10 Minute At Home Thighs Workout
For whatever reason, many people neglect their legs during exercise, focusing more on other muscle groups of the body. But by doing this, they miss out on the excellent benefits of strengthening leg muscles!
One benefit of completing thigh exercise is that you engage your major muscle groups and get cardiovascular load. For instance, when you do squats, not only is it working your glutes and quads, but it works your core muscles as well. Additionally, leg workouts aim to make your legs toned and most importantly, strong. Stronger legs will vastly improve your performance of other workouts, including cardio training such as running, walking and jogging. By strengthening your leg muscles, you are also reducing the risk of injuries while performing other types of workouts.
Leg muscles are a part of the biggest muscle groups of your body. This means that the more you train them, the faster your metabolism is and the more calories you burn while working out. Also, working your leg muscles will make your figure look more balanced and symmetrical overall. You probably have seen someone with a bulky upper body and thin, weak legs. This happens when people pay too much attention to their upper body workouts and not enough attention to leg day. Apart from the aesthetics behind exercising your whole body, working your lower body in addition to your upper body will lower the risk for injury during exercise. The body works as a team; every exercise engages multiple muscle groups. That’s why there should be a balance for your muscles to function at its best.
Follow these exercises that specifically target your thighs. These exercises can be completed from home in just 10 minutes!
Bulgarian Split Squat
Targets: lower body
This exercise is a variation of the simple squat, but it places more emphasis on the quads. It strengthens your lower body muscles, including your glutes, hamstrings, calves, and quads. It also works your core. Many people prefer the split squat to the traditional squat because of the reduced risk of injury. The traditional squat puts a load on your lower back, potentially causing injury, but the split squat for the most part removes the lower back from the equation and puts the emphasis on the legs. So, if you have back problems (or if you don’t!), this exercise is for you!
How To Do Bulgarian Split Squat:
- Start by standing about two feet in front of a bench or step.
- Lift one leg up behind you and place the top of your foot on the bench. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, and your right foot should be far enough in front of the bench where you can comfortably transfer into a lunge position.
- While engaging your core, roll your shoulders back and lean slightly forward at the waist, beginning to lower down on your left leg, bending the knee.
- If completing a quad-dominant Bulgarian split squat, stop before your knee falls over your toes. If completing a glute-dominant Bulgarian split squat, stop when your left thigh is parallel to the ground.
- Push up through your left foot, using the power from your quads and hamstrings to return to standing.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps on this leg, then switch, putting the left foot up on the bench.
Complete 3 sets of 10 reps for this exercise.
Lunges
Targets: legs, glutes, core
The lunge exercise is one of the most traditional and basic leg exercises there is. Lunges help strengthen your lower body, increase core strength and muscle tissue, and firm your glutes.
A proper lunge posture can help you achieve a stronger and more stable core by engaging your core and abdominal muscles. It helps to build stability, and a stronger core lowers the severity of lower back pain and also improves your balance and posture.
In terms of improving balance, lunges train one part of your body at a time, independently. This helps to achieve proper body balance and coordination, and practicing lunges will make every day functions easier.
How To Do Lunges:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart and an engaged core.
- Take a big step forward with your one leg. Shift your weight forward so your heel hits the floor first.
- Lower your body until your thigh is parallel to the floor and shin is vertical
- Press into heel to drive back up to starting position.
- Repeat on the other side and that’s one rep!
Complete 3 sets of 10 reps for this exercise.
Side Squat
Targets: thighs, hips, glutes, core
The side squat is a variation of the traditional squat with an additional side kick. Apart from its benefits to the glutes and legs, it is also an excellent exercise to engage the core. This exercise can improve stability and will increase muscle strength.
How To Do a Side Squat:
- Start in a squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- As you stand, switch your weight to one leg and kick the other out to the side.
- Return to starting position and repeat with the other leg.
Complete 3 sets of 10 reps for this exercise.
Deadlift
Targets: hamstrings, glutes, upper and lower back
Deadlifts target multiple muscles in the body in a single lift: the glutes, hamstrings, and the upper and lower back. Additionally, they also rely on your core for stabilization throughout the lift. Deadlifts often do more for your glutes than squats do, meaning you can get faster results incorporating the deadlift into your routine than by relying on squats alone.
You don’t need access to a barbell to use deadlifts, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to have one. Dumbbells or kettlebells can be used to do the exercise, especially variations like the straight leg or Romanian deadlift variation.
How To Do Deadlifts:
- Step up under a barbell with your feet angled slightly outward, at hip-width apart.
- Bend over and grip the barbell with both hands at shoulder-width.
- Bend your knees until the bar almost touches your shins.
- With a neutral spine, flex your butt and stomach.
- Pick the bar up off the ground
- Continue pressing down with your legs until the barbell passes your knees, then thrust your hips forward until you are standing up.
- Reverse your movement and return the bar to its starting place on the ground.
Complete 3 sets of 10 reps for this exercise.
Side Leg Lifts
Targets: hips, outer thighs
Side leg raises involve abducting the leg from your mid-line. It’s a very simple and effective way to build strength in the outer thighs and the hip abductors. Some of the benefits of leg lifts are:
- better range of motion in the hips
- improved stabilization
- use of muscles that aren’t usually active in those who sit for a lot of the day
- improved muscle endurance
By strengthening these muscles through side leg lifts, it can also help prevent injury and pain with the hips, knees, and lower back. This exercise can be completed lying down or standing- using just your body weight. This makes it easy to sneak in a few reps at home.
How To Do Side Leg Lifts:
- Lie down on one side on a mat or the floor. Your body should be in a straight line with your legs extended and feet stacked on top of each other.
- Place your arm straight on the floor under your head or bend your elbow and cradle your head for support. Place your other hand out front for extra support or let it rest on your leg or hip.
- Raise your top leg off the lower leg. Stop raising your leg when you feel your muscles flex.
- Lower the leg back down to meet the lower leg. That’s one rep.
- Repeat 10-12 times, then switch to the other side.
Complete 3 sets of 10-12 reps for this exercise.
Thigh exercises have a common denominator of improving balance and stability, as well as building muscle. With this 10 minute at home thigh workout, you have no excuse but to incorporate these exercises into your workout routine!