Toning inner/outer thighs

[LoveDivine]

Just wondering if anyone has a favorite workout routine or exercise for toning the thighs. I've done some Pilates style workouts and have been following a method called Ballet Beautiful (for almost a year now). I have had some results, but still not where I want to be. I do a fair amount of jogging. I realize that I carry my excess weight on my thighs and maybe need to be patient and keep at it. Any suggestions? Should I do more resistance training, lunges, etc?

 

[miss-a]

Sure lunges will help with toning, but as you said, if there is excess weight on your legs with will to a degree mask your toning. But keep up the exercise so you can maintain that muscle mass while losing the fat. And yes, we always have to be patient with fitness. So keep up the good work, pat yourself on the back, and trust that one day you'll see the results of your admirable work! Here's some exercise video links:
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...&mid=683E1E6F968D966A443B683E1E6F968D966A443B

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...&mid=90611C0812DC7C4C4C8790611C0812DC7C4C4C87

 

[sehnsucht9]

Side lunges with weights. Squats, and regular lunges. A static wall sit is also killer.

 

[LoveDivine]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely check out the links.

 

[bhsmte]

Just wondering if anyone has a favorite workout routine or exercise for toning the thighs. I've done some Pilates style workouts and have been following a method called Ballet Beautiful (for almost a year now). I have had some results, but still not where I want to be. I do a fair amount of jogging. I realize that I carry my excess weight on my thighs and maybe need to be patient and keep at it. Any suggestions? Should I do more resistance training, lunges, etc?

If you want to strengthen the muscles in your inner and outer thighs, resistance training that works your abductor and adductor muscles would be in order.

More importantly though, if you carry excess fat in those areas, you can't really "spot reduce" fat by doing exercises that work those muscles. Spot reduction simply does not happen physiologically and when you lose fat, you lose it from all over your body.

 

[LoveDivine]

If you want to strengthen the muscles in your inner and outer thighs, resistance training that works your abductor and adductor muscles would be in order.

More importantly though, if you carry excess fat in those areas, you can't really "spot reduce" fat by doing exercises that work those muscles. Spot reduction simply does not happen physiologically and when you lose fat, you lose it from all over your body.

Thanks for the response. I've read some of your other posts in this section and you seem to be very knowledgeable. What exercises do you suggest to work those muscles?

I do realize that spot reduction isn't possible, sadly I've dropped about 10 pounds over the past year and I think I need to lose about another 5-10. I'm into distance running and have been doing a lot more lately. I think that should help with losing weight. I'm hoping to be able to tone and sculpt my legs as I lose the weight.

 

[bhsmte]

Thanks for the response. I've read some of your other posts in this section and you seem to be very knowledgeable. What exercises do you suggest to work those muscles?

I do realize that spot reduction isn't possible, sadly I've dropped about 10 pounds over the past year and I think I need to lose about another 5-10. I'm into distance running and have been doing a lot more lately. I think that should help with losing weight. I'm hoping to be able to tone and sculpt my legs as I lose the weight.

You can youtube good exercises for the those muscle groups, but simply using resistance bands tied to your legs and moving your legs out (abductor) and in (adductor) is an excellent way to engage those muscles.

Distance running is an excellent way to lose body fat and if you stick with it, you will see results.

 

[wndwalkr99]

What you put in your mouth matters more than almost anything.

 

[LoveDivine]

What you put in your mouth matters more than almost anything.

Very true. I've always enjoyed working out, and I have never had trouble pushing myself. I've always found it much more challenging to restrict calories/food intake. I learned my lesson the hard way a few years ago when I was training for my first marathon. I really thought I could eat whatever I wanted after those long training runs and lose weight I saw some results but not nearly as much as I should have. I'm still not perfect with my diet, but I'm much more careful now.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Local hospitals sometimes have medically supervised cardiac exercise programs; I'm on one and it's really excellent.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Very true. I've always enjoyed working out, and I have never had trouble pushing myself. I've always found it much more challenging to restrict calories/food intake. I learned my lesson the hard way a few years ago when I was training for my first marathon. I really thought I could eat whatever I wanted after those long training runs and lose weight I saw some results but not nearly as much as I should have. I'm still not perfect with my diet, but I'm much more careful now.

The key is pacing oneself for long distance running.

 

[E. Mortimer]

I've seen some really great suggestions here and they should all help you out. Someone else has mentioned squats and I second that approach. I always hear jokes in the gym about skipping leg day and how working out the legs can be among the most grueling (and for some the most boring) part of working out, but it is also one of the most important. I am by no means an expert and lack knowledge of most technical terms, but I do know that the muscles in our legs are among the largest and can be the most difficult to tone.

Especially for women as men have the advantage of testosterone. It often holds true that when it comes to physical fitness, women have to work twice as hard as men and often only see half of the results. But when you consider what sort of physical stress a woman's body is capable of going through (childbirth, think about it...) and their generally higher tolerance for pain, then it could be argued that their potential is actually far greater.

However, what I think is most important, even more so than working out your legs, is to make sure that you are working out your heart. A strong heart will allow you to work out even harder and even longer and so if you are not already doing it, make sure to look up endurance training and the benefits of getting on and off the treadmill (or the track or wherever you choose to run) and monitoring how long it takes for your heart rate to go back to normal.

I saw you mentioned that you do long-distance running and so you are likely already doing this. Just keep up the hard work and the results will show. My last suggestion is not to measure your progress by weight. Even when I was working out for weight loss, my weight would jump up and down.

Try instead using a tape measure to measure your thighs and waist. That is where the most noticeable results come from.

Good luck and keep running.

 

[LoveDivine]

I've seen some really great suggestions here and they should all help you out. Someone else has mentioned squats and I second that approach. I always hear jokes in the gym about skipping leg day and how working out the legs can be among the most grueling (and for some the most boring) part of working out, but it is also one of the most important. I am by no means an expert and lack knowledge of most technical terms, but I do know that the muscles in our legs are among the largest and can be the most difficult to tone.

Especially for women as men have the advantage of testosterone. It often holds true that when it comes to physical fitness, women have to work twice as hard as men and often only see half of the results. But when you consider what sort of physical stress a woman's body is capable of going through (childbirth, think about it...) and their generally higher tolerance for pain, then it could be argued that their potential is actually far greater.

However, what I think is most important, even more so than working out your legs, is to make sure that you are working out your heart. A strong heart will allow you to work out even harder and even longer and so if you are not already doing it, make sure to look up endurance training and the benefits of getting on and off the treadmill (or the track or wherever you choose to run) and monitoring how long it takes for your heart rate to go back to normal.

I saw you mentioned that you do long-distance running and so you are likely already doing this. Just keep up the hard work and the results will show. My last suggestion is not to measure your progress by weight. Even when I was working out for weight loss, my weight would jump up and down.

Try instead using a tape measure to measure your thighs and waist. That is where the most noticeable results come from.

Good luck and keep running.

Thank you for your input. I know...you guys have it a lot easier then we do I think my cardio is pretty good as I do a fair amount of running/swimming and I've done some programs that were high intensity interval cardio workouts. I've given up using the scale to track my progress as I find it isn't as accurate as a tape measure. I should probably incorporate your suggestion of measuring my heart rate/vitals. I don't really do that.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Thank you for your input. I know...you guys have it a lot easier then we do I think my cardio is pretty good as I do a fair amount of running/swimming and I've done some programs that were high intensity interval cardio workouts. I've given up using the scale to track my progress as I find it isn't as accurate as a tape measure. I should probably incorporate your suggestion of measuring my heart rate/vitals. I don't really do that.

What is good is a regular respiration/heart rate assessment, with a technician present, and a print-out that can be read by a therapist, etc. One's rate of progress can be easily measured this way.

 

[bhsmte]

What is good is a regular respiration/heart rate assessment, with a technician present, and a print-out that can be read by a therapist, etc. One's rate of progress can be easily measured this way.

There is a very simple way each person can measure their conditioning level (cardio/pulmonary fitness).

If one is a runner for example, they can do something like the following; warm up by running a mile and then run a 1/4 mile as hard as you can. Immediately upon finishing, take your heart rate and note it. At 30 seconds post exercise, take it again and do the same at 60 seconds post exercise and note the changes.

As one continues to train over the weeks, they can do this test once or twice a week and note the results.

What are you looking for? The better condition you are in, will cause the post exercise heart rate to drop more quickly, if one is not in good condition, the heart rate will drop much more slowly. When the heart rate recovers more quickly, it simply means the cardio pulmonary system, is able to better deliver the oxygen to the muscles and rid the body of Co2 which builds up during exercise. The quicker your heart rate recovers also means, you will be able to run faster and farther, without undue fatigue.

 

[faroukfarouk]

There is a very simple way each person can measure their conditioning level (cardio/pulmonary fitness).

If one is a runner for example, they can do something like the following; warm up by running a mile and then run a 1/4 mile as hard as you can. Immediately upon finishing, take your heart rate and note it. At 30 seconds post exercise, take it again and do the same at 60 seconds post exercise and not the changes.

As one continues to train over the weeks, they can do this test once or twice a week and not the results.

What are you looking for? The better condition you are in, will cause the post exercise heart rate to drop more quickly, if one is not in good condition, the heart rate will drip much more slowly. When the heart rate recovers more quickly, it simply means the cardio pulmonary system, is able to better deliver the oxygen to the muscles and rid the body of Co2 which builds up during exercise. The quicker your heart rate recovers also means, you will be able to run faster and farther, without undue fatigue.

Useful thoughts; ty. What I was also thinking of is the graph that gets produced to measure one's breathing, during a cardiac/respiratory assessment.

 

[bhsmte]

Useful thoughts; ty. What I was also thinking of is the graph that gets produced to measure one's breathing, during a cardiac/respiratory assessment.

Heart rate and respiration rate, typically correlate with each other fairly well. You automatically breath harder when the body demands more oxygen and also needs to expel Co2.

The heart is pumping faster to deliver blood to the lungs, so it can both absorb oxygen and rid the blood of Co2.

 

[SamanthaMathis]

Squats are a must, they've done the trick for me in the past, but I should really expand my repertoire of legs exercises, great thread.

 

[LoveDivine]

Squats are a must, they've done the trick for me in the past, but I should really expand my repertoire of legs exercises, great thread.

I"m finding patience is key. It is taking me so long, but I am seeing results. I am just determined to stick with it (I've been seriously at it for over a year).

 

[ToBeLoved]

I am not saying that you have cellulite, but I know that I had cellulite (with extra fat stored there) on my outer thighs. Now I'm not saying this is your answer, but one thing that is known to get more circulation in that area (or an area of the body) is used coffee grounds. I believe that this is because of the caffine. So, there are several things that I've heard people do.

One of them is for the back of the thighs/buttocks is to put plastic wrap on the the side of the bathtub, take used coffee grounds and put them on the plastic wrap, sit butt on the plastic wrap & used coffee grounds. (or I imagine you could do the same thing sitting inside an empty bathtub). When you are finished (like 10 minutes or so), get up, wrap the coffee grounds in the plastic wrap (put aside to throw away). Take a shower or quick bath washing coffee ground area with a loofa or bath brush or mitt to further stimulate circulation. This step is optional, but you can give that area, now stimulated with circulation a hard tissue massage which to my understanding over time can break up the layers of cellulite skin.

So the two free things are used coffee grounds and med/hard tissue massage.

Side note: Because used coffee grounds can also be considered an 'exfoliant' some people (I swear this is true) get into the bathtub, scrub their entire body with used coffee grounds (I imagine if you could grind your own coffee to be very little chunkages (or very thin) wait a few minutes, massage with a loofah and take a shower. Now I would imagine that courser coffee grounds might clog a drain, I don't know, which is why I did the 'spot area' only area with the plastic wrap.