The hamstring muscles shape the back of your thighs. In order to slenderize the upper back of your thighs, you must workout your hamstring muscles. There are many exercises that can target these muscles and provide a good workout. Exercise your thighs three to five times a week to get the desired results.
Single Leg Bridge
The bridge stretches and elongates your hamstring muscles. Lie with your back on a mat, arms extended at your sides and palms facing inward. Bend both knees and position your feet flat on the floor about 12 inches from your butt and hip-width apart. Raise your bent right knee and grasp it with your hands pulling your knee toward your chest until you feel a slight pull in your hamstring muscles. Squeeze your left butt muscle and your abdominal muscles as you dig your left foot into the mat and lift your back and hips off the floor. Your body should be in a straight line from your knee to your shoulders. Relax your muscles and return to the start position with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Perform this exercise 15 times.
Thigh Curls
This exercise strengthens your hamstring muscles and uses an exercise ball to diversify your workout. Lie with your back on the floor, body straight, legs hip-width apart and heels resting on the stability ball. Cross your arms over your chest and lift your hips and back off the floor until your body is in a straight line from your feet to your shoulders. Tighten your abdominal and butt muscles and slowly, bend your legs pulling the ball toward you until your feet are flat on the ball. Your butt and back should not touch the floor during the exercise. Move the exercise ball back and forth eight times before relaxing your muscles and lowering your body to the start position. Perform five sequences. If you have a difficult time balancing your body during the exercise, extend each arm at your side while executing the exercise.
Leg Lifts
Lie facedown on a mat with your arms crossed underneath your head and your legs extended. Squeeze your abdominal and butt muscles, point your toes and lift your extended right leg off the floor as high as possible without lifting your hips. Lower your leg to the floor and without pausing, perform 10 lifts. Switch legs and repeat the exercise. Perform two sequences of leg lifts working each leg 20 times. To increase the level of difficulty, attach a weight to the ankle being exercised or increase the number of repetitions and sequences.
Fire Hydrant
The exercise provides a total thigh workout. Kneel on all fours on a mat with your knees aligned under your hips and your hands directly under your shoulders. Bend your right knee forward bringing it as close to your chest as possible. Extend your right leg outward at shoulder-height leading with your toes pointed. Maintaining your leg at shoulder-height and toes pointed, swing it backward until it is in a straight line with your body. Bend your knee and return it to the floor. Perform this exercise 15 times. Switch legs and repeat the exercise.
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