Slimming down your thighs means taking on an exercise regimen that focuses on combining strength training with cardiovascular work. In their textbook "Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance," Dr. William D. McArdle and Professors Frank I. Katch and Victor L. Katch explain that fat cannot be spot-reduced and is lost throughout the body. Because the thighs can hold a lot of fat, exercising will help burn fat and build muscle in the legs and thighs.
Squats
Squats are designed to work the inner and outer thighs, gluteals, quadriceps and hamstrings, says Shelby Young, an American College of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer. A simple exercise that can be done at home or in a gym, squats help tone and tighten the thighs through controlled movements of the legs and lower body. Standing with the feet hip-width apart, bend at the knees as if sitting into a chair, sticking the gluteals back, keeping the spine straight and core engaged. Using the leg muscles, push yourself back to a standing position. "Squats are one of the best moves you can do to work your thighs because they use your body weight as resistance," Young says. "Adding in weights in each hand brings more strength training to the move as well."
Lateral Leg Lifts
Lateral leg lifts work the outer thighs and the core as it stabilizes the rest of the body during each lift. Standing with legs hip-width apart, place hands on the hips, tighten the abdominals and lift the right leg straight out to the side off the ground. Lower the leg in a slow, controlled manner until the toes gently touch the ground. Keep the foot from touching the ground to add more of a stability challenge before you switch legs. "Lateral leg lifts are really good for toning the outer thighs and glutes," Young says. "They definitely engage the core too, because you're forcing the body to stay stable while you're balancing on one leg and then the other."
Walking Lunges
One of the most basic strength-training moves, lunges target the core, thighs, quadriceps, gluteals and hamstrings. Walking lunges add a cardiovascular element, helping to burn more fat and build more toned muscles in the thighs. Start by lunging forward with the right leg, keeping right knee over right toes and left leg extended back. Engaging the core, bring the left leg forward into a lunge before repeating on the right leg. "Walking lunges can be done anywhere, do them at the park, down your hallway or around the perimeter of the weight room at the gym," Young says. "If you're looking for an exercise that's really going to blast your thighs and challenge those legs, walking lunges are great."
References
- "Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance"; William D. McArdle, Frank I. Katch, Victor L. Katch; 2006
- Shelby Young, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer; Hampshire Hills Sports and Fitness Center; Milford, N.H.
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