5 Easy Thigh Exercises for Women

If you want to develop lean muscles, particularly in your thigh region, incorporating thigh exercises into your fitness routine can help.

The thigh exercises mentioned below for women can help you help develop an overall strong lower body. These workouts go beyond targeting the thighs, as they can work wonders for the calves, hamstrings, and glutes as well.

You can perform the moves standalone or as a workout sequence on your next leg day.

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Simple Thigh Exercises for Women

Before starting your workout, always remember to warm up and activate your muscles. Walk or stretch for a few minutes so that the body gets prepared for the exercises.

Here’s a look at five of the easiest thigh exercises every woman can do regardless of their fitness level:

1) Goblet Squat

Targeted muscles: thighs, hamstrings, quads, and glutes

Benefits: Goblet squats are one of the best and most functional thigh exercises that tone up the thighs along with their surrounding muscles. That includes the quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

To do it:

• With your feet positioned hip-distance apart, stand tall holding a dumbbell in front of your chest. Keep your elbows facing towards the floor.
• Push your hips back, and bend your knees to go down into a squat position.
• Squat down, and press back up to the initial position.
• Complete two to three sets of eight to ten reps, and take rest between sets.

If you are uncomfortable with weights, perform the exercise without them.

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2) Squat Jump

Targeted muscles: thighs, quads and glutes

Benefits: Squat jumps are an explosive variation of the traditional squat exercise that can elevate the heart rate and assist you in building great lower body strength.

To do it:

• Start the exercise in a squat position, with your feet under your shoulders, thighs parallel to the ground and toes facing the front.
• Keep your torso straight and both hands together in front of your chest.
• Press through your feet, and jump off the ground while swinging your arms straight behind your body.
• Land back softly in a squat position.
• Continue this exercise for at least 30 seconds. Rest for another ten seconds and repeat for five rounds.

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3) Step-up

Targeted muscles: thighs, quads and glutes

Benefits: Step-ups are an amazing thigh exercises that work on leg strength and help improve stability, balance, and mobility.

To do a step-up:

• Stand tall facing a box or any other elevated surface or sturdy object.
• Keeping your hands on your hips, engage your core muscles, and step your right foot onto the box.
• Press through your right foot while driving your left knee forward and in front of your body. Move that leg up to your hip height, keeping a 90-degree bend in your left knee.
• Come to balance on your right leg on top of the box.
• Return to the starting position, and continue for 20 seconds.
• Rest and repeat.

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4) Scissor Kick

Targeted muscles: thighs, adductors, lower abs, quads, and hamstrings

Benefits: Scissor kicks are one of the most productive thigh exercises that not only target the thighs and other surrounding muscles but also work on the abs, strengthening them.

To do it:

• Lie down straight on your back, with your hands straight in front and palms under your hips. Make sure your toes are pointed out.
• Raise both legs together off the floor at 45 degrees, and take your left leg up and right leg down.
• Bring both legs up again, and move your right leg up and left leg down.
• Try to do this movement at a faster pace.
• Complete 20 reps.

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5) Lunge

Targeted muscles: thighs, hamstrings, glutes and quads

Benefits: Lunges are a great exercise that work on the entire lower body muscles, including the thighs. They also help improve overall balance and enhances leg mobility.

To do a lunge:

• With your left leg forward and right leg behind, stand upright, and relax your shoulders.
• Keep your core engaged, chest up, and hands on your side.
• Shifting your bodyweight on your left heel, lower your body down, with your right knee to the floor.
• Stand back up straight, and switch legs.
• Perform the exercise at a faster pace, alternating legs after each rep.

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Takeaway

The aforementioned thigh exercises can tone and strengthen the thighs and also target the hamstrings, quads, and outer and inner thigh muscles. Performing these moves regularly can help reduce excess fat, making the thighs look leaner and stronger.