4 Ways to Tone Your Thighs at Home

For 90% of women and a few men, we’re no strangers to stubborn thigh fat and cellulite. Lumps and bumps on the thighs and the body’s natural inclination to store fat here can make the thighs a common target training area but one in which our hard work doesn’t always pay off with results. For a better chance at achieving the smoother, firmer results you’re after, try these top workout moves to tone your thighs at home and a couple bonus tips to give you a little boost if it seems nothing else is working.

4-Step At-Home Thigh-Firming Workout

While focusing in on eating healthy foods and adapting a workout routine that incorporates a day or two of cardiovascular workouts can help to keep the body’s fat storage to a minimum, resistance training often offers the best results in building muscle. Increased muscle boosts fat-burning potential, even when you’re resting. Try the following four workout moves to firm and smoothen thighs. To keep your heart-rate elevated and increase fat-burning potential, mix in a quick round of 30 jumping jacks or jump rope for 30 seconds between exercises.

Step 1: Split Squats

Start by facing forward, arms at your sides and feet hip-width apart, with a low chair, bench, or even a coffee table a step behind you. With your right foot planted on the ground, toes facing forward, lift the left foot directly back and rest the top of it on the top of your support (chair, bench, or table). With arms straight down at your sides, back straight, shoulders back, and core engaged, lower your body straight down by bending the knee your right knee until your right leg forms a 90-degree angle. Your knee should be aligned with your foot throughout. Once lowered, hold for one count, then push up through your right heel to return to your starting position. Repeat 14 more times, then switch legs for 15 reps.

Amp it up: As you get better at this move and perfect your form, hold a dumbbell in each hand for added resistance.

Step 2: Sumo Squat

To begin, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed outward (to the left and right, respectively, rather than straight ahead), and knees in line with your toes. With a straight back, shoulders rolled back, and core engaged, squat until thighs are parallel to the ground. To avoid strain on the knees, focus on the movement of sitting back with your weight on your heels rather than simply bending the knees to lower yourself. Once lowered, hold for one count, then slowly, pushing off from the heels and squeezing your thigh muscles, bring yourself back up into your starting position. Repeat 14 more times for a complete set of 15.

Amp it up: For a little added resistance, hold one dumbbell or kettlebell weight using both hands and centered in front of your hips.

Step 3: Wall Squat

This is perhaps the simplest of the three but can offer the greatest burn. Standing about two feet in front of a straight wall with no obstructions on it. With your back to the wall, feet about shoulder-width apart, and toes facing forward, lean your back against the wall and slide down until your knees form a 90-degree angle. Hold this position for at least 30 seconds, keeping your back and shoulders straight against the wall, abs engaged, and arms either raised straight in front of you or simply hanging at your sides.  

Amp it up: Gradually increase how long you hold the squat in 15-second intervals.

Step 4: Reverse Lunges

For the last step, we’re heading in reverse. To start this exercise, stand straight, shoulders back, core engaged, and feet together, toes pointing forward. With your right foot, take a big step backward, keeping your left foot in place and right toes facing forward. Lower your body down, keeping your torso straight, until your right knee just skims the floor. Hold for one count then, pushing off your right foot, return to your starting position with feet side-by-side. Repeat 14 more times, then switch sides for 15 repetitions using the left leg.

Amp it up: Just like our split squats, you can add dumbbells to each hand here for added weight and resistance.

Boost Your Results When Workouts Won’t Work

For those looking for a little added boost to your weight loss results or to take on stubborn cellulite, you may need to look outside of diet and fitness alone. Depending on your aesthetic goals, there are two options that just might fit the bill for you. 

For those who have lost significant weight in the thighs but are noticing loose skin as a result, consider opting for a custom skin tightening treatment plan. Sagging skin can’t be easily solved using diet and exercise alone, so there’s no shame in calling in some reinforcements. Non-surgical radio frequency-based skin-firming treatments safely and comfortably heat tissue under the skin's surface, triggering the increased natural production of collagen and elastin fibers, which act as the foundation of firm, healthy, youthful skin. Treatment sessions are quick, lasting between 15 and 30 minutes, and results continue to improve following your last treatment session. The end result is effortlessly firmer, smoother thighs that better show off all that muscle-building and toning work you’ve done.

The second option may be best suited for those fending off troublesome cellulite. Lumps and bumps on the backs of the thighs are common but they don’t need to be permanent. For those looking for a more effective solution to reduce the appearance of cellulite, non-surgical cellulite reduction treatmentsmay be the answer. For a cellulite treatment to be successful, it must target both underlying fat cells while strengthening the fascia that keeps fat cells in their place and skin appearing smooth. Using advanced and innovative radio frequency technology, these cellulite treatments target and shrink underlying fat cells, while boosting collagen production to strengthen fascia and improve the appearance of cellulite’s typical bumps and dimpling. Treatments can be customized to target virtually any stage of cellulite or area of the body.

The Bottom Line for Toned Thighs

Whatever your aesthetic goals, you don’t have to go at it alone. If you’re set on finding a workout regimen to burn that fat, calling on a professional fitness trainer while incorporating our four-step workout between gym dates can help you reach your goals faster. Likewise, it’s okay to admit when working out just doesn’t work out. With a tight schedule and stubborn cellulite or loose skin tossing a wrench in the plans, reaching out to a certified treatment provider can prove a strong strategy, lifting a little stress off of you while helping you get over some tough hurdles to meet your aesthetic goals.

Ready to reach out to a cellulite reduction or skin tightening treatment provider? Use our search field below to find a trusted aesthetics clinic near you.