Many of us aspire for that thigh gap, which is often seen as a sign of ideal weight. Many exercise their leg muscles to reach that goal. Although not a bad goal, focusing on strengthening those thigh muscles might do you greater good. Just think of all the activities that involve your quadriceps, adductors, and hamstrings. From simply walking, climbing stairs, and running to hiking and vigorous sports and exercises, all need strong thigh muscles. Hence, you must plan your workout to also focus on these muscles. Gladly, several exercises specifically focus on thigh muscles, which comprises of:
- Hamstrings: These are the muscles at the back of the thighs.
- Quadriceps: These are the front thigh muscles.
- Adductor: These are present in between the thighs.
Exercises For Strengthening Thigh Muscles
Let us now go through some of the exercises for thigh muscles. However, before doing that, you must do some stretching exercises to improve your performance and reduce your chance of any injuries.
1. Squats
Doing squats is among the primary exercises for thigh muscles, as per a leading health website. It works quadriceps and hamstrings along with calves, hips, and glutes. To do squats:
- Stand straight with your feet more than hip-width apart.
- Tucking in your glutes and firming up the core, gently bend your knees while lowering down.
- Your spine should be long and lower down till your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Repeat 8-10 times.
2. Lunges
Just like squats, lunges work on your hamstrings and quadriceps along with glutes. To do it:
- Stand straight with your feet hips-width distance apart.
- Bring the right foot forward as if taking a stroll. However, keep that right foot flat on the floor while your left foot is behind your torso with toes curled under.
- Tucking in your glutes and strengthening your core, gently lower down till your right thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Rise and repeat on the other side.
3. Step-Up
Another great exercise for the lower body is step-up. It targets the quadriceps and hamstrings along with glutes. You need a platform for this one. To do step-up:
- Stand straight with your feet hips-width distance apart.
- Raise your right leg and place it on the platform.
- Then, raise your left leg and bring it alongside the right leg.
- Step down and repeat the same on the opposite side.
4. Running
Running is another exercise to strengthen the thigh muscles, according to a leading health website. This activity involves a lot of your lower body muscles. It strengthens the hamstrings and quadriceps, making it another great workout for the lower body.
5. Cycling
Just like running, cycling is also great for thigh muscles. It works up your lower body and is good for hamstrings, quadriceps along glutes and calves.
Your legs make mobility possible. Hence, you must dedicate a good amount of your workout to exercising those legs. Not only will they get lean and toned but also strong, which is crucial for a healthy body.
