The best gym workouts for toning abs and thighs should target all parts of these muscle groups. Ab workouts should target the upper, middle and lower abs. Thigh workouts should target the quadriceps, abductors, adductors and hamstrings. Do not overtrain your thighs. Writing for Askthetrainer.com, certified personal trainer Shannon Clark warns that excessive exercising may cause your body to store water in the thighs and make them look puffy.
Treadmill
Do uphill walking by setting a treadmill on a high incline. Walking burns calories and tones your thighs and butt. Do a minimum of 20 minutes of this exercise. If you find the exercise too strenuous, lower the incline periodically to decrease the resistance.
Compound Exercises
Perform lunges to target your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and abs. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging by your side. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Stride forward with one leg while keeping the other leg set in place. Bend both knees and lower your torso toward the floor. Keep your front foot flat and your knee in line with your heel. Your thigh should be almost parallel to the floor.
Lift the heel of your back foot, balance your weight on your toes, and pause when your knee almost touches the floor. Push your torso up, step back, and return your front leg to your starting position. Repeat these movements with your other leg.
Isolation Exercises
Do seated leg curls to target your hamstring muscles. Target your outer thighs or abductors with seated thigh abductors and your inner thighs or adductors with seated thigh adductors. Do three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise.
Abs Workouts
Perform three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions on the seated abdominal crunch machine to work your upper and middle abs. Do exercise-ball abdominal pull-ins to target your lower abs. Get into a pushup position, and place your legs on an exercise ball. Keep your back straight and pull your knees toward your chest. The ball will roll forward under your ankles. Exhale and tighten your abs, then push the ball back to its starting position.
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