Wobbly thighs appear on both skinny and overweight people. They are especially common in women, as it is a difficult area of a woman's body to tone. There are no health concerns with excess fat on the thighs, but it can be unsightly and make clothes harder to fit. You can tone and slim your wobbly thighs through targeted resistance training and cardiovascular exercise. Targeted exercises are designed to help you work on your trouble spots in a quick and effective manner.

Lunges with Weights

Lunges work all the major muscles of the legs. Stand with your feet in parallel position, hip-distance apart. Lightly grasp a dumbbell in each hand. If you are a beginner, start with a 2- or 3-pound weight. More advanced exercisers can use a 5- or 8-pound weight.

Take a large step forward with your left leg. Bend your left leg, sinking down toward the floor. Your right knee should dip toward the ground. If possible, lower the right knee to about 1 inch off the ground. If you cannot get that low, lower to the place where you do not feel discomfort. Work up to getting your right knee lower as your strength improves. Keep your shoulders even, and body upright and balanced -- do not lean forward into the lunge. Try and prevent your left knee from jutting out over your toes.

Hold the lunge for 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat by switching sides. Do 10 lunges on each leg.

Cardiovascular Training

Wobbly thighs can be cured by burning fat and calories via cardio. Treadmill training can be very effective as it works all the muscles of the lower body. Start with the treadmill set at a zero incline, and set the speed to 3.2 mph. Walk at an even pace for 10 minutes to warm up.

After 10 minutes, increase the incline to 4, and raise the speed to 4 mph. Walk briskly for another 10 minutes.

For the last 10 minutes, increase the speed to 4.5 mph, creating a slow jog. If you find it difficult to jog, reset the speed to 4 mph and complete the workout walking briskly. Work up to a slow jog as your strength improves. Cool down for at least two minutes after the workout to get your resting heart rate back to normal.

Plié Squats

A classic ballet move, the plié squat works the major muscle groups of your legs and buttocks. Stand with your feet in parallel position, hip-distance apart. Open the feet into a v-position, with the toes facing out. Keep the heels of the feet together.

Rest arms gently at your sides. Slightly rock your pelvis backward, so your buttocks push out. Lower halfway down into a squat position. Try to not let your knees jut out past your toes.

Raise back up to the starting position. Repeat the exercise. If possible, continue for 60 seconds. If you tire, do as many repetitions as possible without discomfort and build to doing more squats as your strength improves.


  • Perform these exercises at least three times a week for the best results.
  • Measure the thighs before you start so you can track your progress.
  • Do as many repetitions as you can without becoming discouraged. Build up to doing more reps as your strength improves.

About the Author


Photo Credits

  • Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images