Five Thigh Exercises to Try at Home

5 minutes

There are two elements one must combine to improve body composition: nutrition and exercise. Below, we'll delve into this topic and how it affects the thigh area.

Reviewed and approved by Doctor Carlos Fabián Avila.

Written by Carolina Betancourth

Last update: 26 May, 2022

1. Classic squats

Squats are one of the best exercises to work the entire lower body. This exercise not only tightens the thigh muscles but also firms the buttocks and helps increase leg strength.

In addition, the benefits of squats even extend to the bone level. According to a study published by Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, this movement improves knee stability and strengthens the muscles surrounding the knee, hip, and ankle joints.

The squat technique is quite easy to learn:

Stand up straight with your legs separated at the width of your shoulders and place your hands in front of your body or behind your head
Start to lower your body as if you were going to sit down, keeping your abdomen tight
Make sure your knees don’t go over the tips of your toes when lowering your butt
Stand up again to complete a repetition
Squat while holding dumbbells, or any kind of weight if you want to raise the intensity

Visit this article Seven Reasons Why You Should Do Squats Everyday

2. Adductor exercise

The adductor muscles are located in the interior lateral zone of the thighs, by the groin, specifically. In addition to strengthening this muscle group, the sumo squat will allow you to work your hips and shape and tone your thighs. You do it as follows:

Stand up with your hands on your hips and open your legs as much as you can; point your feet outwards
Staying in position while keeping your back straight, bend your knees and lower yourself to a 90-degree angle
Contract your glutes and hold the position for 2 or 3 seconds, then go back to the original position.

3. The bridge is one of the best thigh exercises

A woman doing the Bridge. — The bridge is useful for scoliosis and can be performed in the home environment.

This classic exercise, also known as the “pelvic lift”, strengthens the hamstrings which are located behind the thighs. This exercise is great for toning the butt and waist, as well as for improving spine stability.

The bridge also improves the stability of the spine, as it strengthens the muscles of the middle and back, according to a recent study published in the Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy. The technique is quite simple:

Lay down on a rug or yoga mat, or rug, so you’re looking at the ceiling
Lay your hands at your side and bend your knees
Lift your waist towards the ceiling, making sure to tighten your glutes, thighs, and abdomen
Hold the position for a few seconds and slowly return to the floor
If you want, put a little weight on your stomach to add more difficulty

4. Side leg lifts are great thigh exercises

Side leg lifts are wonderful for working out the muscles in the waist and outside parts of the thighs. Do it as follows:

Lay down on your side with one arm under your body and the other on your waist
Put one foot on top of the other and keep your legs extended
Staying in position, lift the upper leg towards the ceiling until you feel a light pressure on your hips
Lower your leg without touching the other and lift it again
Once you’re done with one leg, follow up with the next one

Check out these our Miracle Ways to Trim Your Waist in a Week

5. Deadlifts

A woman doing leg exercises with weights. — The deadlift is an exercise with many benefits for the back and lower body muscles.

Deadlifts are one of the basic exercises for muscle strengthening. According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, its main purpose is to improve the strength and power of the lower body and the erector spinae muscle.

Its execution requires a well-polished technique, otherwise, considerable injuries may occur. Carefully follow these steps to do it:

Stand up straight and hold a pair of dumbbells with your arms extended towards the floor
Separate your feet and lightly bend your knees
Lean your chest forwards, as if you wanted to touch the floor with the dumbbells
Make sure you keep your back straight and, keeping the initial position of your legs, go back to the starting position
Add more weights if you’re able can handle more resistance

Plan some exercises to shape and tone your thighs

Regarding the repetitions and sets for the proposed exercises, we must say these depend on the physical condition of each person. Therefore, professionals advise doing two or three sets of as many repetitions as possible and increase the amount progressively as your endurance and technique improve.

As you may have noticed, there are several exercises you can do at home. Spend a few minutes on this simple routine and discover how good these activities are for improving the shape and tone of your thighs. Don’t forget to take care of your other habits though!