How to Make Skinny Legs Bigger

Co-authored by Danny Gordon

While many people wish they had long, lean legs, some people with skinny legs wish their legs were curvier or more muscular. Luckily, you can make your legs seem bigger through diet, exercise,and even what you wear!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Doing the Right Exercises

1
Do squats with dumbbells. If skinny thighs are your problem, this exercise is for you. Doing squats is a good way to pump up your thighs, and adding dumbbells (or a barbell, if you’re down with that) makes the exercise even more effective.^{[1]
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Research source} Start with dumbbells you can lift 10 times without needing to put them down. For beginners, 10-20 pounds is a good starting weight. Bodybuilders should lift more weight for bigger legs. Now squat using the following form:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands grasping the dumbbells at your sides (If you’re using a barbell, hold it behind your head or at your chest).
- Bend your knees and lower your butt towards the floor in a squatting position.
- Keep your back straight and keep squatting down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Your knees should always remain straight above your feet; do not let the knees go forward past the toes.
- Push back up to your starting position.
- Repeat for 3 sets of 10-12 squats.
2
Do dumbbell lunges. This exercise works your glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings, giving you a full-leg muscle workout. You can do it without weights, but when you’re trying to build bigger muscles it’s important to step up the intensity.^{[2]
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- Stand with your feet shoulder-length apart, and hold your dumbbells at your sides. If you want, you can hold them at your shoulders instead.
- Take a big step forward with one foot, dropping your opposite knee toward the floor. So if you’re stepping with your right foot, drop your left knee toward the ground.
- Keep your torso vertical to the ground with your knees aligned over your feet. Do not move the knee beyond your toes.
- Rise back to starting position and immediately step forward with the opposite foot.
- Aim to do three sets of fifteen reps. Once you have mastered this exercise, you might try increasing this to four or five sets of ten to twelve reps with heavier weights.
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3
Do box jumps. This one works your calves, and you can do it with minimal equipment. You’ll need a sturdy box or exercise step that won’t slip when you jump on it. The taller the box, the more difficult the exercise will be. Don’t use dumbbells when you’re doing this exercise, since you might need your hands to catch you if you trip.^{[3]
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- Stand in front of the box with your toes pointed toward it.
- Jump explosively upward and land on the balls of your feet on the box.
- Jump back down to starting position.
- Work your way up until you are able to do three sets of fifteen. Eventually, you may be able to do four or five sets of ten to twelve reps.
4
Do stiff-legged deadlifts. This one works out your hamstrings, putting you on the path to bigger, sculpted legs. Load a barbell with the amount of weight you can lift for 10 reps without stopping to rest. If you don’t have a barbell, you can use two dumbbells. Then, to safely pick up the barbell or dumbbells, bend your knees while keeping your back straight, and engage your abdominal muscles.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place the barbell or dumbbells in front of you.
- Once you have picked up the weights, stand while hinging your hips forward. Your back must be straight and your abs contracted as you stand. Once you have risen, the weights should be at thigh-height.
- Bend again to lower the weight back to the floor.
- Repeat 10-12 times for a total of 3 sets.
EXPERT TIP

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer
Danny Gordon is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of The Body Studio for Fitness, a fitness studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 20 years of physical training and teaching experience, he has focused his studio on semi-private personal training. Danny received his Personal Trainer Certification from the California State University, East Bay and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Danny Gordon
Certified Personal Trainer

Our Expert Agrees: If you want to build muscle in your legs, try exercises like deadlifts, leg extensions, and leg curls. These exercises usually work best between 8 and 10 repetitions. The last couple of repetitions need to be to fatigue, but with good form. Do 2 to 3 sets of the exercises, giving yourself about a 30 second rest between sets.
5
Use leg exercise machines. If you’re serious about getting bigger legs, you might want to join a gym and start using the wide array of exercise machines available. Using exercise machines allows you to gradually add more weight, increasing the intensity of your workouts and promoting muscle growth. For each exercise, start with the amount of weight you can lift with your legs 8-10 times before you need to stop. Work with a trainer to determine the right weight for you. Here are a few exercises you can do at the gym:
- Leg extensions. Find the leg extension machine. Start with a lighter weight than you would normally handle. Sit on the machine with your knees bent and your feet under the lower bar. To lift the weight, straighten your legs, but keep a slight bend in the knee. Hold until you feel the burn. Bend your knees to lower the weight back to starting position. Repeat 10-12 times for 3 sets.
- Standing leg curls. Find the leg curl machine, which allows you to lift weights by attaching a cable to your ankles. Load the machine with the amount of weight you can lift for about 10 reps before you need to stop. Attach the cable to your ankle and hold the support bar with your hands. Bend your knee toward your butt to lift the weight, then straighten it back to starting position. Repeat 10-12 times for 3 sets. Repeat with the other leg.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Changing Your Regimen

1
Do cardio. While some may be concerned that cardio will reduce the size of their legs, the right cardio will not only help you build leg muscle but also contribute to your overall fitness and health. Uphill cardio, such as cycling uphill or hiking, are great ways to increase your lower body strength.^{[4]
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Note: Running for long periods of time can give you slender legs. This does not mean you have to avoid cardio, however. Try running uphill, and do not run more than three hours a week.
2
Work out hard. When you go about your ordinary day, your leg muscles get a workout carrying you everywhere you go. They’re already used to being worked out all the time, so in order to encourage muscle growth you need to do high-intensity workouts that focus on the legs. During each workout, do two to three sets of eight to twelve reps. Use as much weight as you can while still being able to keep correct posture so that you feel the “burn.”
- Add more weight after the first few weeks of exercising to increase the intensity.
- Don’t overdo it; make sure you know the difference between pain and injury. Work with a trainer if you haven’t spent time lifting weights before.^{[5]
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3
Train more quickly. You might have been taught before that you should move through weightlifting exercises slowly. However, making explosive movements builds different muscle fibers than slower movements do. These fibers may not be as developed as other muscles in your legs.
4
Exercise different muscle groups on different days. If you work out all of your leg muscles every day, they won’t have a chance to recover and grow larger. You also stand the chance of hurting yourself. Instead, focus on one group of muscles one day, then rotate to another the next day. The resting period is an important part of getting bigger legs.
5
Get your calories from the right sources. This doesn’t mean you should start gorging yourself at every meal; rather, make sure you’re getting plenty of calories from healthy food sources. When you’re working on building muscles you need a lot of calories to sustain yourself. Eat plenty of the following foods to keep your muscles growing:
- Limit your intake of processed foods, sugar and white flour, fast food, and snack foods. These will leave you feeling tired instead of energetic and ready to work out.
Tip: Good foods to have in your diet include lean meat, tofu, whole grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, and more vegetables and fruits.^{[6]
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6
Eat plenty of protein. You need protein to build bigger muscles, so make sure you’re taking it in at every meal. Eat beef, pork, chicken, fish, and other lean meat sources. Eat tofu, beans, quinoa, barley, and eggs if you’re not a carnivore.
7
Try supplements, but don’t rely on them. Some people find that taking certain supplements can give their muscles an extra boost. Supplements should be used in conjunction with a healthy diet and plenty of water intake.
- Creatine is a substance naturally produced by the body to aid muscle growth. It is considered to be safe to use in doses of 5 grams (0.18 oz) per day over a certain period of time.
- Consult your doctor before taking any supplements.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Making Your Legs Look Bigger

1
Wear baggy pants. This the quickest way to add a little bulk to your leg line. Choose pants that are tailored well but hang a little loose around your legs. There are plenty of styles to choose from that make your legs look strong without making you look like you’re drowning in fabric.
- Boot-cut pants are another good choice. They hug the thighs and flare at the knee, making the legs look a little bigger.
Note: Don’t wear skinny jeans. They’re made to make your legs look tiny, so pass them up if you want your legs to look bigger.
2
Avoid shorts that are too baggy. Shorts, on the other hand, should be tailored and close-fitting if you want your legs to look bigger. Baggy shorts emphasize the small circumference of your legs.
3
Wear pants over boots. This look is always in style and it can add several inches to your legs. Choose boots that rise midway up your calves and wear a pair of boot-cut jeans over them.
4
Choose the right print and color. Look for bottoms that have wide horizontal stripes or bold patterns, as these can make your legs look bigger. Pastel colors--such as lavender, mint, powder blue, or light pink-- can also help.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I get rid of fat on my knees?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Fat around the knees cannot be lost selectively. To lose fat from anywhere, you will have to lose fat from everywhere. A reduced calorie diet and exercise 5-6 days per week is the only way to lose fat from a specific place barring liposuction.
Question

I'm a senior and can't do weights. I have skinny legs and would like to put some weight on my legs.

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Try walking uphill or cycling up hills. If you golf, try pulling your own clubs on a cart. That will build muscle.
Question

I eat a lot to try to gain weight in my legs, but it all goes to my belly. What should I do?

Community Answer

You can't really decide where fat goes, but you can lift weights to get the muscles in your thighs to grow. Squats and lunges of various forms will help.