On the search for strong, sculpted legs? Thigh exercises — at home or in the gym — could be the answer. They may not be easy but, providing you combine 'em with some solid quad exercises and weighted dumbbell or kettlebell leg exercises, you'll be well on your way to serious results. FYI, these aren't only for #ladieswholift and they're definitely no one-way ticket to a beefed-up lower body (that takes serious dedication and protein galore), they're just a surefire way to add strength and tone. Here's what you need to know about the best thigh exercises.
What are the benefits of thigh exercises?
For starters, they can be done anywhere so your favourite thigh exercises at home are easily transferrable to the gym if you choose to change your leg day locay. Also they don't require much space or equipment — you can level up your thigh exercises with resistance bands, kettlebells and dumbbells, but they're not necessary.
As well as toning, they provide a stable foundation for your body — not only during your workouts, but 24/7.
'There are many benefits of working and strengthening the thighs, with one of the main ones being it can help to keep your legs and hips balanced and strong, which will aid functional fitness and everyday movements,' explains David Wiener, Training Specialist at Freeletics.
'Strengthening this area will also improve your body’s functionality and help to reduce the risk of injury.'
'Thigh exercises are particularly good for protecting the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a ligament in the knee which can tear under strain. Most commonly caused by sports injuries, it can also happen just walking up the stairs. With a recovery time of six to nine months, it's something we want to work hard to avoid. It can help ease back pain caused by weak hamstring and tight hip flexors by strengthening and stretching, as well as maintaining healthy bone density.'
Though we tend to build less muscle mass than men, according to various studies, thigh exercises for women will upgrade your strength training game no end. Stronger thighs mean you can lift heavier loads — and, bonus: more weight means a more effective metabolism.
What are the best thigh exercises?
While there are certain moves you can add into your cardio roster, like running, cycling and swimming, to help tone and strengthen your thighs, these thigh exercises are your typical strength training kind. and weight training, there are some exercises to tone thighs you can add into your routine to up your leg game. Dumbbells, optional — and any can be made into thigh exercises with resistance bands for an added challenge.
The best thigh exercises isolate your thigh muscles, help you build strength and get your heart pumping in one - a triple threat, if you will. These are the ones we reap rewards from on the reg. (Dumbbells are optional — doing thigh exercises with resistance bands also offers a different kind of challenge.)
1. Air Squat
a) Standing with feet hip-width apart, hinge at the knees to come into a squat position – making sure your knees track over your toes and don't extend past.
b) With the weight in your heels push back up to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Muscles worked: Thighs, hamstrings, quads, glutes
2. Sumo Squat
a) Place your feet wider than hip-width apart and lower down into a squat position with your knees tracking over your toes. You can bring your arms overhead as you lower down if it helps keep your upper body upright.
b) Raise back up to standing and repeat.
Muscles worked: Quads, gluteus muscles, hips, hamstrings, calves, inner thighs
3. Squat Jump
a) Lower down into a squat position with your feet hip-width apart.
b) Powerfully explode upwards by pushing through your heels and using your glutes to jump. Try to extend your legs fully at the top of the jump.
c) Land in a squat position and repeat.
Muscles worked: Glutes, quads, hips, hamstrings
4. Tempo Squat
a) From standing, lower down into a squat position slowly, counting 3-5 seconds on the way down.
b) Powerfully push through your heels to stand upright and repeat.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, adductors, hamstrings, calves
5. Curtsy Lunge
a) Standing with your feet hip-width apart lunge backwards, crossing your lunging leg over to the opposite side. You'll arrive in a deep curtsy position.
b) Drive through the heel of your front foot to return to your starting position. Repeat.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes
6. Pulse Lunge
a) Come into a lunge position with your back knee raised a few inches off the ground and your front knee tracking over your toes.
b) Raise up a few inches, keeping your core and leg muscles engaged but not coming up fully.
c) Lower back down and repeat the pulse movement.
Muscles worked: Quads, calves, glutes, groin, hamstrings
7. Jump Lunge
a) Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, core engaged and shoulders back. Take a step back with your left leg, with the weight on the ball of your back foot and your front foot flat on the floor.
b) Jump up to switch your legs in mid-air – left leg forward and right leg back. Use your arms to help you jump explosively and make sure your chest is lifted, before landing with both knees at 90 degrees. Keep switching legs without your knees moving out of line.
Muscles worked: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, calves
8. Walking Lunge
a) Keeping your back straight, engage your core muscles and place your hands on your hips to stay balanced.
b) Take a big step forward with one foot and bend your knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.
c) Step forward with the other foot and repeat the motion.
Muscles worked: Glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, abs, hips
9. Lateral Lunge
a) Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
b) Take a big step to the side with your left leg, then bend your left knee, push hips back and lower until your left knee is bent 90 degrees. This should take around two seconds.
c) Push back to start. You can alternate, or complete the reps on your left leg before moving on to your right.
Muscles worked: Glutes, thighs
10. Forward Lunge
a) Keeping your back straight, engage your core muscles and place your hands on your hips to stay balanced.
b) Take a big step forward with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.
c) Step back to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg.
Muscles worked: Glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, abs, hips
11. Reverse Lunge
a) Keeping your back straight, engage your core muscles and place your hands on your hips to stay balanced.
b) Take a big step backwards with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.
c) Step back to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg.
Muscles worked: Core, glutes, hamstrings
12. Dumbbell Curtsy Lunge
a) Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Take a big step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right. Keeping your body upright, bend your knees until your right thigh is nearly parallel to the floor.
b) Return to the start and repeat, alternating legs.
Muscles worked: Glutes, thighs, core
13. Dumbbell Deadlift
a) Pick up a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip and hold them by your sides. Stand with your knees slightly bent, and your feet hip-width apart.
b) Hinge at the hips as you bend your knees, lowering your torso until it’s almost parallel with the floor and your weighted hands towards the floor. Remember to keep your back neutral i.e. not rounded.
c) Reverse the move by pushing your hips forward, squeezing your glutes and pushing through the heels of your feet.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, spinal erectors
14. Dumbbell Forward Lunge
a) Keeping your back straight, engage your core muscles, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
b) Take a big step forward with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.
c) Step back to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, core
15. Dumbbell Glute Bridge
a) Lie flat on your back with your knees bent upwards and a single dumbbell resting on your hips.
b) Tensing your glute muscles and holding the dumbbell to ensure it doesn't fall off, raise your hips up as high as you can towards the ceiling. Hold for three seconds, clenching your muscles, return to the floor and repeat.
Muscles worked: Glutes, core, hamstrings
16. Dumbbell Goblet Pulse Squat
a) Start with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, with your knees and toes pointing outwards. Hold a dumbbell in a goblet position in both hands.
b) Lower into a squat and, once you’re as far down as you can go, begin pulsing. Raise and lower your body no more than six inches with each pulse.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes
17. Dumbbell Goblet Squat
a) Holding a dumbbell in front of your chest, stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
b) Keeping your weight in your heels, bend your knees, and lower your bum back and down as if you’re about to sit in a chair.
c) As you lower, engage your core, pull your weight back through your hips and ensure your shoulders don’t round.
d) When your thighs are parallel with the floor, pause for a second then drive through your heels to push back up to the starting position.
Muscles worked: Glutes, thighs, calves, core, shoulders
18. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
a) Stand with both feet flat on the floor and a dumbbell in each hand.
b) Keeping your legs straight, bend at the hips to lower your weighted hands towards the floor. Go to just below knee-height and then stand straight again. Clench your glute and core muscles as you do so. Repeat.
Muscles worked: Quads, calves, hamstrings, core, lats, triceps
19. Dumbbell Split Squat
a) Holding a dumbbell in a goblet position, place one foot in front of the other. Make sure the back foot only has the toe touching the floor.
b) Keeping your knee positioned directly over your ankle, making sure it doesn't bend over your toe, lunge forward and clench your glutes. Lower your back knee to the floor until it touches and then push up through the soles of your feet. Keep your back straight and gaze forward.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, upper legs
20. Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift
a) Stand up straight with a slight bend in your knees and your feet around hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing backwards.
b) Keep your back as straight as possible, your legs straight and your knees soft, hinge at the hips, lowering your dumbbells over the tops of your feet, continuing as far as you can go until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
c) Squeeze your glutes and push your hips forward to bring your torso back up, and your dumbbells back to the starting position.
Muscles worked: Lats, glutes, hamstrings, erectors
21. Sliding Reverse Lunge
a) Keeping your back straight, engage your core muscles and place your hands on your hips or bring them up to your chest to stay balanced.
b) Take a big step backwards with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.
c) Step back to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg.
Muscles worked: Abs, glutes, hamstrings, hips, quads
22. Sliding Lateral Lunge
a) Stand with your feet hip-width apart with both hands in front of your chest.
b) Slide one foot to the side, bending the other leg as you push hips back and lower until it is bent 90 degrees. This should take around two seconds.
c) Push back to start. You can alternate, or complete the reps on your left leg before moving on to your right.
Muscles worked: Glutes, thighs
23. Dumbbell Step-Up
a) Step up onto the box with both feet, holding dumbbells in both hands.
b) Engage your core and hinge forward slightly to lower your left leg towards the ground.
c) Gently touch your toes to the floor and press back up through the heel of your foot on the box. Complete all reps on the same leg before moving onto the other side.
Muscles worked: Glutes, thighs
If you're looking for exercises to lose thigh fat, you might be disappointed to know there's no quick fix. But regular training, including thigh exercises, will help boost metabolism and tone the muscles.
What are the most common mistakes people make when doing thigh exercises?
Wiener says these are the errors he sees most often:
- Rounding your back and slouching, which can cause lower back strain
- Not engaging your glutes and core
- Not wearing supportive trainers, which can overload knees and ankles
- Not warming up
- Not balancing out muscular work with stretching, foam rolling or mobility and flexibility exercises
- Giving equal focus to inner and outer thighs to avoid creating muscular imbalances
- Not resting enough
What's the difference between inner thigh exercises and thigh exercises?
While 'thigh exercises' describes the overarching category of exercises which target the thighs, inner thigh exercises target... you guessed it; the inner thighs.
‘Thigh and inner thigh exercises work different muscles, so it’s important to do both,’ explains Anna Parker, PT and founder of AP FITNESS. ‘Thigh exercises work the quads, while inner thigh exercises are smaller muscles that are connected with the core and glutes. They help with endurance and, without these muscles being strong, it’s hard to perfect bigger ones, like squats or kettlebell swings.’
Rebecca Gillam
Bex is a wellbeing writer, brand consultant and qualified yoga and meditation teacher who likes baths, crystals, running with her pup Gustav and making unboring vegan-ish food.
