Slim down your thighs through a combination of aerobic exercise and targeted thigh muscle strengthening exercises. Commit yourself to completing 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five days a week and two days of strengthening exercises, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The aerobics will burn off your excess fat while the strengthening exercises tone your thigh muscles to give you slimmer thighs.
Aerobic Exercises
Choose exercises that work your thigh muscles as they burn off fat, such as lap swimming, water aerobics, brisk walking, dancing or cycling. Aim for a moderate-intense workout, meaning you are able to talk but not sing a song while exercising. Vary your aerobic activities throughout the week to work different muscle groups and add variety to your workout.
Squat With Ball
Get a back rub while you strengthen your thigh muscles with this exercise. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a large exercise ball between a wall and your lower back. Keep your shoulders level and your hips square as you bend your knees and lower your buttocks until you are in a sitting position with your bent knees directly over your ankles. Hold this position for five seconds, then roll yourself back up to the starting position. Complete 12 repetitions.
Plie
Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and your toes pointing away from the sides of your body. Keep your torso tall and tuck your tailbone under throughout this exercise. Lift your arms straight out in front of you as you contract your glutes and bend your knees out to your sides into a squat. Go as low as you can without moving your knees past your toes. Slowly and with control raise yourself back up to the starting position. Repeat 12 times. To add to the difficulty, pulse your thigh muscles at the bottom of the squat.
Dumbbell Front Squat
Stand with your knees slightly bent and your feet a little wider than hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing your thighs. Inhale and tighten your abdominal muscles as you bend your elbows and lift the dumbbells up just in front of your shoulders. Shift your weight to your heels and keep your chest upright and back straight as you shift your hips down and back until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure your knees are aligned over your second toe and your body weight is evenly divided between your feet. Push your feet into the floor and raise your hips and torso back up to your starting position. Repeat eight times.
References
- CDC: Physical Activity for Everyone
- "Fitness" magazine; Our Top 10 Thigh Exercises; Lexi Walters; May 2008
- ACE Fitness: Dumbbell Front Squat
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