There are a few machines that tone the thighs, and then variations on these machines. Weight machines in the gym that you'll likely find for the thighs include selectorized and lever machines. Selectorized machines have a weight stack and pin so you can slide the pin under the weight amount you want. Lever weight machines have bars you slide weighted plates onto to change the amount you lift. Both types of machines work the thighs with the same basic motions.
Leg Extension Machine
The leg extension machine tones the quadriceps muscles. The quads comprise four muscles called the vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis and rectus femoris. All four muscles work to extend the knee, which is what the leg extension machine does. To use this machine, sit on the seat and place your legs over the top roller pad. Slide your ankles behind the bottom pad and then raise your legs up straight. A variation is the alternating leg extension, where each leg takes turns lifting the lever.
Leg Curl Machine
The leg curl machine usually sits near the leg extension machine because they work opposing muscle groups. Leg curl machines target the hamstrings on the back of the thighs. These machines have several variations --- standing, seated, lying, bent-over and kneeling --- depending on the manufacturer. The motion is the same, though, and each leg curl machine tones the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles of the hamstrings. To perform a kneeling leg curl on a machine, kneel on the knee pads and hook one ankle behind the padded roller. Then, lift the roller toward your buttocks by flexing the knee. Repeat with the other leg. Some machines, such as the lying version, let you work both legs simultaneously.
Leg Press Machine
The leg press machine tones the quads and hamstrings as well as the adductors of the inner thighs. The glutes are a prime mover too. To use a leg press machine, sit on the seat and bend your knees into your chest as you place your feet hip-width apart on the resistance plate. Then, push your legs straight. On some machines, the plate moves forward. On others, the seat slides back. Leg press machines vary by angle. Some are at a 45-degree angle, with the seat below the platform, and some are a straight 90 degrees up, called a vertical press.
Hip Adductor Machine
The hip adductor machine tones the inner thigh muscles, called the hip adductors. The hip adductors bring the legs together when they are open sideways. The adductors include the adductor brevis, adductor longus and adductor magnus. The pectineus and gracilis muscles also adduct the hips. The most common hip adductor machines are the seated kind, with either straight-leg or bent-leg padded supports that you press against to work the thighs. You sit on the seat and place your inner thighs against the pads with your legs open, and then press the pads together. Standing and lying versions of this machine also exist, though the standing ones only let one leg work at a time.
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