Not getting bigger thighs, try these 6 exercises for bigger thighs

 

If you are tired of not getting bigger thighs despite doing too much leg exercise then it is most likely that you are not training each of the thighs muscles or not getting plenty of rest to recover your exhausted thighs muscles.
Thighs size can vary from person to person because everybody's body is unique and has different shapes and sizes. There are some other factors that play an important role in body muscle development for instance your genetics, your training program, and so on.

Muscles of the thighs (Brief anatomy)

 

Muscles of the thighs (Brief anatomy)

 

Thighs contain some of the strongest and largest muscles in the body. Thigh muscles bear the body's heavyweight, maintain body balance, and help the lower body to bend, bend and flex. 

 

• Adductor
• Quadricpes
• Hamstrings
• Pectineus
• Sartorius

 

1. Adductors: It consist five muscles Adductor brevis, adductor longus, adductor magnus, gracilis, and obturator. The primary function of adductors muscles is to bring thighs toward each other. 

 

2. Quadriceps: It consists of four muscles vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris, this muscles located in the front of the thighs. The primary function of quadriceps, allows you to flex your hips or extend the knee. 

 

3. Hamstrings: It consists of three muscles semimebranosus, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris, located at the back of the thigh. The primary function of hamstrings, allows extending your hip when you move your leg behind your body. 

 

4. Pectineus: It extends from the front of the pelvis to the femur and it allows you to rotate the thigh at the hip joint. 

 

5. Sartorius: It is the longest muscle in the body, it is located obliquely across the front of the thigh. The primary function of sartorius muscles, allows you to flex and rotate the thigh.

 

Read: 9 best full body work-out at home

 

Diet role to get larger thighs

 

Diet plays an important role in bodybuilding. In order to get larger thighs you have to eat in calories surplus, which will lead to weight gain and also increase the size of your thighs. 

 

For larger and stronger thighs you must get enough protein each day. You can add rich protein food to your diet to achieve your daily protein goal. 

 

Read: Bodybuilding diet plan  

weight gain diet plan for skinny guys 

 

Scientific evidence that strength training will increase thigh size?

 

A study in 2016 has supported that strength training for specific muscle groups 2-3 times a week shows significant muscle hypertrophy. 

 

In a study in 2019, for muscle growth, the exercise should be hypertrophy-oriented resistance training consisting of many sets "3 to 6" of 6-12 reps with fewer rest intervals (60 secs). 

 

Another study showed muscle hypertrophy with higher training volumes with just 13 mins weekly sessions over an 8-wk period.

 

Role of genetics in muscle hypertrophy 

 

Many studies have shown that genetics plays an important role in muscle gain and body development. According to some studies, there is one important gene that is responsible for muscle size and strength is ACTN3. 

 

A study of 2018 which was conducted on mice has shown that hypertrophy-regulating genes belong to several signaling systems that are capable of inducing skeletal muscle hypertrophy and hypertrophy genes change their expression significantly by more than 10% after resistance exercise in human muscle. 

 

Read: Exercise for shredded body

 

Role of warm-up

 

Warm-up prior to any exercise is very important because it prevents injuries, increases performance, activates the muscles, raises the body temperature, increases flexibility, and helps you to prepare mentally.

 

A meta-analysis of 2010, this study has shown that warm-up improved performance in 79% of the criterion examined. 

 

In a study in 2016, researchers reviewed studies and found that 3 studies out of 5 have shown that performing a warm-up prior to performance significantly reduced the injury risk. But more studies are needed. 

 

Here is some warm-up that will help you to keep injury free and promote thigh muscle hypertrophy: 

 

1. Sprint: Before going to hit the heavyweight do a sprint of 100 meters twice.

 

2. Bodyweight squat: Do 4 sets of body-weight squats with 25 reps in each set total of 100 reps. 

 

• Get ready for squat, stand straight on your feet bit wider than hip-width apart
• Keep your chest up, your back should be in a straight position. 
• Shift your weight on your Heels and push your back into a sitting position and go down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, pause with your knee. Excel and push back to the starting position. 
• Repeat it. 

 

3. Forward leg swing: This warmup exercise will help to activate the hips and glutes.

 

• Stand straight normally as you stand 
• Shift your weight on one leg and raise your other leg off the ground
• Now swing your leg back and forth until your thigh is parallel to the floor. 
• Swing each leg for a minimum of 30 sec better muscle activation. 

 

4. Lateral leg swing: It helps to activate muscles of the inner and outer thigh. 

 

•  Stand tall and hold on to the wall or anything where you can take support to make balance while you swing your leg. 
• Shift your weight to the left leg and raise your right left off the ground and swing your right leg to the left and then across to your body. 
• Swing each leg for a minimum of 30 sec better muscle activation.  

 

5. Lunges: It helps to stretch out your glutes, quads, and hip flexors and improve your single-leg balance. 

 

• Stand straight hip-width apart and take a normal step from your right leg 
• Bend the knees and lower your body until the knee of the left leg is not touched or a few away inches away from the ground and the thigh of the right leg should be parallel to the floor.
• Push your legs against the floor to stand, weigh on the heel of the right leg, and repeat with the other legs. 

 

Read: Why is warm-up important before exercise 

 

Exercise for bigger thighs  

 

1. Squats 

 

Squats is the foundation of all leg exercise and it is a strength exercise. Squats do not only help to grow thigh size and strength but also strengthen your lower back, and core and improve balancing. 

Squats mainly develop your quadriceps (front muscles of the thighs) and glutes, while other muscles are also involved as well. 

 

Squats targets the muscles:

 

• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Adductor
• Hip flexors
• Gluteus maximus
• Gluteus minimus
• Gluteus medius
• Calves

 

How to do squats

 

• Get ready for squat, stand straight on your feet bit wider than hip-width apart,
• Unrack a weighted barbell and hold on to your traps 
• The Chest must be up, and the back should be in a straight position. 
• Shift your weight on your Heels and push your back into a sitting position and godown until your thighs are parallel to the floor, pause with the knee. 
• Excel and push back to the starting position. 
• Repeat the process.  

 

Other benefits of Squats

 

• Reduce the risk of injury
• Strengthen your core
• Strengthen your lower back
• Boost stamina

 

Variation of squats

 

• Bodyweight squat
• Single leg squat
• Pistol squat
• Sumo squat 

 

2. Romanian dead-lift

 

The Romanian deadlift is one of the best exercises for your hamstring's (rear muscles of thighs) muscle hypertrophy and strength. It not only strengthens your lower body but also strengthens your lower back and core as well. 

 

Romanian dead-lift targets muscles:

 

• Hamstrings
• Gluteus maximus
• Erector spinae
• Adductors 

 

How to do Romanian dead-lift

 

• Stand in a squat position
• Hold the weighted barbell and raise the barbell off the ground as you do in dead-lift
• Gradually lower the weight with bend knees, bend the torso forward and keep your back straight
• Keep going down until you start feeling stretch in your hamstrings.
• Back to the starting position as your bar just passed the knees. 

 

Other benefits of Romanian dead-lift 

 

• Improve body posture
• Strengthen lower back
• Increased athletic performance
• Hamstring muscles hypertrophy

 

Variation of Romanian dead-lift

 

• Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift
• Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
• Resistance Band Romanian Deadlift
• Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift 

 

3. Leg extension

 

The Leg extension is an isolation and strength training exercise that helps to develop your quadriceps muscles in the legs. The Leg extension is mainly done using the leg extension machine, but you can also be done using free weights or dumbbells. 

 

Leg extension muscles targets:

 

• Rectus femoris 
• Vastus lateralis
• Vastus medialis
• Vastus intermedius

 

How to do leg extension

 

• Sit on the platform of the leg extension machine
• Place your ankle under the pad
• Hold the side handles by each hand
• Lift the ankle weight by extending your knees 
• Keep your back straight and don't lock your knees 
• Exhale and lower the weight and repeat.

 

Other benefits of leg extension

 

• Strengthen of quads muscles
• Prevent injury
• Strengthen the ligaments around the knee
• Improve athletic performance 

 

Variation of leg extension

 

• Bodyweight leg extension
• Standing leg extension

 

4. Leg curl 

 

Leg curl is an isolation and strengthening training exercise that mainly works on the rear muscles in the legs. Leg curl is mainly done using leg curl exercises or can be done using free weights or dumbbells. leg curl machines come in different variations for instance seated leg curls, lying leg curls, and standing leg curls machine.  

 

Leg curls target muscles:

 

• Hamstrings
• Calves
• Glutes
• Quads

 

How to do leg curls (Lying leg curls)

 

• Lie face down on the platform of the leg curl machine 
• Hold the side handles with each hand
• Place your heels (above the heels) under the roller pad 
• Pull your ankles towards your buttocks and contract your hamstrings 
• Hold for a sec 
• Return to the starting position and repeat

 

Other benefits of Leg curls

 

•  Strengthen lower body
• Improved flexibility
• Prevent of injury

 

Variations of leg curls

 

• Standing leg curls with resistance band or tube
• Leg curls with the help of dumbbells
• Seated leg curls
• Strengthen the ligaments around the knee
• Boost stamina 

 

5. Sumo Squat with Dumbbells 

Training your inner thigh muscles is as important as your front and rear thigh muscles. Sumo squat is one of the best exercises that work on inner thighs muscles. 

 

Sumo targets muscles:

 

• Gluteal muscles 
• Buttocks
• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Calves
• Inner thighs   

 

How to do sumo squat

 

• Stand in a squat position and hold one heavier dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms long, down in the center of the body.
• Take a step to your side (with your right or left leg) and make your stance about 3-4 feet wide.
• Move your hips back and bend your knee and let your body down into a squat position. 
• Keep your back straight while lowering down
• Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground or until your dumbbell touches the floor. 
• Hold the position for a few secs
• Back to starting position 

 

Other benefits of sumo squat

 

• Inner thigh muscles hypertrophy
• Improve balance and coordination
• Improve body posture 
• Activate adductors muscles

 

Variations of sumo squat

 

• Sumo jump squat
• Sumo squat rotation
• Temp sumo squat
• Sumo landmine squat

 

6. Calf raise

Calves are often overlooked muscles when it comes to training the lower body. But these muscles play a vital role in daily life activities for instance walking, jumping, running, and so on. Calf raise exercise can be done using weight or without weight. 

 

Calf raises target muscles:

 

• Soleus
• Gastrocnemius

 

How to do calf raise

 

• Stand straight, feet hip-width apart (to make exercise hard you can hold a dumbbell in each hand on the side)
• Gradually raise your heels and feel the stretch of calves muscles
• At the top hold for a sec
• Back to the starting position

 

Other benefits of calf raise 

 

• Improve balance and coordination
• Helps calf muscles hypertrophy
• Enhance explosive power
• Improve ankle strength and stability 
• Prevents injury

 

Variations of calf raise  

 

• Seated calf raise
• Assisted standing calf raise
• Weighted calf raise

 

Exercise, Sets, and Reps

 

For a bigger thigh, you have to work on every each thigh muscle, especially the front and rear muscles of the thigh which are the quadriceps and hamstrings because only these two muscles cover a large area of the thigh. So, it is best to train the front and rear parts of the thighs on separate days. 

 

Leg Day 1 (Quadriceps, Calves, and Inner thighs)

 

• Squats: 4 sets x 10-12 reps
• Leg extension: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Lunges: 3 sets x 10reps
• Sumo squat: 4 sets x 10 reps
• Calf raise: 4 sets x 10-12 reps

 

Leg Day 2 (Hamstring, Calves, and Inner thighs)

 

• Romanian deadlift: 4 sets x 10-12reps
• Leg curl: 3 sets x 10reps
• Bridge: 3sets x 10 reps
• Sumo squat: 4 sets x 10reps
• Calf raises: 4 sets x 10-12reps

Read: Say no to chicken legs