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Shaped and shapely thighs are the goal of many women who spend long hours training this particular part of their body. In order to choose the right exercises for this part of muscles, it is worth getting acquainted with the anatomy of the thigh muscles. How to plan your workouts to effectively shape your muscles? Learn about 3 different exercises that will help you slim your thighs while strengthening your muscles.
Thigh muscles – basic information
The lower limb muscles include the hip, calf, leg and buttock muscles. This means that by training the thigh muscles, we also strengthen the other muscle groups. Thanks to this, we will firm the buttocks and calves and slim the hips. The muscles of the thigh are made up of the anterior, posterior, and medial muscles.
The front thigh muscles are:
- Quadriceps muscle of the thigh – a muscle known to anyone who has tried their hand at the gym at least once. It is made up of four heads, namely the rectus muscle, the large lateral muscle, the large intermediate muscle and the large medial muscle. The quadriceps muscle of the thigh is responsible for straightening the knee joint and bending the hip joint. This means that training this muscle should use flexion and extension mechanisms.
- Tailor’s muscle – this muscle is known as the longest muscle in the human body. The function of the tailor’s muscle is to bend the knee and hip joints.
The posterior muscles of the thigh are made up of the semitendinous muscle, the semimembranous muscle, and the biceps muscle of the thigh. This group of muscles is responsible for bending the knee and straightening the hip joint. The third group of muscles in the thigh are the so-called thigh adductor muscles. This group includes the slender muscle, the long adductor muscle and the great adductor muscle. The task of the thigh adductors is to keep the body in balance while standing.
Thigh muscles – training rules
Training for the muscles of the thigh should be a training accompanying another activity from the group of cardio exercises. Many people undertake thigh exercises in the hope that it will burn fat faster and the thighs will become lean and lean faster. Unfortunately, both nutritionists and personal trainers agree that you cannot lose weight in one body part. Therefore, training the thigh muscles should be a cyclical set of exercises, repeated on specific days. When planning exercises for the thigh muscles, it is worth bearing in mind the anatomy of the muscles that make up the lower limb muscle group. Training for the thigh muscles should be combined with training for the buttocks, it will significantly increase the effectiveness of the exercises. Faster fat burning from the thighs is guaranteed by cardio workouts such as cycling, jogging, aerobics or swimming. The best exercises for developing strong thigh muscles are leg swings, squats and hip lifts. The effectiveness of the exercises will be greatest if you do them 3 times a week, preferably every other day.
3 effective exercises for the thigh muscles
Examples of effective exercises for the thigh muscles:
- Classic squats – squats are one of the exercises for the thigh muscles most often proposed by trainers. When doing squats, all muscle groups in the lower limb are involved. The thigh muscles, as well as the buttocks muscles, work at the highest speed. This helps in firming and slimming the entire figure. To perform the squats correctly, you should stand upright with your legs hip-width apart and your arms raised in front of you to the height of your chest. When lowering your body to a squat, keep your stomach tight. Squats should be repeated 10-15 times in 3-4 series.
- Sternum – This exercise raises your pelvis, engaging your thigh and buttock muscles. To perform this exercise correctly, lie down on the mat, place your arms alongside your body, and bend your legs at your knees. He then rises his hips very slowly towards the ceiling. This position should be held for 5 seconds. The exercise is repeated 12-15 times in 3-4 series.
- Deadlift – this is an exercise known to gym goers. This is one of the basic exercises to strengthen the muscles of the upper and lower body. It is perfect for sculpting the thigh muscles. To perform a correct deadlift, stand up straight, take the weights in your hands and point them down, keeping your arms straight at the elbows. Then put your legs hip-width apart and bend them at the knees. Tilt the chest forward, without touching the floor with the weights. Then come back to the starting position. The exercise should be repeated 12-15 times in 3-4 series.