There are three key muscle groups that make up your legs. These are: the hamstrings (thigh “biceps” on the upper back of the leg), the quadriceps (frontal thigh muscles), and the calves on the back of the lower leg. It is important to work all of these muscles, even if you just want huge thighs.
In the average human being, legs make up two thirds of the total body weight. This is because they are solid muscle. Since the core has many organs, it is hollow and therefore has a lot of air space. Since they are such large muscles, the legs, and particularly the thighs, will require rigorous exercise in order to get any bigger. Luckily there are manyleg muscle building exercises that have been designed specifically for getting those big thighs you want.
Bill Pearl’s book, Keys to the Inner Universe, is accepted by many as the go-to bodybuilding encyclopedia. He has 50 pages dedicated to building and defining leg muscles. Over 150 exercises are explained and pictured. Naturally this is above and beyond what most people will do, so here I’ve compiled some of the essential leg muscle building exercises.
The Squat
Probably the most effective leg exercise is the squat. In turn, it is also the most avoided exercise because it requires a lot of exertion. Squats can be performed in a number of different ways. The most common are with barbells (preferred approach) or with a weight loaded Smith machine.
Barbell squats can be done with the weight at shoulder or chest level in front. For more of a calve workout, they may be done with the heels elevated about two inches. No matter how they are performed, you should NEVER “lock out” your legs in the straight position. This removes tension off the muscles and places it on your joints. Ouch.
To help you gauge the correct distance to go down, it is alright to place a flat bench under you and go until your butt makes contact. Other people go all the way until their posterior hits their heels. How far your feet are spread and how you point your knees will determine whether your inner, outer, or upper thighs are worked.
Building huge thighs requires variations of the same leg muscle building exercises. Here are different ideas for squats.
Barbell Squat: the standard squat. With an Olympic bar and plate weights, put the bar over your shoulder. Your feet should be shoulder width apart and flat on the floor. Slowly squat down until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Use enough weight that you struggle to reach ten reps.
Barbell Squat Wide Stance: the same as above, but with a wide stance. Point your knees outward and feel the burn in the inner thighs.
Hack Squat: this one is tough. Elevate your heels off the floor and hold the bar behind your buttocks. Squat until the weights nearly hit the floor. Repeat slowly.
Leg Presses
Leg Press Machine: most gyms have at least one of these. While seated, your foot position determines the muscle area worked. A wide stance will hit the inner thighs, and a close stance will focus on the upper thighs.
Decline Leg Press Machine: pretty much the same as above, except for in a decline position. Again, foot placement will change the muscles worked. If you go deep enough, you will even feel the burn in your gluteus maximus (buttocks).
Other Leg Muscle Building Exercises
Leg Extension Machine: this machine will effectively work your inner, outer, and lower thigh down to your knees.
Thigh Curls: work those hamstrings with a leg curl machine. Alternatively, you can use a simple cable and pulley machine with ankle straps and perform curls this way.
Abductor and Adductor Machines: working the inner thigh and hip flexors, this exercise is important in toning and defining your thigh muscles. Again, if these machines are not available, a cable and pulley machine will work fine with ankle straps. This exercise involves standing straight and moving one leg up and to the side.
Dumbbell Lunges: this exercise is great because it can be done pretty much anywhere. It will strengthen both the quads and the hamstrings, and even work the gluteus. This exercise builds lower body flexibility and helps stabilize your hips.
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