Each and every one of our bodies are unique. No two people are exactly alike, and that's one of the coolest things about humans. We all have different characteristics, a lot of which other people may desire for themselves.
This can be everything from our mannerisms to our habits, qualities, physical features, and more. Now, if we are talking about physical characteristics, there is a lot we can work on!
One thing a lot of people are after is thicker thighs. I don't mean this in the sense of body fat either. I mean thighs that are big, strong, and muscular.
If you're an avid lifter, having thicker thighs may be a goal of yours. I know for me, it certainly is! But, how do you build thicker thighs?
What are the exercises, nutrition requirements, and more to achieve thick thighs? Today, I'll teach you everything you need to know.
By the time you're done reading, you'll have a full game plan for how to get strong and thick thighs!
How To Get Thicker Thighs
There are quite a few factors that can help you grow thicker thighs. The same can be said about muscle building in general. However, I am someone who likes to keep things simple.
At the end of the day, there are two big factors that impact the size of your thighs:
1. Your training.
2. Your nutrition.
If you want bigger thighs, you have to do the right exercises. On top of that, you also need to consistently give the muscles in your thighs a new stimulus to overcome.
What I mean by this is, you have to give these muscles a reason to grow. If you always do 10 reps of the same exercise with the same weight for the same number of sets ... Your body won't be forced to adapt. This goes for any muscle in your body.
For your body to stimulate new muscle growth, you need to give the muscle a new challenge to overcome. At least, this is one of the factors. This can be accomplished by increasing volume. Think of volume as if it's a measure of the total work your muscles are doing.
You have to increase the amount of work they do overtime if you want them to get bigger and stronger! Hitting leg day 2-3 times a week is also recommended to make sure you get the best results (1).
But that's not where it ends. Nutrition also plays a role in getting thicker thighs. To grow new muscle tissue, you need to be getting enough protein and calories. For one, proteins are the building blocks of muscle tissue. Secondly, your body needs to be taking in more energy than it's burning to grow (calories).
If you can stay consistent with these two factors, you can get thicker thighs! Now, what are some of the best exercises to help with building thicker thighs? Let's get into that next, then move into the nutrition side of things.
The Best Exercises For Thicker Thighs
There are quite a few different exercises out there to target your thighs. A lot of them I've tried and come to love myself! However, I'm also an advocate for sticking with what's tried and true.
There's a reason some exercises have been around forever and always will be. They are effective! I made sure to include these exercises as well as some variations you can try out.
Squats
This is a classic exercise that can target your thighs to grow. No matter what variation you are doing, your thighs will burn after these.
You can do squats with a weight at your chest, or even with a loaded barbell on your back. This extra resistance can be a great way to build bigger and stronger thighs in no time.
So how do you perform squats?
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Make sure to keep your chest high and shoulders back throughout the whole movement.
2. Sink into your hips as if you're lowering yourself into a chair while keeping your knees over your toes.
3. When you can't go lower, pause at the bottom for a second.
4. Push through your legs and feet to stand up. Repeat this for reps.
Other Variations You Can Try
- Barbell Back Squats
- Sumo Squats
- Kettlebell Front Squats
Lateral Lunges
This exercise may make you a bit uncomfortable at first. However, I’m confident you'll catch on quickly! Lateral lunges target your quads and hamstrings and challenge your thighs in a new way.
For lateral lunges, I like holding a kettlebell or dumbbell at my chest. You can perform them by doing the following...
1. Stand with your feet in a comfortable position, roughly hip-width apart.
2. Step your left foot out laterally as you shift your weight into your left leg.
3. Slowly sink into your left hip, bending your left knee to do a single-leg squat. Make sure to keep your chest high, back straight, and right leg flexed to help with stability.
4. When you can't go any lower, pause at the bottom.
5. Drive through your left leg to come out of the single-leg squat.
6. Bring your left leg back to center and repeat this with your right leg. Repeat this for reps, alternating between both legs.
Other Variations You Can Try
- Curtsy Lunges
- Banded Side Steps
- Lateral Step Ups
RDL (Romanian Deadlift)
RDLs are an excellent exercise for building bigger and stronger hamstrings. They can also help work most of your posterior chain (the backside of your body). Trust me when I tell you that you’ll feel the work you’re putting in with RDLs. The backside of your thighs will light up.
You can do RDLs with a loaded barbell, or even with a dumbbell in each hand. Here's how you do them.
1. Grab the barbell or dumbbells with an overhand grip and stand up straight.
2. Slowly lower the weight along the front of your body as you push your hips behind you. Make sure to keep your core tight, back straight, and shoulders pulled down and back. You should also maintain a slight bend in your knees throughout the movement.
3. As you begin to feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings, pause for a second.
4. Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings as you push your hips forward and stand upright once again. Repeat this for multiple reps.
Other Variations You Can Try
- Good Mornings
- Single Leg RDLs
- Rack Pulls
Leg Press
The leg press is an exercise that is literally designed to target your thighs! It will hit your quads good, and your hamstrings good. It's an absolute money maker when it comes to building thicker thighs.
For this exercise, yes, you'll need a leg press machine. You can also place more emphasis on your quads or hamstrings depending on where you place your feet.
Placing your feet higher will be better for your hamstrings. Placing your feet lower will be better for your quads. Either way you choose to do it, here's how you perform a leg press.
1. Load the leg press with the appropriate weight before you start.
2. Sit back in the seat and place your legs on the footplate in a placement that's comfortable for you. Do not lock your knees out at any point throughout the exercise. This can place a lot of stress on your knees and potentially cause an injury.
3. Unrack the footplate to begin the exercise.
4. Inhale as you slowly lower the footplate toward your body by bringing your knees toward your chest.
5. When you can't bend your knees further, pause for a second.
6. From here, exhale as you push through your feet and legs to press the footplate away from your body.
7. Repeat this for reps.
Other Variations You Can Try
- Single-Leg Press
- Hack Squats
- Belt Squats
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats (RFESS)
RFESS, also known as bulgarian split squats are a killer addition to your leg day. When I tell you that these will leave you struggling to walk … you better believe me.
Regardless, the pump that you can get in on your thighs with these is incomparable. To be honest, it’s one of my favorite leg exercises. Some people call me crazy for that, but it’s always a good challenge!
For split squats, you'll need a bench and a dumbbell to hold in each hand. Here's how you do them.
1. Set up the bench that you'll be elevating your back foot on.
2. Stand on one side of the bench, facing away from it with a dumbbell in each hand. Space yourself 1-2 feet away from the bench.
3. From here, bring your leg behind you to rest the top of your foot flat on the bench. Your left knee should be pointed toward the floor and your right knee should be bent slightly.
4. Next, brace your core as you breathe in and begin sinking into your right hip.
5. As you descend into a single-leg squat, keep your chest high and back straight. Track your right knee over your right foot and keep going until your right knee is bent at a 90-degree angle. You should feel a stretch in your hips and quad on your elevated leg.
6. Exhale as you push through your right leg to bring your body out of the squat.
7. Repeat this for reps before switching to your other leg.
Other Variations You Can Try
- Reverse Lunges
- Split Squats
- Single-Leg Bench Hip Thrusts
Nutrition Tips For Bigger Thighs
Like I said earlier, building bigger thighs is a two-pronged approach. If you want thicker thighs, then you also need to fuel your body the right way.
When it comes to nutrition, two things really matter when it comes to building muscle:
1. Total Calorie Intake
2. Total Protein Intake
Now, the amount of each will vary from person to person. It will depend on factors like your activity level, current weight, goal weight, and more.
If you're purely looking to gain mass and get thicker thighs, you'll want to eat in a caloric surplus. This means that you are eating more calories than you are burning each day. For example, if you are burning 2000 calories each day, then eating anything above that number is a caloric surplus.
Just remember that your body burns calories at rest throughout the day, and not just through activity alone.
Now, if you are someone who wants to build muscle and lose fat to build and better show your thigh muscles ... You'll want to eat right at your maintenance calories. This means you'll want to eat the same amount of calories you're burning every day.
In terms of protein intake, it’s important to make sure you are getting in enough. 2.2 grams per kg of bodyweight is what's generally recommended for building muscle and improving composition (3). This ends up being right at 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight!
Eating more can be okay, and can even be extra beneficial in specific cases. However, I rarely recommend eating less than that, regardless of your goal.
One Last Tip For Getting Thicker Thighs
Thicker thighs seem to be something a lot of people are after these days. That doesn't matter if you're a guy or a gal either!
I know we all read and hear a million different "tips and tricks". But, at the end of the day, there are no tricks. Your nutrition and workouts are what matter most. This is just as true for building bigger thighs as it is for reaching any fitness goal.
Obviously, having these factors under control and knowing exactly what to do can be a challenge. It also requires a lot of discipline and education. That's where we can help.
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References:
(1). Schoenfeld, Brad J et al. “Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 46,11 (2016): 1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
(2). Kannus, P et al. “Effect of one-legged exercise on the strength, power and endurance of the contralateral leg. A randomized, controlled study using isometric and concentric isokinetic training.” European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology vol. 64,2 (1992): 117-26. doi:10.1007/BF00717948
(3) Schoenfeld, B.J., Aragon, A.A. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 15, 10 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1
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