The next problem area of fat deposits for women is the outer surface of the legs. The so-called ears on the hips spoil the silhouette in tight dresses and skirts, and look out from under the swimsuit as completely unappetizing rollers.
Let us remind you that we have already examined all the features of getting rid of cellulite from the inner thigh, and also compiled the top effective loads for the front and back surfaces of women’s legs.
Now it's time to tear apart the outer thigh. It is better to combat this problem area with a complex of strength and aerobic exercise with a deficit of kilocalories. But remember! The WHOLE body will lose weight; it will not be possible to remove volumes in one isolated area of the body. Static exercises for the outer thigh with various hangs are perfect for training.
You can make the exercises more difficult by increasing the number of approaches, using dumbbells or a gymnastic expander tape. The latter should not have too much resistance - working 15-20 times per approach should be performed.
So, we present to your attention the most effective exercises for the outer thigh at home.
Leg abduction in a kneeling position
Together with the outer side, this exercise also works the inner side of the thigh. Difficulty – medium.
- Starting position - lay a mat, emphasis on straight arms, legs bent at the knees. If you use a dumbbell, place it in the bend of the thigh and lower leg;
- While inhaling, we move the bent leg to the side until it is parallel to the floor, fix the point;
- We return to the starting position.
How to remove sides on hips even faster? Use weights.
At the end of the working number of repetitions, remove the weight if you were using it and do 10-15 jerking movements in the same direction. Then do the workout on the other side.
Watch the video for more details:
It is recommended to perform 15-20 repetitions in 2-3 approaches on each side.
Exercises for the outer thigh at home
If you are not physically fit, you should start with the simplest exercises on the outer thigh. In addition, the amplitude of such exercises should not be large, otherwise injuries cannot be avoided. The following types of exercises are suitable for working out the lateral part of the thigh at home.
Sumo squats
If you're just starting out, do what's called sumo squats.
They help to work the muscles of the legs, abdomen, back and hips. But during training, pay attention to your body position and technique of doing squats. During training, keep your back straight, do not round it. Toes should be turned to the sides, hips should be tense. Do a half squat this way, avoiding sudden movements. Perform the exercise 10-15 times in 2-3 approaches with an interval of 30-60 seconds between each of them.
When the body gets used to such a load, perform sumo squats using a weight. This could be a barbell or dumbbells.
Side Lunges
The outer thigh is well trained with lunges.
There are many variations of this workout, but one of the most effective of them is the side lunge workout. To practice, you need to stand up straight with your hands locked in front of your chest. On the count of “one,” lunge to the left side, trying to stretch the thigh muscle as much as possible. On the count of two, return to the starting position. Perform the exercise for the second leg.
This workout helps pump both the outer and inner thighs. You should exercise for at least 30 seconds in 2-3 approaches.
Swing your legs while lying on your side
This exercise also works well against “ears” on the hips.
To perform this you will need a gymnastics mat. Lie on your side, place one arm under your shoulder, and the other extended or placed in front of your chest. Swing with straight legs as high as possible, feeling the muscles on the outer and inner thighs stretch. When lowering your legs, do not allow them to close: there should be a small space between them. This increases the load on the muscles, which in turn increases the effectiveness of the workout performed.
Do 15-20 swings of each leg in 2-3 approaches with an interval of 30-60 seconds. between each of them.
Stepping on the nightstand
Another type of exercise to burn fat on the outer thigh.
Not only a bedside table, but also any other convenient elevation can be used as an obstacle - a sofa, chair, high step, etc. During training, you should not allow your knee to turn inward. After each step, perform a lunge on each leg in turn. If it's too easy for you, complicate the exercise with a reverse lunge.
Execution principle:
- take a step with your right foot, placing it on an elevation;
- bend your left leg at the knee and put it forward;
- Having come down from the elevation, step on your left foot, moving your right foot back and doing a lunge in this way. At the same time, you must make an effort to reach your knee to the floor.
Straighten up and repeat the exercise, but in the other direction. To make your workout more challenging, pick up dumbbells. Repeat the exercise until you get tired.
Bending while lying down
During this exercise, not only the outer thigh is trained, but also the abs.
Lie on the floor, feet shoulder-width apart, arms straight and freely at your sides. Alternately reach your heels with your fingertips, trying to bend as low as possible. For each side, repeat the exercise at least 10 times in several approaches. During training, you should feel your muscles stretching.
Important! Do not make sudden jerks! If pain occurs in any part of the body, or the exercise causes discomfort, stop immediately.
Side plank
The plank is a unique exercise aimed at working different muscle groups throughout the body.
The muscles of the outer femoral zone are also involved. The side plank trains the obliques and thighs, but requires good balance to perform it. Any incorrect action will result in injury. To perform the exercise you will need a gymnastics mat. Lie on your side, straighten one leg, bend the other at the knee (the one that is supported). Bend your arm at the elbow and lift yourself up on it. The body should be straight and form a clear parallel with the floor. Stay in this position for as long as possible, and then perform the exercise on the other side.
Reverse hyperextension
A fun exercise that helps to effectively load the riding breeches area and, as a bonus, the buttocks. Difficulty is average, made harder by a coordination test. To perform this you will need a chair with a soft seat and a bench. Also remember that hyperextension is one of the most effective exercises for the buttocks.
About 5 options for “Hyperextension” at home, see here.
Technique:
- Starting position – rest your stomach on the seat of the chair, clasp its side with your hands, legs straight, feet together;
- While inhaling, we push our legs up, strongly strain our buttocks, and hang for a second ;
- Exhaling, we return to the starting position.
In our ranking of the TOP 10 exercises for the hips, “Hyperextension” takes 6th place.
More details in the video:
The movement should be repeated 15-20 times, with a break, in several approaches. Watch your lower back, avoid excessive bending and tension in it.
Swing lying on your side
You can do it either lying simply on the floor or with emphasis on a chair. Focusing on a chair in this exercise will allow you to simultaneously use the inner surface on two legs at once - one in static tension, the other in dynamic tension. Swings are great for burning fat between your legs. The difficulty is high, you need to control the position of every point of the body, take your time, so as not to damage yourself.
Technique:
- Starting position - lying on your side, emphasis on the forearm, the straight lower leg is located on a chair, and the straightened upper leg is extended forward over the lower one;
- Inhaling, we swing the extended leg up as high as possible;
- As you exhale, we return to the starting point.
More details in the video:
We perform 15-20 repetitions on one leg and turn over.
We perform 2-3 approaches with a break of 30-45 seconds. Note! In the same position, you can swing your upper leg not upward, but closer to the body, bending it 90 degrees.
Breeches training (first round)
Both rounds include exercises designed to train the legs without squats and lunges, which is especially important for those who have problems with the knee joints. Pay special attention to your knees when warming up before exercise if you have a history of injury.
It is important to know that the gluteal muscles play a big role in getting rid of breeches. The more they strengthen and tone, the smaller the outer side of the thigh becomes. Therefore, be sure to check out our selection: Top 50 exercises for the buttocks at home.
We repeat the presented exercises in two circles: the first circle - on the right side, the second circle - on the left side. Rest 15-30 seconds between exercises; you can repeat each exercise in two approaches.
Leg rotation with support on the knee
How to perform: The starting position of the exercise is to rest on one leg, bent at the knee. For convenience, we recommend placing something under the knee joint so that the workout does not bring discomfort. To maintain balance, rest your hand on the floor and lean to the side. The other hand is placed on the waist. The back is straight, the stomach is pulled in. Make sure that the head and body do not fall over. Straighten your non-supporting leg and perform forward rotational movements.
Benefits of the exercise: The exercise is designed to work on breeches. It also uses the inner thigh, which is often a problem area among girls, the gluteal muscles and leg muscles.
How much to perform: 10 clockwise rotations, 10 counterclockwise rotations (in the first circle on the right leg, in the second circle on the left leg).
Swing your leg while lying on your side
How to do it: To perform the breeches exercise, lie on your side with your legs straight. For comfort during training, rest your head on your hand, which should be placed on the floor, bent at the elbow. To maintain balance, you need to rest your other hand on the floor with your palm in front of your chest. To better work on the problem area, you need to lift your leg at least 45 degrees. There is no need to make sudden movements. Tighten your leg muscles and slowly lift your leg up.
Benefits of the exercise: This exercise of the first round of training is aimed at working out the outer thigh at home. The exercise also affects the buttocks, inner thighs and other muscle groups of the legs.
How much to perform: 15 swings (in the first circle on the right leg, in the second circle on the left leg).
At the end of the approach, to complicate the task, leave your leg in a raised position and perform springy movements with a small amplitude.
How much to perform: 20 pulsations (in the first circle on the right leg, in the second circle on the left leg).
Complicated shell
How to perform: The “Shell” exercise is complicated by raising the leg. The starting position is lying on your side. You support your head with one hand, and place the other on your hip. The leg you are lying on is slightly bent at the knee. Make sure your back remains level and your abs tight. The second leg swings forward and diagonally. Next, you need to combine your feet and bring your knees together so that one touches the other. From this position you need to spread your knees and swing again.
Benefits of the exercise: Training allows you to work out the outer thigh at home. The muscles of the legs, back and core will also be involved by holding the body in a certain position.
How much to perform: 15 swings (in the first circle on the right leg, in the second circle on the left leg).
Fire hydrant leg extension
How to perform: The starting position of the exercise from breeches is emphasis on straight arms and knees (“all fours”). Make sure to keep your back straight throughout the entire workout and your head pointing toward the floor. Without straightening, take one leg to the side and lift it to a right angle. In this position, straighten your leg to the side. Next, return to the previous point and take the starting position through it. Keep your muscles constantly tense during the exercise.
Benefits of the exercise: In addition to working out the problem area (outer and inner thighs), the exercise allows you to pump up your back and core muscles, and also has a static effect on the shoulder girdle and arms.
How much to perform: 15 swings (in the first circle on the right leg, in the second circle on the left leg).
Leg rotation while lying down
How to do it: To perform the rotation, lie on your back with your arms along your body. Straighten your legs and raise them above the floor at an angle of about 45 degrees. The head is pressed to the floor. Next, you need to rotate both legs simultaneously in different directions. When your legs are at the highest point of the lift, it is desirable that they are perpendicular to your body. While performing rotations, watch your lower back - it should not come off the floor or bend too much.
Lunges forward
A functional dynamic exercise that works both to work the muscles and to stretch them. Exercises for the outer and inner thighs, such as this one, are effective in helping you lose weight throughout your lower body and remove cellulite from your legs. You can weigh down your performance with dumbbells or weights. You can further diversify it by jumping when changing legs or resting one side on a hill. About 7 different types of “Lunges”, see here.
- Starting position – legs together, back straight, arms down along the body;
- While inhaling, step your left leg back until a 90-degree angle is formed at the right knee, the left leg is extended and taut;
- Return to the original position and perform the actions on the other leg.
More details in the video:
You need to perform 15 to 20 times on each side, repeating approaches 2-3 times.
Carefully! The knee of the bent leg in this exercise should under no circumstances extend beyond its toe. Otherwise, there will be an incorrect and traumatic load on the joints.
Pumping up the lateral thigh
This surface most often accumulates excess fat, leading to the formation of “breeches.” To prevent this from happening, you should pump up the hip abductor muscles, which can be done with the following exercises.
1 exercise
They stand against the wall, stretch out their hands towards it and lean on it. Slowly raise the right leg as far as possible to the side, then lower it. Then everything is done with the left foot.
Features: the leg is lifted with effort; the knees of the legs are slightly bent. The exercise becomes more difficult when lifting a straight, stretched leg.
Exercise 2
You can also pump up the lateral thigh muscles with the following exercise: lie on your left side, bend your knees and pull them towards your stomach until your hips and torso make an angle of 90°. Raise the upper thigh up without opening the feet. Hold for 1…2 seconds. and come back slowly. Repeat the exercise 5...10 times, then turn over and do everything while lying on your right side.
Features: perform the exercise with the muscles as tense as possible.
Exercise 3
Lie on the right side. Leaning on the forearm, lift the pelvis up. Raise the left leg up 20 cm. Hold for 10 seconds, lower. Repeat 2...3 times. Then they turn over, lie on their left side and manipulate their right leg.
Exercise 4
Position – lying on the left side. Extend your left hand forward and place your head on it. With your right hand, rest in front of you on the floor.
Exercise: the right leg is bent at the knee, the left leg is raised straight. The toe is slightly turned down. Then they change position and do everything with the other legs.
Features: movements are performed slowly.
Exercise 5
Starting position as in exercise 4.
Bend the leg lying on top, while pulling the heel back. There should be a 90° angle between the thigh and the calf muscle. Bring your thighs forward a little. Slowly raise the upper thigh up - the leg is parallel or close to it in relation to the floor. Hold the position for 1...2 seconds, lower the hip. They turn over and do everything with the other hip.
Side Lunges
Static muscle tension in these actions helps to actively burn fat and activate the growth of muscle fibers. Removes both the riding breeches area and the hated ridges on the inner thigh.
Technique:
- Starting position – legs wider than shoulder width, back straight, gaze directed forward;
- Inhaling, we step with our right foot to the right, making sure that the knee does not go beyond the toe and is perpendicular to the floor, the left leg is straightened, the toe and heel are pressed to the floor surface;
- As you exhale, go back and repeat the effort on the opposite side.
You will see more details in the video:
You can burn additional calories if, after performing a lunge, you also perform a straight leg swing or a cross squat back. The combination has a better effect on the problem area and tightens faster.
Carefully! Perform actions with great care and concentration. Ligaments that are just beginning to get used to stress are very fragile and any sudden movement can cause stretching or tearing. If the ligament area still hurts after training, do a light pinching massage and treat with warming ointment.
Wide stance squats
A great stretch for the outer thigh comes from wide squats. The multi-tasking plie covers the fat battlegrounds of your butt, inner, front and back thighs, and is also a great exercise for slimming your calves. The difficulty is average, which can be easily increased with dumbbells, weights, or simply instead of resting on your heels, rise on your toes.
Technique:
- Starting position – straight back and wide stance with toes turned to the side;
- Inhaling, slowly lower your pelvis until it is parallel to the floor. We make sure that the knees do not go beyond the toes, otherwise we make the stance wider. We twist our lower back, tighten our buttocks;
- Exhaling, we get back to the original position.
More details in the video:
Complete 10-12 repetitions, rest for 45 seconds and repeat the circuit 2 more times.
See also: 7 best types of squats for the buttocks How effective are dumbbell squats for the buttocks? 30 Day Squat Challenge to Tighten Your Gluteal Muscles
Thigh stretch
1.To stretch the muscles of the back surface, you need to sit on the ground - your back is straight; the legs are extended, pressed to the ground and connected by the feet.
The exercise involves bending toward your feet while keeping your back straight and your knees not bent. The bends are done deeply, while pulling the toes towards you, which helps to increase muscle stretching.
Exercise option: legs are pressed to the ground, but separated from each other by 90°. Bends are performed alternately to each foot, twisting the torso a little. The back and legs remain straight.
2. To stretch the quadriceps muscles, stand on one leg, bend the other at the knee and grab the foot in the bony part. Pull your leg up as much as possible.
Features of the exercise: support, for example, with your second hand on a wall, helps you maintain balance; with the left hand they grab the foot of the same leg and vice versa.
3. The internal muscles are stretched from a position lying on your back next to a wall. In this case, the buttocks rest against the wall, the legs are extended upward and pressed against the wall.
The exercise consists of symmetrically lowering your legs to the sides - ideally towards a cross split.
Features: legs are constantly pressed along the entire length to the wall.
Second exercise: sit on the floor, bend your knees so that the soles of your feet are connected. They clasp the feet with the palms, the elbows are launched between the legs and pressed to the thighs (to the inner surface).
The essence of the exercise: bend forward, pressing on the thighs with the forearms of the hands.
General recommendations
- A balanced diet will only speed up the approach to the desired result;
- Be sure to do stretching - this will relieve stress on the muscle group being trained and will also relieve painful soreness. Taking a warm bath with sea salt helps a lot;
- Don't neglect massage and wraps. Warming/cooling creams, cling film and a natural bristle brush are your best friends. Massage should be performed from bottom to top along the lymph flow;
- Massage cups are a good helper for skin tightening. To apply it, you need to lubricate the treated area with massage cream or oil and slide the jar from bottom to top until the skin turns red. BUT! This procedure is contraindicated for people prone to varicose veins or who already have spider veins and vascular problems.
And, of course, we must not forget that there are many other movements for the lower body that have shown high effectiveness:
- “Bicycle” and “Scissors” are considered especially effective for the butt muscles;
- “Stepping onto the platform” is required to be included in your complex;
- You can build up your muscles with static exercises by completing our “Circular” complex, which includes such an effective exercise as “Chair against the wall.”
- At the end of the workout, do some stretching , such as Downward-Facing Dog and Upward Dog asanas;
- “Walking on the buttocks” not only burns cellulite, but also has many beneficial properties for the pelvic area;
- Well, of course, you can’t do without “Deadlift”.
Be sure to pay attention to your technique when performing exercises for the outer thigh. Better smaller and more accurate than faster and with the result not where it is needed, and even worse, with injuries.
Seven of the best exercises from the ears on the hips
When to exercise: it doesn’t matter - in the morning or in the evening, the main thing is at least an hour after eating. You can incorporate these movements into your strength plan by performing them at the beginning of your workout.
Don't do a set of outer thigh exercises on a cardio day, as most of them put so much stress on your legs that you won't be able to run or even walk as hard as you can.
Equipment: timer (you probably have it on your phone), jump rope, 2 dumbbells of 5-10 kg each (if you need lighter weights, it’s better to do it without weight at all), rubber mat under your feet for jumping, sneakers.
How to do it: perform the exercises one after another. We set the timer so that the first bell sounds after 40 seconds, the second after 20. We do the first exercise for 40 seconds, and then “according to the text.” At the end of the circle, rest for 60 seconds, repeat 4-5 times. Warm up by jumping rope for 5 minutes. In the final we perform the “corner”, “boat”, “cat” from bodyflex. You can also do it with breathing.
Exercise 1. Classic squat
Time: 40 seconds
Why: tightens all leg muscles, burns a lot of extra calories, warms the tensor fascia lata, protects against injuries
We stand with our feet hip-width apart, toes naturally pointed apart. Dumbbells in hands along the body. We squat until our thighs are parallel to the floor, as if we were sitting on a low chair. We stand up while exhaling.
Exercise 2. Plyometric squat
Time: 20 seconds
Why: burns fat
We throw the dumbbells, do the same, only at the point “Thighs are parallel to the floor” we sharply jump up, and then softly land on the front of the foot. We do not straighten our knees completely, and do not strive to assume a “skier pose” (artificially parallel feet).
Exercise 3. Abduction squat
Time: 40 seconds
Why: strengthens all leg muscles, plus trains the tensor fasciae lata in isolation
We perform a squat, dumbbells in our hands, at the lowest point we transfer the weight to the left leg and, standing up, move the right thigh clearly to the right and up. Imagine lifting your leg up the wall, without swinging back and forth. Repeat, alternating legs.
Exercise 4. Kick-side
Time: 20 seconds
Why: burns fat
Do you watch action movies? Yes, that's it - alternate quick kicks to the side. Strike with your heel, not your toe. First, we slightly shift the body to the left, transfer the weight to the left foot, retract the abs, lift off the right leg, move it to the right, bring the heel to the buttock, bending the knee, and from there push-kick the heel to the side. We repeat.
Exercise 5. Lateral leads
Time: 40 seconds
Why: you wanted exercises for the outer thighs?
We lie down on the floor on our right side, place our left hand with a dumbbell along the body, slowly move and bring the thigh up.
Why: burn fat
We get up and go for a short jog, try to do everything gently, don’t knock your feet
Exercise 7. Jumping rope
Why: Maximize calorie expenditure
We jump as comfortably as we can, the main thing is not to fully extend our knees, don’t forget to breathe, and don’t jump on a flat foot.
After completing all seven exercises, take a minute's break and start again from the first. In total you should get 4-5 approaches.
Summary
Surprised? You've probably read on other sites about easier exercises for the outer thigh. Why make it so complicated? The most radical fitness pros only recognize squats with weights of at least 50% of your body weight as exercises for the outer thigh. The problem is that 80% of fitness trainers with training in anatomy and physiology will force the client to do complex movements that burn a lot of calories and work the legs as a whole. And advisors from the Internet will recommend side leg abductions as the best exercise for the outer thigh.
The truth is that fat deposits and flabbiness are a consequence of a lack of tone not only in the quadriceps (this is rare), but also in the muscles of the buttocks, hip extensor and other muscles. So exercises from the ears only work when the entire “bottom” is involved. Well, the notorious hip abductions are a panacea for fat that works if a person is on a super-strict low-calorie diet. In other cases, they burn too few calories. By the way, even really hard workouts do not give you the right to increase your caloric intake significantly. While training with our plan, eat as usual. For those who don’t know, this is an average of 1600-2000 kcal, depending on height, age and weight.
Author of the article Elena Selivanova, fitness trainer
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