. If you’re going for repetitions, do 2-3 sets of 10-12 lunges each leg. You want the final 2-3 repetitions to be difficult (but not impossible) to finish while keeping perfect form.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts works all of the major muscular groups in your lower body, including glutes and hamstrings. The deadlifting form is critical, so pay attention to where you feel the challenge. Perform the exercise with a moderate amount of extra weight, such as dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell.
How to Perform a Deadlift
Stand tall, feet hip-distance apart, and core engaged. Hold two dumbbells at your thighs.
Allow the weights to slightly the front of your thighs by pressing your hips back and hingeing your torso forward from them. To accommodate the movement, bend your knees naturally while pressing your hips backward. The action should be concentrated on the “hinge” at the hips, thus keep your back straight.
Lower the weights as far in front of your legs as you can easily do while keeping perfect form – aim for the knee or mid-shin, depending on your flexibility. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings and gluts.
At the bottom of the deadlift, engage your glutes and hamstrings and squeeze them strongly to reverse the movement, then force your hips forward to stand up.
Finish a set for time or repetitions. If you want to save time, consider doing 30-60 seconds of deadlifts. Finish 2-3 total sets. If you’re trying for repetitions, do 2 sets of 15 deadlifts. You want the repetitions to be difficult (but not impossible) to do while maintaining good form, so once you’ve mastered it, don’t be afraid to add more weight. You can also push yourself harder with a single-leg deadlift.
Stability ball hamstring curls
A stability ball hamstring curl will truly work your hamstrings, as well as your core muscles and, to a lesser extent, your glutes. It’s comparable to a leg curl done on gym equipment, but you can do it at home with only a stability ball. Just remember that this is a balance workout, so go slowly and accomplish what you can rather than overdoing it and risking injury.
Instructions on hamstring curls using stability equipment
Lie on a mat, with your feet and calves on top of a stability ball and your knees completely stretched. Place your hands flat on the floor, outside of your hips. This will help to maintain stability.
Focus on your core and press through as you lift your hips off the floor. Press your heels into the stability ball and use your hamstrings to move the ball toward your hips as you bend your knees. Again, the movement should be limited to your lower body. Reverse the movement when the ball is close contacting your glutes. Return to the beginning posture by slowly and carefully extending your knees. Continue for the rest of the set.
Perform 2–3 sets of 8-12 hamstring curls.
Parting Word from HealthMapp
Thigh toning exercises are an excellent approach to increase muscle and strength in your legs, which can benefit your general health and fitness. However, if you’re new to exercising, it’s a good idea to speak with a trainer to obtain suggestions and instructions on perfect form to help reduce the risk of injury.