Skinny jeans and thigh gaps are the craze. But though slim and structured thighs are essential for good body form, tragically they are not built in a day. You need a great amount of persistence to get strong, fit, and fabulous thighs. To bridge the gap between wanting great legs and having them, Srijan Maharjan, trainer at Fitness Paradise in Lagankhel, shares some tips and tricks he swears by for a perfect lower body workout.
“But first you must lose weight by exercising and eating right. Only then will exercises to tone your body be effective,” says Maharjan adding that toning thigh muscles are perhaps the easiest part of working towards a fit body because there are many basic exercises that target those muscles. However, consistence and patience are also important.
Before you begin
First of all one needs to be committed to follow the provided plan on a regular basis. “There might be other many ways of getting rid of unwanted thigh bulk but you have to do it in a way that’s completely safe and healthy.
For that, you have to exercise and eat right so that you lose weight first,” he says adding that you will start noticing changes in as less as a months time if you follow through. “Keep in mind that this is a long-term commitment,” he says.
Start with diet control
You can’t expect to have a healthy and fit body if your diet isn’t good. Start by cutting down on excess carbohydrates. Substitute it with protein and fat instead. “A lot of people have the misconception that fats deteriorate health making you obese. But that isn’t the case,” explains Maharjan.
In fact, fats are an important part of a good diet. While fat from junk food is bad for the body, fat from walnuts, almonds and avocado are essential for proper functioning of the body. Make sure you eat enough vegetables and fruits as well, says Maharjan. “And limit your portion and don’t eat after six in the evening. Your body also needs time to metabolize what you ate during the day,” he adds.
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Add an exercise
Once you start eating right, add a workout to your daily routine. It can be something as basic as going for a walk or a jog but these simple things will make sure you burn calories and lose weight.
“Before you begin exercises focused on one particular area of your body, you have to lose the extra weight. Toning happens after that,” says Maharjan. Once you start noticing changes in your body, you can begin exercises focused on toning your thigh muscles. Maharjan guides us through some exercises that will shape our thighs to perfection.
Sumo or goblet squat
It is a lower body strength exercise which focuses on the muscles of inner thighs. Stand with feet shoulder width apart. You can use dumbbells or simply keep your hands free. Push your hips back and squat down.
Keep your head and chest up and back straight. Pause for a few seconds when you reach down. Then get back up to starting position. Repeat this for at least 10 to 15 times with a second or two pauses in between.
Bulgarian split squat
This increases leg strength and improves hip mobility. Stand lunge-length in front of a bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and rest the top of your left foot on the bench behind you.
Lower your body until your rear knee nearly touches the floor and your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Get back up to starting position and do 10 to 15 repetitions.
Lateral jump or skip
Stand upright with your legs and feet together. You can let your arms hang on the sides. Bend your knees to lower yourself into a squatting position. Maintain a straight spine and a flat back. Avoid losing form or posture.
Pause shortly at the bottom of the squatting position, and roll your weight towards the front of your feet to prepare to jump. Drive yourself up and to any direction you desire. Bend your knees as you land to support your joints and then allow the heels of your feet to lower towards the floor. Do this 10 to 15 times.
Towel squeeze
As per the name suggests all you need to do is squeeze a towel for this exercise. Lie down keeping your feet together and knees bent. Take a rolled towel and place it between your thighs. Hold and squeeze the towel for ten to fifteen seconds with all your strength. Repeat this 10 times to complete a set.
Squat thrust
Along with improvement in hip mobility, squat thrust also increases your cardiovascular endurance. Stand with your feet apart and arms by your sides. Lower yourself into a squat position and place your hands on the floor.
Then, change into the plank position. One can either jump or simply bring their legs forward slowly to return to a squat position. Return to the standing position at last. Do this as many times as you can and gradually increase the count.
Butterfly stretch
This exercise should be done at the end of your workout or after a short warm up session in order to prevent injury. Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet touching. Your knees should be bent outwards.
Keep your spine straight and head up. Bring your heels close to your body. You can also lean forward while you do this and feel the stretch. However, make sure you are not uncomfortable or hurting. Hold this position for 30 seconds and then release your legs. Repeat it two to three times and gradually increase count as your flexibility improves.
