Your upper thighs are made up of two large muscle groups. The quadriceps muscle group sits at the front of the thigh and is responsible for straightening the knee and pulling the leg toward the chest. The hamstring muscle group sits at the back of the thigh and it helps you bend the knee and pull the leg away from the chest. If you want to keep these upper thigh muscles strong and agile, all you need is a bit of floor space and a few minutes of time.
Squats
Squats are one of the most effective exercises you can do to tone and strengthen your quadriceps and hamstrings. Because squats use body weight resistance to target the muscles, they can be performed without equipment. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, with your feel parallel and toes pointing forward. Slowly bend at the hips and knees, dropping your butt toward the ground while keeping your back and torso straight. Keep your knees over your feet and continue bending until your knees reach a 90-degree angle. Hold for a second and slowly return to starting position. For extra stability, hold onto a chair as you bend. For variety, perform the squats with an exercise ball held between your back and a wall.
Leg Lifts
For the inner and outer thigh leg lifts, all you need is enough space to lie down. Begin by lying on your right side with your body in a straight line from head to toe. Bend your right elbow and use your right hand to support your head. Rest your left hand on the floor in front of your chest. Bend your left leg and place it on the floor in front of your right knee. Keeping your toes pointed and leg straight, slowly lift your right leg 8 to 10 inches off of the ground. Hold for a moment and then lower back to the floor. Perform 20 to 30 repetitions to work the inner thighs. Now, bend the right leg and straighten the left leg. Keeping the foot flexed and leg straight, lift the left leg 8 to 10 inches. Hold for a moment and lower back to starting position. Perform 20 to 30 repetitions to work the outer thighs. Repeat both exercises on the other side.
Plie
Taken straight from the ballerina handbook, the plie exercise tightens the upper back thighs and buttocks. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width, with your toes pointing out. Hold your arms straight in front of you and contract your abdominal muscles. Slowly bend at the knees and lower your butt toward the ground. Move as low into the squat as possible without allowing your knees to extend past your toes. Throughout the exercise, keep your abdominal and gluteus muscles contracted and your torso straight and tall. Repeat the plie exercise for 30 to 60 seconds.
Single Leg Circles
For single leg circles, lie on your back on a cushioned exercise mat. Extend your left leg on the ground and lift your right leg toward the ceiling. Keeping the toes pointed, move your whole leg to draw small circles in the air. Draw 10 circles in a clockwise position and 10 in a counter-clockwise position and then switch legs. If the exercise becomes too easy, try tracing the alphabet in the air instead of circles.
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