5 Best Squat Alternative Exercises for Women to Lose Thigh Fat

Squats are one of the most popular exercises for women to lose thigh fat and tone their hips and glutes. Different variations in squats make them interesting to effectively target and tone all the muscles of the lower body.

However, there are several squat alternative exercises that help to avoid monotony. These squat alternative exercises will effectively help you lose thigh fat along with building strength in the lower body.

We have carefully designed a list of the five best and most effective squat alternative exercises that women can incorporate into their workout routine to lose thigh fat.

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Best and Effective Squat Alternative Exercises to Lose Thigh Fat

1. Leg Lifts

Leg lifts are among the simple yet effective exercises to lose thigh fat. This exercise will help make your legs look leaner by helping you lose thigh fat and toning them. Leg lifts will also help in strengthening both the core region and leg muscles.

How should you do it?

• Start off by lying with your back pressed on the ground and arms positioned on the respective sides with palms facing down.
• Keep both your legs together throughout the movement. Steadily raise your legs off the ground and position them at your hip height with the soles of your feet pointed towards the ceiling.
• Make sure that your legs form an angle of 90 degrees to the floor. Hold and repeat.

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2. Curtsy Lunges

Curtsy lunges tend to be good squat alternative exercises that help in enhancing the overall stability of your hips. This will help you lose thigh fat by maximizing the tone of your legs and core muscles.

How should you do it?

• Start off in an elongated with your feet hip-width apart and arms hanging at the sides.
• Now, cross your right foot to the back of your left foot with your right toe tucked and both palms clasped at the center of your chest.
• Next, lunge down to the ground as deeply as you can with your rear knee hovering a couple of inches above the ground and the front one bent at a 90 degree angle.
• Bring your body back to the standing position. Repeat on the alternate side.

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3. Butterfly Stretch

Butterfly stretches are also one of the most efficient alternatives to squat exercises, which will completely stretch your hips and thighs. The stretch and pressure on these muscles will help in getting rid of the extra fat.

How should you do it?

• Assume a seated position on the ground with your back completely erect.
• Fold both your legs together by bending and opening your knees to the side and bringing the soles of both feet inward together.
• You can wrap your wrists around your feet.
• Next, start the butterfly movement by moving your thighs upward and downward.
• Repeat.

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4. Step-Ups

Step-ups will help you lose thigh fat with the simple movement of stepping up and stepping down. This exercise will also help in strengthening your thigh muscles along with allowing you to get a toned lower body.

How should you do it?

• Start off in an elongated standing position with both your legs placed together and hands positioned on the respective sides.
• Place a bench, stool, or plyo box in front of your body. Step on the object with your right foot before applying the pressure on the same foot to bring the left one on the stool.
• Bring your body to the ground with your right foot followed by the left one. Repeat.

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5. Leg Circles

The circular movement of the leg circle will help in burning the thigh fat much quicker and toning your legs. Leg circles also strengthen the core muscles, especially the lower abs and build overall stability.

How should you do it?

• Start off in the lying position with your back pressed on the ground and your hands positioned to the respective side with your palms pressed on the ground.
• Keep your legs together next to each other. Slowly and steadily raise your legs off the ground and move them in the circular position from side to center, on the other side, and eventually down.
• Repeat. You should also do the circling movement in an anti-clockwise manner.

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Bottom Line

The aforementioned exercises are the best alternatives if you want to lose thigh fat.

These squat alternative exercises also offer other benefits, such as building core strength, toning leg muscles, increasing stability, burning a decent amount of calories, and improving the explosive output in the lower body.

These exercises will help you lose thigh fat, get toned legs, and tighten your core. Considering their benefits, you should definitely include them in your regular routine.