Strength training exercises for the thighs and glutes help firm and slim your legs. The glutes are the muscles of the buttocks. The thighs include the quadriceps, hamstring, adductors and abductors, which are the front, back, inside and outside muscles of the thighs. Luckily, these muscle groups are close enough that more than one can be activated at a time during exercise.
Dumbbell Lunges
The dumbbell lunges primarily uses the quadriceps but the other muscles of the thighs and glutes are worked too. A pair of dumbbells are held at your sides to do dumbbell lunges. Start standing with your feet at hip width distance apart. Take a big step forward with your right foot and lift your left heel. Bend your knees until your right knee makes a 90 degree angle above your foot. Keep your back upright and straight throughout the exercise. Step back with your right foot and the step your left foot forward. Perform the lunge with the left foot forward and bring your feet back together to finish one repetition.
Reverse Partial Squats
The reverse partial squats exercise targets the glutes and thighs in the second half of a traditional squat exercise. The lower portion of a squat exercise is the part that is most challenging, says fitness author Karen Sessions in her article "Glutes and Thigh Workouts" on the website Critical Bench. Do the reverse partial squats exercise by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and parallel to each other. Either put your hands on your hips or hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand with your arms at your sides. Straighten your spine and squeeze your abs. Then, bend your knees and lower your hips until the are at the same height. This is the starting position. You should stand back up but only halfway. Lower back down to the starting position.
Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift
The barbell straight leg deadlift is an exercise for the hamstring muscles on the back of your thighs. The glutes and inner thighs are also activated by this exercise. A barbell is used for resistance, but two dumbbells can easily be used instead. To perform this exercise, stand with your feet between hip- and shoulder-width apart on an aerobic step or platform. The step affords you the option of a greater range of motion than if you were limited by the floor. Hold a barbell with your arms in front of your body and hinge forward at the waist to lower the barbell toward the floor. The legs and arms remain straight. Squeeze your glutes and stand back up straight to do a deadlift.
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