Losing weight is great and your thighs will love you for it. However, you’ll need to firm those muscles and you may need to add some shape to your butt. It is natural to lose weight and have some of that sexy shape disappear as well.
Don’t worry though – with the right training you can ensure you keep a nice feminine shape while strengthening your quads and hams for that firm look.
The quads on the front of the thigh respond well to all forms of Squat exercises and are worked extensively in all kinds of Lunges. The hamstrings respond well to hip dominant movements such as Bridges and Leg Curls – both of which also hit the glutes hard.
You can add weights to almost all of the following exercises. The only exercise you wouldn’t add weights to is Russian Leg Curls. For Leg Curls with weights simply use a leg curl machine commonly seen on most weight benches.
1. Squats
The king of all butt exercises, stand with feet shoulder width apart. Squat with your hips back and weight over your heels until you butt touches your ankles. Stand up pushing your body weight into the ground through your feet.
Variation: Squat down and then accelerate upwards into a jump.
2. Bulgarian Split Squats
A fantastic variation that hits the quads hard while giving some of the load to the hamstrings and glutes. One of the best total leg exercises there is.
3. Sumo Squats
Take that shoulder width stance and widen it 12 inches or so. Make sure your feet are facing out at a 45 degree angle. Sit back and down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Done properly you will feel a significant amount of tension in your hamstrings and glutes.
4. Forward Lunges
Forward lunges – either stationary or walking – ask your quads to do some work to absorb your body weight before pushing back up standing position. Simply step forward anddrop into a lunge while keeping your upper body vertical. A great variation to classic squats.
5. Glute Bridges
Lie on your back with one leg bent at 90 degrees, the other flat on the floor. Raise your hips a loose leg off the floor while the bent leg pushes through the floor. Hold at the top for 2-3 seconds then lower yourself back down. Complete your desired reps then switch legs. This will cook your glutes nicely while also giving your hamstrings a blast.
6. Reverse Lunges
Instead of lunging forwards, step back and lunge down as if kneeling down. Hold the knee just off the floor then drive back through your leg to standing position. A great variation that hits all leg muscles for a complete workout.
7. Russian Leg Curls
Lying down on your back, feet flat in front of you, lift your hips up by pulling your feet towards you as if curling the legs. An easy way to do this is to perform them on a smooth wooden floor with socks on or using a sliding pads. Use paper plates as an interesting cheap alternative. This is one of the best hamstring exercises there is.
8. Kettlebell Swings
Using kettlebells , you can do one of the best hip hinge movements that works the entire posterior chain from calves through hamstrings, glutes and lower back. Standing up, feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, place the kettlebell between your legs. Grip the kettlebell with both hands by bending forward, back straight, hips back as if you are closing a car door with your butt. From this position, swing the kettlebell forward by pushing your hips forward. Allow the kettlebell to swing forward and drop back until you’re back in the starting position. Control the kettlebell throughout.
9. Goblet Squats
Hold a kettlebell in both hands at about chest height. Squat down making sure your feet are turned out at a 45 degree angle. Stand back up with an upright posture. A superb movement that gives the back of the legs a bit more emphasis than normal squats.
10. Leg Presses
Using the leg press machine, sit back in seat with legs bent holding the weight. Press the weight forcefully and lower it back slowly. A challenging variation to the squat leg presses will leave your thighs thoroughly toasted!
11. Barbell/Resistance Band Hip Thrusts
Perform a glute bridge with your shoulders raised on a bench for additional range of motion. Use a resistance band attached to the floor or with a padded barbell at the hips, to create an intense glute contraction. Bikini models rely on these too create the beach booty you’ll see on the Copa Cabana!
12. Single Leg Deadlifts
Again, this can be done with a dumbbell or kettlebell. Take the weight in your right hand and lift your right leg slightly off the floor. Lean forward by hinging at the hips and lowering the weight towards the floor. As a counterbalance, extend your right leg behind you through the movement so you achieve a kind of pendulum movement.
