Your outer thighs play a crucial role in daily movement, but they often don’t receive the attention they deserve in workouts. The outer thighs help stabilize the hips, support the knees, and keep the pelvis level so you can walk, run, and climb stairs with ease. That said, firming and strengthening your outer thighs can be a challenging process—but we’re here to help. Standing Hip Abductions“You generally want to keep your torso rigid and straight while lifting one leg up laterally. “The sumo squat’s wide stance, with your feet very far apart, is what makes it better at targeting the outer thigh muscles than a normal squat.”