7 Best Thigh Exercises You Can Do at Home for Amazing Results

“Never skip leg day” because training the large muscle groups of the lower body helps you build solid foundation so that you can rock your workouts. So read and learn the best thigh exercises you can do at home.

When selecting exercises to strengthen and tone your thighs, there are actually three different muscle groups you’ll need to focus on: quads, hamstrings and adductors (aka inner thighs).

With that said, there are plenty of classic movements that do a tremendous job of challenging all of these muscles.

There are a million different exercises, but never underestimate the power of the basic movements like squats or lunges.

If you really want to see results, you have to progressively overload your muscles by increasing the weight on these thigh exercises from workout to workout. The following best thigh exercises you can do at home, will activate all the right muscles, challenge your strength and get your heart pumping…and best of all, you can do them from your living room.

1. Glute bridge with Bands and Abduction

This movement is a great way to activate the hamstrings, glutes and core without putting extra pressure on your lower back.

To perform this exercise, put a resistance band around your thighs and lie down with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and your arms on the sides of your body pressed against the floor (put on a mat to be more comfortable). Tighten your core and then press through your heels and squeeze your glutes lifting your hips toward the ceiling. Pause in this position and press your knees outward to stretch the band. Then repeat.

2. Side Squat with Elastic Bands

This banded exercise will activate your glutes, your quadriceps and of course your thigh.

Start standing with a resistance band wrapped just below your knees with your, feet under your hips and your hands in front of your chest. Take a big step to the right, then bend your knees. Take a big step to the right, then bend your knees, bring your hips back into a squat lower by pushing your knees out. The depth of this will depend on your mobility but always try to perform a full squat.

Engage the glutes and press up through the heels to return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. To add a little more difficulty you can perform this squat with weight.

3. Sumo Deadlift

This is a popular variation on the conventional deadlift because the wider stance and foot placement target the inner thighs.

Holding two kettlebells or dumbbells, or whatever heavy object you have at home, begin standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes facing out. Place the weight between your legs. Keeping your knees slightly bent, press your hips back and lower the weights toward the floor. Squeeze glutes to stand back up.

4. Kettlebell Swing

It is one of the most popular kettlebell exercises. It is ideal for working your legs and thighs.

To perform this exercise, stand with your feet a little wider than hip width apart and your toes facing outward. Hold the kettlebell with both hands.

Put the kettlebell under your legs and with a hip swing raise it up to eye level (russian swing). You can also perform the swing by bringing the kettlebell above your head to give more intensity to the movement (american swing). The inertia will help you perform the repetitions with less effort but with the same effectiveness.

5. Step-Up

For this exercise you will need a box, a step or a bench. If you are not lucky enough to have this equipment at home, you can use a small ladder or a chair. The higher it is, the more effort you will be putting in. It is an asymmetrical or unilateral exercise with which you will work only one leg at a time.

Stand facing the box, with your legs apart and feet parallel. Raise one of them up on the box and, with the strength of that leg and with the core engaged, raise the rest of the body to the platform. Carefully lower yourself down. Return to the starting position and perform the movement with the other leg.

6. Clamshell with a Band

One of the simplest and most effective exercises we can do to work your legs and thighs are clamshells with an elastic band or mini-band.

Lie on your side on the floor, with your knees bent and feet together. Place the mini-band above your knees, not over the joint, but a little above it and, keeping your feet together, slightly raise the leg above until it creates a little tension in the elastic band.

From there, the only thing to do is to raise the knee of the leg that remains above, creating more tension in the band . The feet never separate, and you never lose all the tension generated in the rubber. When back to the starting position must be done in a controlled manner, not just dropping the leg.

Your can also try this clam workout for outer thighs

7. leg Raises

Lateral leg raises are an exercise that uses multiple muscle groups and offers numerous benefits to our lower body and abs. To perform the lateral leg raise, stand next to a chair or wall for support and stability when executing.

Transfer your weight to your right leg and lift your left leg laterally as high as possible. Slowly return to the starting position. Complete the desired number of repetitions and then repeat the exercise with the other leg. You can also perform this exercise lying on your side on the floor.

If you liked this article you will also like: 7 Awesome Benefits of Lunges (Build Incredible Power, Muscle and Glutes!)