7 Best Yoga Poses That Help Tone Your Thighs

Like every other body part, even the legs need some attention everyday to remain flexible, strong, and grounded enough for helping a person carry out their daily chores most efficiently. Taking care of the legs is not a complex affair. Simply by setting aside a few minutes every day for themselves on the mat, one can get those lean, healthy, and toned thighs and legs they always longed for.

Looking for the best yoga poses to tone your thighs? Given below are 7 excellent yoga poses, which can help a person get thin, shapely legs and thighs:

Inspired by the dog, the downward facing dog pose or adho mukha svanasana, is extremely helpful in strengthening the toes, ankles, thighs and knees, and stretching the back, shoulders, and calves. The downward facing dog pose helps to lengthen the muscles, to thereby increase the flexibility and range of motion. To do this yoga pose for toning the thighs, , one should start by placing their palms and feet on the floor, spreading their fingers out like a star, and bending their knees directly below their hips, like in a seated pose. While inhaling deeply, the individual should prepare their mind and body to push their hips towards the ceiling. Then, while exhaling slowly, they should gently lift their hips upwards, straighten their knees and balance their weight on their palms and soles of their feet. While performing this yoga pose, one should gaze in between their toes, and not allow their head to hang in between their arms. This position should initially be held for 15-30 seconds before gently exhaling and reverting to the starting position. The downward facing dog pose or adho mukha svanasana is a great yoga pose for toning your thighs.

Low lunge yoga pose or anjaneyasana, helps in improving the flexibility and strength of the legs, hips, thighs, knees, and shoulders. This yoga pose should be started by getting into the downward facing dog posture. From there, the practitioner needs to exhale and step their right foot forward between their hands. The left knee should be lowered to the ground, with the top of the foot on the floor. Then, while inhaling, the torso should be lifted upright while sweeping the arms out to the sides and up overhead. The arms should be kept straight and perpendicular to the floor, and the chin be slightly lifted, but not so much that it compresses the neck. Slouching should be strictly avoided when doing this yoga pose. Low lunge yoga pose or anjaneyasana is one of the best yoga poses to tone your thighs.

Warrior II pose, or virabhadrasana II, is very useful in strengthening and stretching the legs, thighs, ankles, shoulders, and arms. The shoulders, arms, hips, and legs should all lie in the same plane and the lower body should feel grounded in the pose. To perform this thigh toning yoga pose, one should stand in the mountain pose, or tadasana, and keep their feet 3.5 to 4 ft apart, while exhaling. They should raise their arms parallel to the floor and, reach them out to the sides, at shoulder blades width apart, with the palms facing down. The right foot should be turned slightly to the right, while the left foot should be turned 90° to the left. Then, while exhaling and keeping the shin perpendicular to the floor, the left knee should be bent over the left ankle. If possible, the left thigh should be brought parallel to the floor. The arms should be stretched away from the space between the shoulder blades, parallel to the floor and directly over the pelvis. The tailbone should be slightly pressed towards the pubis. The performer should turn their head to the left and gaze at their fingers. They should stay in this position for 30 to 60 seconds and then rise up while exhaling. The feet should then be reversed and the asana be repeated on the other side. Warrior II pose, or virabhadrasana II is a beneficial yoga pose for toning the thighs.

Utthita parsvakonasana, also called the extended side angle yoga pose is one of the best yoga poses to tone your thighs. Utthita parsvakonasana helps in increasing the power and flexibility of the ankle, and also stretches the legs, knees and thighs. To perform this yoga asana, a person needs to stand straight, exhale and set their feet at a distance of 3 feet, and raise their arms parallel to the floor. The left foot should be slightly turned to the left, while the right foot is kept facing forward. The left thigh should be slowly turned outwards so that the centre of knee and the left foot ankle are aligned. Then, while inhaling, the left knee should slowly be bent over the left ankle, and the shin perpendicular to the ground. The left thigh should be kept parallel to the floor and the right leg kept straight and stretched from hip to ankle. While in this position, the right arm should be extended slowly above the head on the left side, with the palm facing the floor and the arm touching the right ear. The face should gradually be turned inwards while looking at the palm. The other arm should be touching the ankle of the left leg without taking support of the ankle or shoulder. Then, the extended arm should be pushed forcefully towards the ceiling while inhaling and exhaling. This should be done a few times before slowly returning to the starting position.

Utkatasana, also called the chair pose, is one of the most effective and powerful poses in this sequence, especially for toning the thighs. Simply thinking of sitting on an imaginary chair enables one to locate the strength in their body, especially in their hips and thighs. To do the chair pose, an individual needs to stand erect with their feet slightly apart. While inhaling, they should raise their arms over their head to bring their palms together and gaze towards their thumbs. Then while exhaling, the knees should be bent and the pelvis be lowered. The performer should sink deeper into the imaginary chair by gradually lowering down, and then sitting down in sukhasana or the cross-legged posture.

To perform Supta padangushthasana or the reclining hand to big toe pose, an individual needs to lie down on their back, hold their big toe with their fingers and stretch the other leg straight on the floor. This yoga pose along with toning the thighs, also offers an intense stretch to the legs, calves, and hamstrings, increases blood circulation in the legs, enhances flexibility in the pelvic area, and helps in opening the chest by the pull of the arms.

Half frog pose, or ardha bhekasana, helps to stretch the chest, throat, abdomen, thighs, groin and ankles. To do this yoga pose for toning the thighs, one needs to lie on their belly, press their forearms against the floor, and lift their head and upper torso. They should bend their right knee and bring the heel toward the hip on the same side. Then, while supporting them self on the left forearm, the individual needs to reach back with their right hand and clasp their foot. Half frog pose is one of the best yoga poses to tone your thighs.