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In the autonomy of the human body, the thigh is that part of the body between the hip and the knee.  The thigh is considered a part of the lower limbs of the body which include the leg, foot, ankle and even the gluteal region. The femur is the only bone of the thigh and serves as the main attachment for all the muscles of the thigh. As such, the thigh is responsible for the movement of the muscles located in the hip region while the muscles of the thigh, are that of the leg.

The thigh is divided into three (3) separated compartments namely, the anterior, posterior and medial compartment muscles.  The anterior compartment comprises the famous quadriceps muscles while the posterior compartment the hamstring muscles and the medial compartment the adductor magnus, adductor longus, adductor and also the gracilis (a muscle of the inner thigh). 

As such, to strengthen the thighs, you have to ensure that you perform targeted movements consistently to activate all the required muscle groups.  Some of these targeted routines include the famous squats, lunges, deadlifts, sidekicks and the scissors.  Let’s discuss!

The Discussion

Exercise in general is one of the best things you can do for your body to keep it moving and to promote overall health (Warburton et. al 2006).  However, it is critical to ensure that all areas of the body are engaged so that no one muscle group is ignored.  

Nonetheless, it is always good to know the different types of movements that can target specific muscle groups especially when you are working out on your own or simply at home.  Further, the benefits of strong thighs are many.  When the thighs are strong, you can keep up with your lower body routines such as the squats, lunges and general cardio and thus can prevent you from bailing out on your workout altogether. 

Importantly, strong thighs can lead to better cardiovascular health and thus a healthier heart.  Research has shown an association between an increased risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease as well as a risk of premature morbidity and mortality with low thigh circumference or what is denoted as small thighs (Heitmann et al. 2004). 

Additionally, the more you strengthen the muscles of the lower body the higher your metabolism which will allow you to burn more fat and increase lean muscle mass.

Lower body exercises such as those of the thighs can help to strengthen the upper body as well especially compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts and lunges. You can gain even better results by including dumbbells as part of the routine which will not only help to increase the intensity but also tone the shoulders, upper back and arms.

Additionally, exercises of the thigh, as you might have guessed, can also improve the derriere area (buttocks). While one’s genetics play a huge role in the size and shape of the buttocks, performing exercises like squats and lunges can help to get you a shapely butt or maintain the one you were born with. Let’s now examine these five (5) exercises a bit further.

The Five (5) Best Exercises to Strengthen and Tone the Thighs at Home:

• The squats.
• Lunges.
• Deadlifts.
• Sidekicks.
• The Scissors.

Squats

The squat is a compound, full-body exercise that not only builds the muscles of the leg but also the overall muscles of the body. As such, performing squats works both the lower as well as upper body.  Further, squats train the muscles of the thigh, hips, quadriceps, gluteus, and hamstring as well as strengthen the bones and ligaments (Schoenfeld, 2010). 

Squatting also helps to strengthen the core which is fundamental to all other muscle groups. Remember, you are as strong as your weakest link. Your core is vital to many common movements, such as lifting, twisting, reaching, and bending. Normal life requires almost constant use of the core muscles without you even realizing it. Squats are usually performed to tone the back, and thigh and also help with hip stability.

Lunges

The Lunge is another lower body exercise that works the targeted muscles of the gluteus, hips, buttocks, hamstring and quadriceps.  Due to the nature of performing lunges, the muscles of the calf, abdomen, lower legs and back also engage in this movement and act as stabilizers when performing the lunge.

Deadlifts

The deadlift, while it may look simple, is a very effective exercise that strengthens both the lower and upper back.  Deadlifts also help in building core strength, which supports all the other major muscle groups of the body.  Deadlifts work the muscles of the quadriceps (front of the thigh), the inner thighs (adductor magnus) the back of the thigh (hamstring), the lower back (erector spinae) and the muscles of the upper back (trapezius)

Sidekicks

A rarely talked about exercise of the thigh is that of ‘sidekicks.’ However, this movement works some of the major muscles of the lower body such as the quads, gluteus and outer thighs.  Due to the range of movement, sidekicks also work the muscles of the core and are often used in abdominal routines, especially standing abs workouts.

The Scissors

Is an exercise that is considered effective for strengthening the muscles of the hips, thighs and abs.  The movement fashion is the cutting movement of one using a pair of scissors with the joints of the scissors representing the flexing of the hips and the other, lower body muscles.  In fact, the hip flexors along with the transverse abdominis are the primary muscles that are involved in this movement.  Importantly, this movement can also aid in stability, posture and balance.

Illustrative Summary

Here is an illustrative summary of Five (5) EXERCISES to strengthen and tone the thighs. You can do these exercises on your own when exercising at home or the gym.

Let’s Sum Up!

The strength of the thighs is critical for the success of any fitness program. A strong thigh, while allowing you to look more compact and toned also has health-promoting benefits such as cardiovascular and heart health. A strong thigh also helps you to burn more calories due to improved muscle mass and metabolic function. 

As such, we should seek to ensure that lower body movements are incorporated into our daily routine to not only strengthen the thighs but also impact the muscles of the upper body as well.  So, with all that was said – Go, get your fit on!

 You can also check out this other exercise that can help to tone and shape the lower body including the glutes. You can also learn how to create your unique workout routine to get the results you desire.

• What are the gluteus muscles/Glutes? Five (5) Exercises to tone, Strengthen and Shape them!
• Creating that ‘HIIT’ fitness program.
• Five (5) Best Exercises to do at Home to Strengthen and Tone the Entire Body!

Editor’s Note: Article was updated on February 25, 2024.

References

• Heitmann, B.L., Frederiksen, P. & Lissner, L. (2004). Hip circumference and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in men and women. Obes Res, 12, 482-7
• Schoenfeld, B.J. (2010).  Squatting kinematics and kinetics and their application to exercise performance. JSCR. 24(12):3497-3506.
• Warburton, D. E, Nicol, C.W. and Bredin, S.D. (2006). Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 174(6), 801-809.