The next problem area of fat deposits for women is the outer surface of the legs. The so-called ears on the hips spoil the silhouette in tight dresses and skirts, and look out from under the swimsuit as completely unappetizing rollers.
Let us remind you that we have already examined all the features of getting rid of cellulite from the inner thigh, and also compiled the top effective loads for the front and back surfaces of women’s legs.
Now it's time to tear apart the outer thigh. It is better to combat this problem area with a complex of strength and aerobic exercise with a deficit of kilocalories. But remember! The WHOLE body will lose weight; it will not be possible to remove volumes in one isolated area of the body. Static exercises for the outer thigh with various hangs are perfect for training.
You can make the exercises more difficult by increasing the number of approaches, using dumbbells or a gymnastic expander tape. The latter should not have too much resistance - working 15-20 times per approach should be performed.
So, we present to your attention the most effective exercises for the outer thigh at home.
Leg abduction in a kneeling position
Together with the outer side, this exercise also works the inner side of the thigh. Difficulty – medium.
- Starting position - lay a mat, emphasis on straight arms, legs bent at the knees. If you use a dumbbell, place it in the bend of the thigh and lower leg;
- While inhaling, we move the bent leg to the side until it is parallel to the floor, fix the point;
- We return to the starting position.
How to remove sides on hips even faster? Use weights.
At the end of the working number of repetitions, remove the weight if you were using it and do 10-15 jerking movements in the same direction. Then do the workout on the other side.
Watch the video for more details:
It is recommended to perform 15-20 repetitions in 2-3 approaches on each side.
Reverse hyperextension
A fun exercise that helps to effectively load the riding breeches area and, as a bonus, the buttocks. Difficulty is average, made harder by a coordination test. To perform this you will need a chair with a soft seat and a bench. Also remember that hyperextension is one of the most effective exercises for the buttocks.
About 5 options for “Hyperextension” at home, see here.
Technique:
- Starting position – rest your stomach on the seat of the chair, clasp its side with your hands, legs straight, feet together;
- While inhaling, we push our legs up, strongly strain our buttocks, and hang for a second ;
- Exhaling, we return to the starting position.
In our ranking of the TOP 10 exercises for the hips, “Hyperextension” takes 6th place.
More details in the video:
The movement should be repeated 15-20 times, with a break, in several approaches. Watch your lower back, avoid excessive bending and tension in it.
Complex for beautiful legs
For those who are interested in how to pump up their thigh muscles and get their legs in order, it will be useful to know the structural features of the body. This will allow you to understand how effective certain exercises are for the inner thigh.
The inner part of the thighs is designed in such a way that flexion and rotation movements are possible due to the work of the large, short and long adductor muscles, as well as the gracilis and pectineus muscles. They are the most important and extensive; they are activated when climbing or walking up stairs. At the same time, they are considered the weakest, since they are most rarely used by a person in everyday life. And it was for them that a set of exercises was developed to restore the tone and attractiveness of the problem area. At the same time, during their execution, the muscles responsible for the excellent appearance of the legs, in particular the inner thighs and groin, are activated.
In addition, exercises designed to activate the adductors not only help strengthen muscles, but also allow you to get a lot of pleasant bonuses. Among the main benefits of such training:
- Reducing the risk of injury, which is possible due to weakness of the thigh muscles;
- Attractiveness and harmony of this area;
- Improved coordination and stability while standing and while walking and moving around;
- Attractiveness of gait;
- Correct and beautiful posture.
You can experience all the beauty and benefits of training if you approach the problem responsibly and exercise regularly at home, outdoors or in the gym. So, let's begin.
Swing lying on your side
You can do it either lying simply on the floor or with emphasis on a chair. Focusing on a chair in this exercise will allow you to simultaneously use the inner surface on two legs at once - one in static tension, the other in dynamic tension. Swings are great for burning fat between your legs. The difficulty is high, you need to control the position of every point of the body, take your time, so as not to damage yourself.
Technique:
- Starting position - lying on your side, emphasis on the forearm, the straight lower leg is located on a chair, and the straightened upper leg is extended forward over the lower one;
- Inhaling, we swing the extended leg up as high as possible;
- As you exhale, we return to the starting point.
More details in the video:
We perform 15-20 repetitions on one leg and turn over.
We perform 2-3 approaches with a break of 30-45 seconds. Note! In the same position, you can swing your upper leg not upward, but closer to the body, bending it 90 degrees.
Exercise No. 5 – Lying hip adduction
Lying leg raises are an equally effective exercise that activate the deepest muscles of the inner thighs, helping to strengthen them. To perform it, you need to lie on your side on the floor, leaning on your elbow, as shown in the next photo.
The leg that lies on the floor must be left straight, and the other leg must be bent at the knee and placed behind. In this position, you should perform hip adduction with a delay of 2-3 seconds at the top point.
To get the maximum effect from the exercise and strengthen the problem area of the hips, it is better to perform the movements slowly. This will allow you to feel how each muscle group is pumped and understand whether you are reproducing the movements correctly.
Lunges forward
A functional dynamic exercise that works both to work the muscles and to stretch them. Exercises for the outer and inner thighs, such as this one, are effective in helping you lose weight throughout your lower body and remove cellulite from your legs. You can weigh down your performance with dumbbells or weights. You can further diversify it by jumping when changing legs or resting one side on a hill. About 7 different types of “Lunges”, see here.
- Starting position – legs together, back straight, arms down along the body;
- While inhaling, step your left leg back until a 90-degree angle is formed at the right knee, the left leg is extended and taut;
- Return to the original position and perform the actions on the other leg.
More details in the video:
You need to perform 15 to 20 times on each side, repeating approaches 2-3 times.
Carefully! The knee of the bent leg in this exercise should under no circumstances extend beyond its toe. Otherwise, there will be an incorrect and traumatic load on the joints.
Pumping up the front thigh
1 exercise
Stand up straight, legs spread slightly, while the spots are turned outward. Retract your lower abdomen and stretch your arms forward.
You can pump up the adductor muscles of the thigh by performing the following exercise: with a straight back, slowly lower the torso down by bending the knees. They also straighten up slowly, but not completely – they immediately begin the next squat.
The exercise is repeated at least 10 times, maximum 20 times.
Features: Hips should not fall below the knees. The exercise is complicated by pumping the legs in the form of a dozen fast and small amplitude (1...1.5 cm) squats and lifts in the position of the largest general squat. After this they freeze for 10 seconds. and return back.
Exercise 2
In order to pump up the broad thigh muscles, you need to take a semi-squat position.
Place your feet together, place your hand on the support and rise onto your toes. Bend your knees a little, pull in your stomach, tighten your buttocks and slowly lower yourself 7…12 cm. Freeze. Then they return back. Do this 10 times.
Exercise 3
Take a comfortable position on your back, bend your legs and press them to your stomach.
Exercise: straighten your legs up, pulling your heels forward. Slowly bring them back. Do the exercise for up to 20 rubles.
Exercise 4
The following exercise will help pump up the lateral thigh muscle: stand next to (40...50 cm) with a wall, with your back to it. Feet together. Lean back to rest your back on the wall.
Exercise: slowly slide your back down the wall until your knees are bent at 90°. Hold for 5 seconds. and return back. 5 repetitions of the exercise are enough.
Exercise 5
Starting position of the previous exercise. But the legs are placed apart and the socks are turned out a little.
Exercise: slide down the wall, leaning your back on it, to a position that corresponds to sitting on a chair. Hold for 5 seconds. and return back. Repeat the exercise 5 times, maximum 10 times.
Note: after strengthening the muscles, the delay is increased to 10 seconds.
Side Lunges
Static muscle tension in these actions helps to actively burn fat and activate the growth of muscle fibers. Removes both the riding breeches area and the hated ridges on the inner thigh.
Technique:
- Starting position – legs wider than shoulder width, back straight, gaze directed forward;
- Inhaling, we step with our right foot to the right, making sure that the knee does not go beyond the toe and is perpendicular to the floor, the left leg is straightened, the toe and heel are pressed to the floor surface;
- As you exhale, go back and repeat the effort on the opposite side.
You will see more details in the video:
You can burn additional calories if, after performing a lunge, you also perform a straight leg swing or a cross squat back. The combination has a better effect on the problem area and tightens faster.
Carefully! Perform actions with great care and concentration. Ligaments that are just beginning to get used to stress are very fragile and any sudden movement can cause stretching or tearing. If the ligament area still hurts after training, do a light pinching massage and treat with warming ointment.
Wide stance squats
A great stretch for the outer thigh comes from wide squats. The multi-tasking plie covers the fat battlegrounds of your butt, inner, front and back thighs, and is also a great exercise for slimming your calves. The difficulty is average, which can be easily increased with dumbbells, weights, or simply instead of resting on your heels, rise on your toes.
Technique:
- Starting position – straight back and wide stance with toes turned to the side;
- Inhaling, slowly lower your pelvis until it is parallel to the floor. We make sure that the knees do not go beyond the toes, otherwise we make the stance wider. We twist our lower back, tighten our buttocks;
- Exhaling, we get back to the original position.
More details in the video:
Complete 10-12 repetitions, rest for 45 seconds and repeat the circuit 2 more times.
See also: 7 best types of squats for the buttocks How effective are dumbbell squats for the buttocks? 30 Day Squat Challenge to Tighten Your Gluteal Muscles
Exercises for the outer thigh at home
Exercises for the outer thigh can be done at home and even at work , if you have the necessary space and time, so they are a real salvation for women who do not have the opportunity to go to the gym. You will need dumbbells, a mat and a positive attitude.
Exercise 1. Leg swings
To perform the first exercise, you need to stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms extended in front of you . The feet should be parallel to each other.
When swinging your legs, you must ensure that they do not bend at the knees.
Bend your right leg at the knee and swing it sideways and upward, trying to reach your elbow. The next swing is done in the same way, only with a straight leg. You should start with 10 approaches for each limb.
Exercise 2. Leg Raises
The next type of outer thigh exercise will require a similar starting position as the previous one. The right foot should be placed on the toe, turned to the right, and raised back as high as possible.
To perform the exercise, you can use a support to ensure maximum abduction of the leg back.
Having brought your leg to the highest possible point, put it back. To begin with, 15 approaches for each limb will be enough, then their number should be increased.
Exercise 3. Squats
No set of exercises for the outer thigh is complete without squats. The main rule is not to stand on your toes. Try to squat as low as possible, with a straight back, keeping your arms bent in front of you.
To start, 10 squats will be enough. The main advantage of this type of exercise is that it is beneficial not only for the outer thigh, but also for the entire body as a whole.
Exercise 4. Lunges
The leader among effective exercises are lunges. Take wide steps to the side, first with your right and then with your left foot , keeping your arms parallel to your body. Use dumbbells for weights.
Remember to keep the unused limb straight. You should start with 10 lunges on each leg, 3 sets.
Lunges can be not only lateral. You can perform them forward alternately with each leg. At the same time, you need to put your legs out as far as possible. Dumbbells will be your faithful helpers here, which will only increase the effectiveness of your training.
Pay attention to your posture - your back should be perfectly straight. Take a breath with every step. Do not try to lunge suddenly; it is better to give preference to smooth movements. As for the number of lunges, experts also recommend doing 3 sets of 10 times.
Exercise 5. Raising the knees
For the next exercise you need to kneel. For maximum effectiveness, place the bulk of your weight in your arms and straighten your back. The knee rises up at an angle of 90º.
Do the same with the other leg.
Muscles must be in constant tension. Experienced trainers advise starting with 20 raises of each knee with the condition of subsequently increasing the load.
Exercise 6. Raises
Leg raises are also quite effective when done to the side. To do this, you need to lie down on the mat, turn on your side and raise the limb lying on top as high as possible.
Then you should turn on the other side and perform a similar operation with the opposite leg.
You can start with 10 swings with each leg.
Exercise 7. Keeping your legs raised
You can complete the workout and relieve tension from the muscles by turning over on your back and lifting your limb up perpendicular to the floor.
General recommendations
- A balanced diet will only speed up the approach to the desired result;
- Be sure to do stretching - this will relieve stress on the muscle group being trained and will also relieve painful soreness. Taking a warm bath with sea salt helps a lot;
- Don't neglect massage and wraps. Warming/cooling creams, cling film and a natural bristle brush are your best friends. Massage should be performed from bottom to top along the lymph flow;
- Massage cups are a good helper for skin tightening. To apply it, you need to lubricate the treated area with massage cream or oil and slide the jar from bottom to top until the skin turns red. BUT! This procedure is contraindicated for people prone to varicose veins or who already have spider veins and vascular problems.
And, of course, we must not forget that there are many other movements for the lower body that have shown high effectiveness:
- “Bicycle” and “Scissors” are considered especially effective for the butt muscles;
- “Stepping onto the platform” is required to be included in your complex;
- You can build up your muscles with static exercises by completing our “Circular” complex, which includes such an effective exercise as “Chair against the wall.”
- At the end of the workout, do some stretching , such as Downward-Facing Dog and Upward Dog asanas;
- “Walking on the buttocks” not only burns cellulite, but also has many beneficial properties for the pelvic area;
- Well, of course, you can’t do without “Deadlift”.
Be sure to pay attention to your technique when performing exercises for the outer thigh. Better smaller and more accurate than faster and with the result not where it is needed, and even worse, with injuries.
