The proper balance of muscles and fat in your thighs helps to make you appear attractive in every outfit. You will look great in a pair of jeans or an A-line skirt. For that, you do not need skinny thighs. Certain exercises help to tone your legs and hips. These exercises target your quads, calves, glutes, hamstrings, adductors, tensors, and other muscles of the thigh will help to strengthen the lower body. These exercises also improve your posture and build lean muscles.
Warm-Up
Table of Contents
Remember to perform a warm-up before doing any exercise. Begin with thigh exercise to prepare your mind for a workout. Doing warmup will raise your blood flow in your muscles and helps to improve your flexibility of bone and muscles by activating the central nervous system. It also lowers the risk of injury and sore muscles.
1. Squat
Squatting exercise targets your muscles of glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, and lower back.
Beginning Position
Stand straight with your feet somewhat separated (wider than shoulder-distance). Engage your core in and shoulders loose. Broaden your arms before you. Bend them and get them in front of your chest as you squat.
Duration
This exercise takes 2 minutes.
Steps to Do
From your opening position, bend your knees, and lower down similar to sitting on a chair. Put your knees back of your toes.
Stay for one second, and then get up.
Repetitions
Perform 10-Rps in starting, then you can try 2-sets or 3-sets of 10-20 Rps.
Variation
Keep your knees at shoulder-width aloof, and squat.
Precaution
If you feel pain in knees, then avoid doing it. You can also take the instructor helps to prevent injuries.
2. Jumping Squat
Jumping squat exercise target hamstrings, quads, calves, glutes, and adductors.
Beginning Position
Put your feet at shoulder distance. Let your knees straight and somewhat bend forward.
Keep core engaged, and your shoulder relaxed.
Put your hands on the sides to help yourself while moving for the jump.
Duration
Perform this workout for 30 sec.
Steps to Do
Bend your knees in a squat position. Try to put your thighs parallel to the floor and avoid overusing your knees beyond feet.
Turn your arms to drive your body upward and jump. When you land after a jump, try to absorb the shock from muscles to prevent feet and knees injuries. Then, again squat down.
Repetitions
Perform 2-sets of 10-reps.
Variation
Get your feet together as you perform a jump or keep your hands back of your head as you jump to make exercise more difficult.
Precaution
Land slowly.
3. Outer And Inner Thigh Kick
This workout targets the muscles of glutes, quads, adductors.
Beginning Position
Stand back from a chair. Hold the backside of the chair and let your shoulders relaxed. Also, keep your core engaged.
Duration
Perform this exercise for 15 sec for every leg.
Steps To Do
- Lift your body on toes. Turn right leg front.
- Gently rotate your right leg near left and then right.
- Make sure to lift legs high over the right side.
- Perform 10times and take down your body.
- Do the same again for the left leg.
Repetitions
Perform 2sets of 10-reps.
Variation
None
Precaution
Keep your knees straight
4. Single-Leg Circles
The single-leg circles target your adductors and quads.
Beginning Position
Stand upright. Let your shoulder relax, and the abdomen engaged. Keep your right foot front using toes pointing outward.
Duration
This exercise will take 15 seconds for each leg.
Steps To Do
- Raise your right foot at knee height. Put arms over your waist and keep shoulders relaxing.
- Turn the right leg out and create a circle.
- Do this workout 10-times. Repeat for other legs.
Repetitions
Perform 2-sets of 10-reps.
Variation
You can try holding a chair or wall while performing this workout.
Precaution
Avoid flexing your knees or sides while doing this workout.
5. Plie – Training for The Calves and Thighs
The pile exercise targets your muscles of adductors, quads, glutes, and calves.
Beginning Position
Put your legs some wider than your hip width. Put toes pointed outward at 45-degrees, shoulders relaxed, and core engaged.
Duration
This workout takes one 1-minute.
Steps to Do
- From your beginning point, without flexing backward and forward, bend your knees and reduce your body.
- As you perform this, use your palms to exert your back of knees to feel your thigh rotation.
- Turn your both hands on your sides, similar to a ballerina, and gently stand upward using your heels flat over the floor.
- Do this 10-times.
Repetitions
Perform 1-set of 10-reps.
Variation
Raise your ankles over balanced toes. Stay in this pose to beat by going upward and downward.
Precaution
Avoid flexing forward as you do normal squat.
10. Inner Thigh Circles
This exercise work on your hips and thighs by targeting glutes and adductors.
Beginning Position
Think like a cat position. Keep your arms flat over the ground, and toes should point out.
Duration
Perform this exercise for 1 minute.
Steps To Do
- Raise your right leg outward to your side. Somewhat bend your knees.
- Make sure to balance your body over your left knees and both hand.
- Turn your right leg in small circles clockwise and anticlockwise. Perform it 5-times.
- Do it for the left leg.
Repetitions
Perform 2-sets of 10-reps.
Variation
If you are not feeling comfortable with straight legs for a long time, then you can bend knees and put toes pointed to the back.
Precaution
Try to manage your knees comfortable and soft.
11. Side Kick
This workout is for thighs toning by targeting hamstrings, quads, glutes, and adductors.
Beginning Position
Lie on the right side over a mat. Keep your core connected with, head laying on your right hand, keep a left hand in front, and left palm laying level on the floor to help your body. Your body ought to be adjusted from the head to the tailbone. Move both your legs out so your lower body is at 45 degrees with your chest area.
Duration
This exercise performs 1 minute.
Steps To Do
- Lift left leg upward to hips.
- Kick left leg in front without turning the upper body and your right leg. Keep inhaling.
- Now kick with left leg back and breath out. As you kick back, raise the upper body. Make sure to support your body with the right elbow.
Repetitions
Perform 2-sets of 10-reps for both legs.
Variation
As you kick leg forward, you can pulsate to focus on inner thigh muscles and your glutes.
Precaution
Make sure to raise your legs till your hips no exceed.
12. Lunges
Lunges are a thigh and hips workout. It targets your glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
Beginning Position
Keep your right leg on the front side, and let your shoulders relaxed. Put your chest upward, hands-on side, and core engaged. Make sure you should not directly align because it may create difficulty for lunging.
Duration
Perform this workout for 15 seconds on both legs.
Steps To Do
- Put your body weight over front heel, take down your body, and drop left knee toward the ground.
- Stand to keep your right back upward.
Repetitions
Perform 2-sets of 10-reps for both legs.
Variation
You can perform front and back lunges by keeping your leg front or back.
Precaution
Avoid stretching leg to backside and keep it perpendicular to the ground.
13. Standing Forward Bend
This exercise focuses on hips, thighs, and calves by targeting hamstrings, quads, and glutes.
Starting Position
Stand by keeping your feet together, shoulders relaxed core engaged, chest outward, and hands should rest over the waist.
Duration
Perform this workout for 2-mins.
Steps To Do
- Press your shoulder blades collectively and breathing. Flex your upper body front and gently go down.
- Place your palm above your shins or mat.
- Move your head to knees and retain this pose for 2-seconds.
- Now, slowly come up to the starting point.
Repetitions
Perform this exercise of 1-set of 5-reps.
Variation
None
Precaution
Try to balance weight over heels. If you find difficulty balancing, then keep your feet at your shoulder distance.
14. Downward Dog Split
The downward dog split exercise work on glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
Beginning Position
Consider a cat pose. Place your palms level to the ground, and your hands should be at shoulder width.
Duration
Perform this exercise for one minute.
Steps To Do
- Slowly raise your hips, stretch arms and legs, rotate your shoulder down, and front to create more space for neck moves.
- Inhale and expand your left leg upward to make legs and upper body level. Let your toes point out.
- Breath out and gently goes back beginning point.
- Perform this on another side also.
Repetitions
Perform 1-set of 10-reps.
Variation
As your leg come in the second step, bend your knees and hold for one second.
Precaution
Your heels should touch the floor.
15. Lateral Lunge Side Kick
The lateral lunge side kick targets the muscles of glutes, adductors, quads, hamstrings.
Starting Position
Keep your feet together and let the shoulder relaxed while keeping core engaged. Keep your hands close toward chest like boxing.
Duration
Perform this exercise for 30 secs.
Steps to Do
- Turn your right leg out to the side and perform side lunge by taking down your body. Your left leg should stay stretched and manage body weight on the right heel.
- Lift your body back upward and kick right leg outward.
- Perform the same with your left leg.
Repetitions
Perform 1-set of 10-reps.
Variation
Try holding two-pound weights while doing this workout.
Precaution
Manage the rhythm of kicking and lunging to skip falling or injury.
16. Scissor Kicks
The scissor kicks are for lower abs and thigh. It targets quads, hamstrings, lower abs, and adductors.
Starting Position
Lie down flat over your back using a mat. Place your hands straight, toes pointed out, and palms should be under hips.
Duration
Perform this exercise for 30 seconds
Steps to Do
- Raise your legs at a 45-degree angle using the ground.
- Turn right leg upward and left leg downward.
- Get back upward and turn left leg upward and right leg downward.
Repetitions
Perform 2-sets of 15-reps.
Variation
None
Precaution
Do not twist your knees.
17. Flamingo Balance
This exercise tones your hips, thighs, abs, and lower back by working on glutes, hamstrings, lower back, abs, and quads.
Beginning Position
Stand straight by keeping legs at shoulder distance.
You can also hold two pounds of a dumbbell in your both hand and place the left hand over the waist.
Duration
Perform this workout for 1-min.
Steps To Do
- Take the left foot back of you and rest it over the toes.
- Raise your left leg till hips Hight. Place your left leg straight and somewhat bend your right knee.
- Together, get your right arm front, and let your palm face the upward.
- Stay in this state for one second and turn the right hand to make a bicep curl.
- Takedown your left leg for one second and repeat it.
Repetitions
Perform 2-sets of 12-reps.
Variation
You can perform this workout without using dumbbells.
Precaution
Avoid using dumbbell if you do not know the proper way to use it.
18. Straight Leg Lifts
This workout helps to tone the hips and thighs by targeting quads, hamstrings, and hip flexors.
Beginning Position
Lie down over a mat. Keep the right leg straight, and left knee bent and flat over the floor. Your arms should be on the side.
Duration
Perform this workout for 30 secs for your every leg.
Steps to Do
Raise your right leg till you come to the height of the bent left leg.
Gently lower right leg.
Perform these 12 times and also perform to the left leg.
Repetitions
Perform one set of 12 reps.
Variation
Raise both legs together.
Precaution
Avoid doing this workout if you have a knee injury.
19. Kick Back
The kickback exercise tones your hips and thighs by targeting quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Starting Position
Keep your knees and hand over the floor like a cat pose and keep back straight.
Duration
Perform 30 seconds for both legs.
Steps to Do
Balance your body using palms and left knee as you straighten the right leg.
Lift your right leg somewhat over your hips and manage toes pointed.
Repetitions
Perform 2-sets of 10reps.
Variation
As you do kick back, bend your knee and get it close to the chest before kicking back next.
Precaution
Place your toes pointed and let your core engaged. Avid bow down.
20. Curtsy Lunge
Curtsy lunge tone your hips and thigh by working on quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Beginning Position
Stand straight by keeping feet together, shoulder relaxed, and abs engaged.
Duration
Perform this workout for 1-minute.
Steps To Do
- Put your right leg behind to the left leg side.
- Bend right knee and drop down your right knee to make it close to the ground.
- Lift and put your right leg back in the beginning pose.
- Put your left leg back toward the right leg side.
- Bend left knee and lower the left knee close to the ground.
- Lift your left leg behind in the beginning position.
Repetitions
Perform 2-sets of 10-reps.
Variation
When you change your legs, try to jump to make your workout more challenging.
Precaution
Improperly lunging may cause knee injury, so try to follow the best method.
Activities For Toned Legs
Walk More
Apart from specific exercises, perform aerobic activities, such as walking, which is best for toning your legs. Try with slow walking, and once you get the habit and strong legs do jogging or running.
Indoor Cycling
Indoor cycling is another fast way to tone legs. It provides high intensity to your leg muscles, and it is easier for running or jogging. Make sure to adjust your bike to prevent painful positions or injuries.
Hill Sprints
Hill sprints are another leg workout. It helps to strengthen your muscles and improve the strides of running.
You will need to perform a steep hill to perform hill sprints. Try doing 4-6 sets for 10-20 seconds and also take 3- minutes of breaks.
Dance
Dancing is another fun workout to tone legs. You can join a dance class or follow a video at home. There are different types of dancing, such as hip-hop, salsa, line dancing.
Dancing exercise also improves heart health and improve memory. Try to find a dancing class near you, such as aerobic dance, salsa classes.
Jump Rope
Jumping rope also helps to sculpt leg muscles. It also works on your calves while promoting heart rate.
Other Best Exercises for Leg Toning
Pause and Hold
Take frequent pause while doing leg exercises to relax muscle contraction. This contraction may engage your muscles and increase strength. You can also perform moves such as bridges and squats.
Rest Your Legs
Always take rest and avoid doing overwork for legs. Overdoing may slow down the recovery and weaken your muscles. Make sure to take rest so, your body repairs the damaged muscles and become stronger.
Try Nondominant Leg
Occasionally, try performing the exercise with the nondominant side. Try this for climbing stairs and walk. Otherwise, doing with the dominant leg may develop an imbalance of muscular.
Use A Foam Roller
For fast recovery, perform foam roller workout for legs. It helps to loosen tight muscles and recover tissues. Using a foam roller also enhances overall workout performance.
Work Your Lower body
Try to work on your lower body at easy places to build calories for growing lean muscles. Human has 200 muscles in the lower body, including the largest muscles such as gluteus maximus. Therefore, work on the lower body to get going everywhere.
Work on Core
Core exercise also helps to tone your legs and hips. Avoid doing standard crunches and speed up the core training.
Combine Power and Strength
Combine power and strength training to develop strong and lean legs. It helps to burn calories faster. The lunge is the best workout with 12-15 reps and performs split jumps. Switching your leg position as your land after 15 counts help to engage your muscle fibers.
Try Cardio with Distance
Women may require to combine distance and low, moderate cardio activities as the pear shape fat around the hip are difficult to melt then the abdominal area. If you require to focus your legs more than the waist, make sure to perform 45-60 cardiovascular exercise.
Jump the Ankle Weights
Before you lash on those lower leg loads with expectations of slimmer thighs, think about this: they may put more stress over your lower legs, knee, and hips joints, strain your tendons or even reason strong uneven characters. Primary concern—the dangers of wearing lower leg loads exceed the advantages. Spare strolling for cardio, and center around your quality preparing with loads another time. If you feel to include more intensity to walk, take a weighted vest or pole (which focuses the additional weight where your body can sustain it better).
Make Your Legs to Work
Try to speed up results slowly and save money. Try to help the environment by using legs to transform to work. You can walk, bike ride, use rollerblade to work. Staying active for 30 minutes helps to lower the extra 500 calories for burning. That will make you lose 3 pounds in a month.
Do Not Only Reduce Spots
Performing the only thigh will not reduce the inner thigh bulges even if you squeeze more. Try to lower extra fat in different spots such as thighs, hips by performing whole-body cardio and strength exercise. Create a routine of a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Perform the above exercises and tips to strengthen your hips and tone legs. Keep following a regular workout plan and also take enough rest. Eat healthy to burn calories without affecting negatively on overall health. Take expert guidance to create a routine. Have a complete check-up of your knees before starting any workout if you had any injury history. Suddenly starting work out without a doctor’s advice may cause injury. Your doctor will tell how healthy you are and what steps you can follow.