Your favorite thigh workout for slimmer/toned thighs?

LUHAN27
LUHAN27 Posts: 211 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I workout on an elliptical trainer everyday, and my thighs are looking bigger...I want firmer(?), toned thighs. Right now, they are bulky and not toned. Toned for me can range from slimmer thighs or toned/muscular(not bulky tho) thighs.

What thigh workouts do you recommend?

Yes, I know you can't really "spot reduce", but I want a workout that focuses mainly on your lower body/legs. Also, I'm on my feet a lot for work.

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    Wait, you "KNOW" you can't spot reduce but you're looking for lower body work in order to reduce?
    The reason you thighs may look bigger is because exercise increases water volume and glycogen retention in them (happens for every muscle in the body when challenged physically). If you just stick to calorie deficit consistently, they'll reduce however GENETICS does play a role. Lots of Asians have thick lower legs to begin with and losing size in them may not be in the cards.

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  • rj9863
    rj9863 Posts: 9 Member
    I find thighs look slimmer when you have toned your inner thighs. I do this will inner leg lefts, jumping jacks, scissors, lunges and squats. Lifting heavy weight may not help your legs look toned if you have unwanted fat there but that's not to say don't lift!! Running is great for toning your thighs! Hope this helps ☺️ good luck!!
  • pinggolfer96
    pinggolfer96 Posts: 2,248 Member
    Toning comes more through a calorie deficit to reveal the muscle. Focus on resistance exercise to build muscle. It is difficult and not optimal to try and gain muscle on a calorie deficit, but is possible and will help retain that muscle if you incorporate heavy hypertrophy exercise(: perform squats, box jumps, thigh abductor machines, lunges...etc(:
  • maranarasauce93
    maranarasauce93 Posts: 293 Member
    I have thick muscular thighs sooo I'm a fan of squats, deadlifts, box jumps, thrusters....pretty much anything to engage my glutes, quads and hammies. I'm not about that thigh gap skinny leg life.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    I like speed walking to keep my thighs slim and squats for toning them up.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    Find a barre toning class...
  • successgal1
    successgal1 Posts: 996 Member
    Pilates, side leg lifts, very light weights if any, or resistance bands, leg circles, slow and controlled.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Heavy squats and deadlifts
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Walking away from the fridge.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I've lost 30 pounds. I have been lifting a bit over a year and have squat anywhere from 45-195 pounds and dead lifted up to 205lbs. I do Good Mornings, bulgarian split squats, barbell lunges, leg press, you name it...and still have jiggly thighs. Losing fat with a calorie deficit is what has brought them down a few inches.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Calorie deficit and genetics. It just might not happen for you while you are at a healthy body fat percentage.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    There is a muscle you can build that gives the illusion of longer thigh muscles: the sartorius muscle. I do various ballet moves weighted. That's how I found out about that sartorius 'trick'. Well, that and wanting to build up the muscles around my knees, which was why I was doing those weighted in the first place.

    Anyway, I find that the yes/no machine doesn't hit it like cables/strong bands done with an outstretched leg, or at least having the resistance come from below the knee. Pilates and ballet really do both work it well themselves, but I added weight to try to increase resistance. Generally speaking, "inner thigh" exercises are how you target it, but in the kinds of positions you find in ballet or pilates.

    Everyone's might not build like mine does, though. Dunno about that ;) But it's worth hitting it for a few weeks to see how yours responds, imho. It makes my quad look less 'bulky', ironically by building something else in the thigh up.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    rj9863 wrote: »
    I find thighs look slimmer when you have toned your inner thighs. I do this will inner leg lefts, jumping jacks, scissors, lunges and squats. Lifting heavy weight may not help your legs look toned if you have unwanted fat there but that's not to say don't lift!! Running is great for toning your thighs! Hope this helps ☺️ good luck!!
    As mentioned, you can't spot reduce any body part with exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

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