Exercises for thigh toning are often interchangeable with exercises for the butt and hips because they are all connected in the same region. It is important to keep in mind that there is no scientific evidence that any particular exercise will help a person lose weight in a specific region of the body. Exercises that could help a person with thigh toning, however, include squats, adductor reps, and leg lifts.
Squats or squatting with a ball is an exercise that can help with thigh toning. To perform this exercise, a person should stand with his or her feet shoulder width apart and place an exercise ball between the wall and the lower back. The knees should be slowly bent as the body is lowered until the knees make a 90-degree angle to the floor. Generally, the hips and shoulders need to remain square. This position typically should be held for several seconds before the body is returned to the standing position.
A hip adductor machine could be a good way for a person to work on thigh toning. This machine typically is found at a gym and works to tone the inner thighs or hip adductors. It basically pulls the legs together and creates definition in the thighs.
To use the machine, a person should first adjust the weight. Generally, a person will want to begin with 50 pounds (about 22.7 kg) and adjust accordingly. To begin, a person sits on the chair of the machine and adjusts the thigh pads to a comfortable width while avoiding taking the legs out too far. Typically, a person will want to keep his or her legs and back engaged with the machine the entire time he or she is using it.
The legs are then brought together in a steady but fluid manner. It can be important for a person performing the exercise to make sure that he or she is using the inner thigh muscles. When the knees meet, the position should be held for about a second and then steadily released to the first position.
Leg lifts can be a great way for a person to work and tone the outer thighs. To practice this lift, a person typically should lie on his or her side with the legs positioned slightly in front of the body. The hips should be stacked, the head should be supported in the palm of the underneath hand, and the elbow used to support the head by being placed on the floor. Then, the foot of the top leg should be pointed while the leg is slowly lifted until it is at the same height as the hips. The leg can then be lowered back to where it almost touches the floor.
Sometimes, thigh exercises can bulk up thighs. If a person wants to avoid getting bigger in the upper leg region, he or she could avoid using heavy resistance with aerobic activity. Generally, the best way to slim thigh toning is using light resistance and moving at a faster pace rather than adding tons of weight and building tension.