Thigh Workouts: Your Ultimate Guide

The quadriceps, better known as the dreaded inner thighs, is made up of four muscles whose main function is to allow you to walk or run or climb stairs. It’s a commonly problematic area to work on, as conventional stationary exercises don’t fully utilize it.

Let this guide you through the most fruitful thigh workout that can be done at home, in the gym or in the park.

Extension

Vital in any thigh workout, stretching your thighs prevents injury and, more importantly, warms up the area so it can bend. Sit into leg stretches and lunges for at least 15 minutes to make sure you’re ready to go. An excellent stretching practice is the butterfly stretch. Sit on the floor and bring your feet together in front of you. Your thighs should be lifted as you grab onto your ankles with both hands. Slowly lower your thighs to stretch them. You should feel the pull in your thighs as you stretch. Do this slowly and repeat as needed.

machine assisted training

For machine-assisted thigh workouts, use the leg attachment on your bench press to perform leg curls and extensions. Do these exercises slowly, pausing at the peak of your effort to maximize the effect. Leg extensions are performed in a seated position by raising the weighted attachment to a vertical position while supported by the ankles. This exercise activates the front thigh muscles with either load or repetitions to meet your goals. Leg curls are performed by lying face down on the bench and lifting the upper leg attachment with the back of the ankle. This uses the muscles on the back of the thigh and should be combined with leg extensions.

Leg press machines are primarily for strength training. Make sure your back is flat on the machine and the weight is appropriate for your workout. Too light and you waste the exercise, too much and you strain your thigh muscles, weight problems are more common for lower body exercises as we tend to overestimate the tension because the first few reps tend to be easy. Like the curl and extension, do it slowly and pause for a few seconds at the point or effort.

without assistance

Pilates and yoga exercises are excellent thigh exercises that focus on stretching and tightening the muscles through positions and maneuvers that contort the body. Follow these regimens only when guided by licensed professionals.

For simple exercises at home, squats, jump squats, lunges, and jump rope activities all target the thighs. Do squats and lunges with your feet slightly apart to enhance the activity. Gradually widen your stance as you feel more comfortable.

King of the hill for thigh workouts would be your primary purpose: walking. Walk, run, jog, and climb stairs for a safe, free, aerobic workout that is the most effective way to use all of your thigh muscles and improve your endurance, as well as provide full body fat burning.

Include this exercise in your routine and strengthen your thigh to be fitter, stronger and better shaped.