The Thighs enhance the Quadriceps, gluteus maximus. These thigh exercises go beyond just your thighs, though; they'll strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, and calves and even hit your core too.
Workouts without needed Equipment
Primary muscle group(s): Quadriceps, gluteus maximus
How to do it:
Get a box. Or a bench. Or a chair. Something you can sit down on. The lower it is the harder the exercise will be. For most, a 40cm-high box will allow you to squat deep enough for your glutes and hamstrings to become parallel with the floor. With your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward if comfortable, lower your body until only your glutes rest on the box for 1-2sec. Squeeze the glutes and then return to the start position by driving through the heels and hips. Take extra care to keep your back straight and chest elevated.
Primary muscle group(s): Quadriceps, gluteus maximus
How to do it:
Start in a standing position with your feet wide apart and your toes pointing at 45° angles. By wide we mean wider than shoulder-width apart – around a foot (30cm) beyond your shoulder on each side. Drop into a squat, bending at the hips and knees and sitting back. Keep your chest up and knees out. Keep lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or even slightly below parallel if you have it in you. Then stand back up to the starting position. Make sure you don’t lift your feet off the ground or round out your lower back as you perform the sumo squat.
Primary muscle group(s):Quadriceps, gluteus maximus
How to do it:
Start standing with feet hip distance apart and lower into a squat position by bending the knees. Keep the spine straight, chest lifted, and knees behind toes. Arms are in front of the chest for balance. Jump straight up and swing arms overhead. Return to squat.
Primary muscle group(s):Quadriceps, gluteus maximus
How to do it:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Keeping your feet parallel and your core engaged, step your right foot wide to the right without bending your left knee. Keeping your left leg straight, your chest up, and your back flat, bend your right knee, sit your hips back, and lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor.Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Repeat on the left side, and continue alternating sides, performing equal reps on each.
Primary muscle group(s):Quadriceps, gluteus maximus
How to do it:
Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart, bend your hips and knees back and forth with your toes forward. Take a few quick steps to the left and then touch your left foot with your left hand. Repeat on the right side.
Workouts with Equipments
Primary muscle group(s): Quadraceps
How to do it:
Preparation: From rack with barbell at upper chest height, position bar high on back of shoulders and grasp barbell to sides. Dismount bar from rack and stand with shoulder width stance. Execution: Squat down by bending hips back while allowing knees to bend forward, keeping back straight and knees pointed same direction as feet. Descend until thighs are just past parallel to floor. Extend knees and hips until legs are straight. Return and repeat.
Primary muscle group(s): Quadriceps, gluteus maximus
How to do it:
Stand holding a pair of dumbbells by your sides. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and pointing slightly outward. Keeping your torso upright and your shoulders back, inhale as you squat down by pushing your butt backward and bending your knees forward. Descend at least until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Exhale as you push yourself back up to a standing position, driving from your heels. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.
Primary muscle group(s):Quadriceps, gluteus maximus
How to do it:
Lie on a bench with an incline with a dumbbell in each hand. Then lift the dumbbells shoulder-width apart, arms extended and rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing each other. Stay in control of the dumbbells at all times and slowly lower the weights while inhaling. Then exhale pushing the dumbbells upwards with the help of your chest.
Primary muscle group(s):Quadriceps, gluteus maximus
How to do it:
Find yourself a step, bench or any other contraption that you can rest a foot on, it needs to be about knee height with one leg forward and one leg back, and hold a dumbbell.Get into a forward lunge position with torso upright, core braced and hips square to your body, with your back foot elevated on the bench. Your leading leg should be half a metre or so in front of bench. Lower until your front thigh is almost horizontal, keeping your knee in line with your foot. Don't let your front knee travel beyond your toes. Drive up through your front heel back to the starting position, again keeping your movements measured.
Primary muscle group(s):Quadriceps, gluteus maximus
How to do it:
Once the unweighted version of the sumo squat fails to thoroughly exhaust your thighs and glutes, it’s time to add some weight. You can do this in any manner you like, but we recommend holding a kettlebell or dumbbell with both hands in front of you so it hangs down towards the floor. This means you’ll also know if you’re going deep enough with your squats – the weight should almost touch the ground.
