Exercise Techniques to Tighten Loose Thigh Skin

While weight loss is generally a positive thing, the presence of excessive amounts of loose skin afterward can be a psychologically troubling side effect of extreme dieting. Although exercise alone cannot wholly cure the problem of loose skin, exercise can help your body recover its shape faster than merely waiting out the situation. Regular use of resistance training can help firm up your thighs, helping your skin to be a better fit. In general, aim to train your legs at least twice a week.

Front Squat

• Performing front squats can help tone your thighs, increasing your muscle definition and filling out some of the loose skin present. You can perform a front squat with either dumbbells or a barbell. Start with a relatively light amount of weight, using just the bar or 20- to 25-pound dumbbells. Hold the bar across your clavicles or the dumbbells in front of your body and sit backwards as though you were sitting back into a chair. Continue descending until the top of your thighs is level with your knee joints, then reverse the movement, using the powerful muscles of your legs, hips, glutes and lower back to stand upright. Aim to complete two to three sets of eight to 10 reps.

Lunges

• As with front squats, lunges can be performed with either dumbbells or a barbell. If using a barbell, hold it balanced across your upper back. If using dumbbells, you can perform the movement with your arms at your sides. To perform a lunge, simply take an exaggerated step forward, bending your front leg until the top of your thigh is parallel to your knee. Stand up by bringing your back leg to meet your front, advancing forward across the floor. Now step forward with your other leg, repeating the movement. Continue in this fashion, moving up and down the floor for a total of eight to 10 reps per leg, repeated for two sets.

Step-Ups

• To perform step-ups you will need a bench or aerobic step that is roughly 12 inches off the ground. Holding a light dumbbell in each hand, step up with one leg and use the muscles of your forward leg to carry your body up onto the step. Slowly step backwards and lower yourself back down, alternating legs with each rep. Repeat for a total of 12 to 15 reps per side for two sets.