For some people, fatty thighs and knees are an unsightly problem zone. Whether it's for bikini season or so you can simply wear shorts again with confidence, tightening up your fatty knees and thighs requires a combination of strength training exercises and regular cardio. Strength training will tone the underlying muscles surrounding the knees and thigh bones. If you are new to exercise, practice strength training exercises only with your own body weight. As you grow stronger, consider holding on to light dumbbells to increase the intensity of each exercise.
Stand at the top of a yoga mat or directly on the floor.
Step back with your right foot, one foot away from the back edge of the mat.
Turn your right toes out.
Bend your left knee until the left thigh is parallel to the mat. The angle of the knee should be as close to 90 degrees as possible.
Engage the muscles of your right thigh and knee to strengthen the back leg.
Keep your hands on your hips or raise your arms toward the sky, close to your ears. Turn the palms to face each other.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds to one minute, repeating for two more rounds.
Place your feet together, inner knees touching.
Extend your arms up toward the sky, turning your palms to face each other. Position your inner arms close to your ears.
Bend your knees and sink back deeply, as if you were about to sit on an invisible chair.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds to one minute and return to standing. Complete two more rounds.
Find a set of stairs to climb or use the stair climbing exercise machine at your gym. You can use the stairs at home, but it's even better to use the stairs in a tall apartment or office building, so you can walk up for several minutes at a time without stopping.
Walk or run up the stairs for five to 60 minutes depending on how long you would like your workout to be. On an exercise machine, set the difficulty to a level that is challenging but not impossible. To use stair climbing as a strength training activity, you'll need to actually feel your muscles working hard as you climb each stair.
Exercise caution running back down the stairs if you are exercising at home. In an apartment or office building consider taking the elevator down to the ground floor and repeating the exercise.
In addition to performing strength training exercises two days per week, add at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity that burns fat and requires repetitive motion in the legs. Good choices include running, kickboxing, elliptical training and swimming.