Exercises To Tone Your Upper Back & Thighs

The upper back and thigh muscles execute many important functions to help you move and stabilize your body. According to Dr. Susan Hall, author of the textbook "Basic Biomechanics," the upper back muscles hold the scapula bones in place when forces are applied to your shoulders, and move the scapula bones to allow the various movements of the shoulder joint. The thigh muscles stabilize your body while you stand upright and facilitate movement at the hip and knee joints. All of these muscles can be toned and strengthened through progressive resistance exercise.

Incline Reverse Lateral Raises

This exercise is featured by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) for the rhomboids and trapezius muscles of the upper back. Lie face down on an inclined (head above knees) bench and hold dumbbells below the bench perpendicular to your body with your arms fully extended. Repeatedly arc the weights away from each other and upward until they are even with your shoulders and slowly let them back down. Keep your arms as straight as possible throughout the movement.

Shoulder Shrugs

Shoulder shrugs strengthen the upper back muscles through resistance against your effort to elevate the scapula bones. Stand upright, hold dumbbells at your sides and repeatedly lift your shoulders toward your ears and lower them back down. You can also hold a barbell in front of your thighs to perform the exercise.

Upright Rows

Upright rows tone the trapezius muscles on either side of the spine on your upper back. Stand and hold a barbell in front of your thighs with your palms facing your body. Flex your arms to pull the bar up under your chin and slowly let it back down. Repeat for multiple repetitions.

Squats

Squats are a familiar exercise for the thighs that strengthen the hamstrings and quadriceps muscle groups. ACE recommends performing squats while holding dumbbells about an inch in front of your shoulders with your palms facing each other. Repeatedly lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground and stand back up. You can also do squats while holding dumbbells at your sides or a barbell across your upper back and shoulders.

Leg Extensions

Leg extensions exercise the four quadriceps muscles through knee extension and flexion. They are performed on a machine with a foot bar attached to a weight stack with a cable through a pulley. Sit on the thigh pad with your lower legs hanging off the edge and feet under the foot bar. Extend your legs to lift the bar; this action will raise the weight stack. When your legs are fully extended, slowly lower the bar back down and repeat.

Hamstring Curls

Like leg extensions, hamstring curls are performed on a machine with a foot bar attached to a weight stack. Lie face down on the bench with your heels under the bar. To lift the weights, bend your knees so your heels move toward your thighs. Flex your legs as far as possible and then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of repetitions.