10 At-Home Exercise Moves That Target Your Thighs

With the temperatures rising, shorts and mini skirts are back in style. And the only thing you need to rock the outfits is a chunk of confidence. And while confidence goes a really long way, some might also want those sexy model-like toned legs. While spot reduction is not possible, thighs are a problem area women commonly complain about. Training your legs and reducing the fat can not only boost your confidence but can also improve your stability and increase core strength. Fire up your quads and hammies with these exercises and get those slim, toned thighs.

Common Causes For Chubby Thighs

There are a few causes for more fat to be accumulated in the lower body of women compared to men. Some of them are:

• An unhealthy diet with excess consumption of sugar and processed foods
• Sedentary or inactive lifestyle
• Female hormone aka estrogen
• Irregular sleep
• No consistent exercise

Top 10 Exercises That Tone Your Thighs

Here are 10 simple exercises that you can do at home with zero to minimal equipment to tone and strengthen your thighs.

1. Leg Lift

Leg lift is a simple yet effective way to lose the fat in your thighs, toning them and making them look leaner. It can be done quickly with just a yoga mat.

How To Do It: 

1. Sleep with the back on the floor and hands to your sides.
2. Slowly lift both of your legs, forming a 90-degree angle between the legs and the floor.
3. Try to stay in the posture for a few seconds.
4. Bring your legs back to the resting position.
5. Repeat the process 10 to 15 times.

2. Squats

Squats are a compound form of exercise that targets more than one muscle in your body, making them useful for weight loss. It makes your legs lean, helps tone your lower body, and burn fat quicker. Squats are one of the best exercises to reduce thigh fat.

How To Do It:

1. Stand erect with your legs apart, placing your hands on the side.
2. Raise your hands parallel to the ground.
3. Slowly bend your knees, making your calf and femur are perpendicular to each other.
4. Keep your back straight all the while and hold up in this position for 10 seconds.
5. Slowly stand up, coming up to the initial position.
6. Repeat the process 30 times in sets of ten.
7. Remember to take a break for 30 seconds in between.

3. Jumping Jacks

Jumping jacks are another simple way to lose all the unnecessary flab in your thighs. The exercise not only helps you reduce thigh fat but also strengthens your legs, arms, and core. Moreover, it is one of the best exercises to keep your heart and lungs healthy as it stimulates the heart muscles by raising your heart rate thereby burning calories.

How To Do It:

1. Stand erect with your legs together and hands on the side.
2. Bend your knees slightly and jump up with your hand in the upward direction.
3. As you jump, remember to move your legs shoulder-width.
4. Jump back into the initial position.
5. Repeat the process 15 to 20 times.

4. Butterfly Stretch

One of the most simple and effective stretches that affect thighs and hips is the butterfly stretch. The movement is in such a way that it puts pressure on the muscles in the thighs and legs, helping them lose the extra flab.

How To Do It:

1. Sit down on a mat with your back straight.
2. Fold your legs, joining your soles together.
3. Bring your soles inward as much as possible without forcing yourself.
4. Now move your thighs up and down like a butterfly.
5. Repeat the process at least 30 times and try not to stretch beyond your capacity.
6. Done regularly, the thigh muscles will become flexible.

5. Forward Lunges

Forward Lunges are a simple yet very effective exercise to lose thigh fat. This exercise is claimed to be the best exercise to lose thigh fat after squats.

How To Do It:

1. The first step is to stand with your feet together.
2. With your upper body straight, step forward with one leg and move out until the thigh is parallel to the ground (until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle) pull it back after.
3. Repeat the same motion on the opposite side.
4. Do 7-12 repetitions for 2-3 sets.

6. Back Leg Pull

Back leg pull is a stretch that can be performed both lying down and standing. In both ways, this stretch helps tone your inner thighs, getting them into perfect shape.

How To Do It:

1. Lie down on your tummy face down.
2. Slowly fold your left leg so that your heel touches your buttocks and pull back as much as possible.
3. Lift your head and left elbow during the process.
4. Hold yourself in that position for a few seconds and then return to the resting posture.
5. Repeat the same process with the other leg, doing it at least 15 times each.

7. Curtsy Lunge

The curtsy lunge is a modified version of the standard lunges that incorporates different leg muscles into the lunge position. This exercise helps tone your inner and outer thighs as well as the rest of your legs and glutes.

How To Do It:

1. Begin standing with your feet in a wide stance.
2. Keeping your chest upright and shoulders down, cross your left leg behind the right and squat down into a curtsy position.
3. From the lowered position, push your body back upright, bringing your left leg back to the starting position.
4. Next, repeat with the right leg.
5. Alternate legs for 15–30 seconds, or perform 10–15 repetitions on each leg.

8. Burpees

Burpee is an ultimate fat burning exercise, not just to reduce thigh fat but from the entire body. Burpees are nothing but a squat thrust with a push up at the bottom of the movement and a vertical jump at the top. It also builds strength and increases your body’s flexibility.

How To Do It:

1. Stand erect with your hand on your side.
2. Slowly move into a squat position placing your hands on the ground.
3. Keep your arms extended and kick back your feet, forming a plank position.
4. Slowly come back into the squat position.
5. Now stand up from the squat posture.
6. Repeat the procedure 10 to 15 times.

9. Step-Ups

It is a stretch exercise that can be done with the help of a simple step stool. It helps strengthen your thigh muscles by burning the excess fat. It also enables you to get a toned lower body.

How To Do It:

1. Stand straight with both legs together and hands on the sides.
2. Place your right foot on the step stool, applying pressure on the right foot to place your left foot along with the right foot.
3. Return to the starting position with your right foot first and joined by the left foot.
4. Try doing 15 with the right foot in the lead, followed by the left foot.

10. One Leg Toe Touch

This stretch exercise helps burn the deposits of fat in your inner thighs, giving you an overall toned look to your inner and outer thighs.

How To Do It:

1. Sit down on a mat, placing your legs in front.
2. Fold your right leg at the knee, your right sole touching the left inner thigh.
3. Don’t forget to keep your back straight.
4. Slowly bend forward and hold your left toe with both your hands.
5. Hold yourself up in this position for 10 seconds and come back to the sitting posture.
6. Repeat the same procedure ten times on each leg.

Tips And Takeaways

Along with these thigh fat reducing exercises, following a diet regimen is also necessary to get the results you desire. Here are some tips you can follow.

1. Try to add fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet.
2. Avoid white rice and eat brown rice and whole-wheat bread instead.
3. Include healthy protein sources such as nuts, beans, lean meats, and eggs, in your meal.
4. Try to cook your food in olive oil and oil from nuts.
5. It is best to avoid drinks or foods that are high in sugar.