Because abdominal and thigh muscle tone are common concerns among fitness enthusiasts, manufacturers create hundreds of exercise gadgets to work these muscle groups. Some provide an efficient workout, but others are flimsy, unsafe and ineffective. While equipment may enhance an abdominal or thigh workout, well-designed floor exercises, performed in proper form, are as effective.
Function
An understanding of muscle function helps you design suitable workouts. The rectus abdominis, your larger, superficial abdominal muscle, supports spinal flexion and extension, whereas the transverse abdominal muscle, which is a deeper core muscle, stabilizes your spine in all planes of movement. The internal obliques, which form an "x" across your abdominal area, rotate your upper torso, and the external obliques, located near your waistline, support side bending at the waist.
Your hamstrings, in the back of your leg, bend your knee. The quadriceps, located in the front of your thigh, extend the knee. Your adductors or inner thigh muscles bring the leg toward the center of your body and the abductors or outer thigh move the leg away from the center.
Misconceptions
Spot reduction is a myth. Abdominal or thigh exercises will tone the muscles, but they will not reduce thigh or belly size. Only aerobic exercise, combined with a reduced consumption of fatty foods, will decrease all-over body fat and reduce thigh and belly size.
Benefits
While abdominal and thigh exercises will not reduce your leg and belly size, toned muscles have a higher resting metabolic rate. This means that increasing your abdominal and leg lean muscle mass will cause you to burn more calories, even when you're not exercising. Abdominal exercise, especially core exercises, helps prevent back problems. Weight-bearing leg exercises enhance athletic performance, prevent knee injuries and build bone mass, which prevents osteoporosis.
Types
Leg machine workouts include equipment such as the leg press, hamstring curl, abductor/adductor machine and cable equipment, which works on a pulley system. While some abdominal machines use a weight stack, most abdominal apparatus uses body weight. Examples include the adjustable incline slat board, the Roman chair, which increases range of motion and supports side-bending exercise, and the captain's chair, performed from an upright position. Some people use resistance bands, stability balls, medicine balls and the bosu, which is a half ball, to add challenge to the basic leg and abdominal floor work exercises. Band workouts, performed in the supine position, enable simultaneous abdominal and legwork. Place a band around your feet and extend your legs. Use your abdominal muscles to press your back into the floor, as you open your legs against the band's resistance.
Expert Insight
Many fitness experts have opinions about the best abdominal and thigh exercises. Some are subjective, and others are research-based. The American Council on Exercise, for example, conducted a study on the best abdominal exercises, and placed the captain's chair, the stability ball crunch and the bicycle maneuver at the top of the list. The bicycle maneuver, performed in a supine position, involves bending one knee, rotating the upper torso toward the bent knee and extending the opposite leg. Most professional fitness sites recommend squats and lunges as the best leg exercises.
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