Chances are the phrase 'thigh gap' has entered your consciousness at some point. Whether it was on social media in 2012 when the term exploded into common vernacular; on Instagram; perhaps you stumbled across the 75,600,000 results 'thigh gap' throws up on Google; or, awfully, you found yourself in the YouTube black hole of unscientific 'thigh gap exercises' videos.

Much like the hip dips phenomenon of recent years, the world came up with a name for something we really probably should have left out of the dictionary. 

 

What does having a 'thigh gap' actually mean?

Having a thigh gap refers to there being a space (a 'gap') between the upper thighs when someone is stood with their feet together and touching.

However, this bodily feature has become a cause célèbre in recent years with social media and celebrities championing it as a marker of health and attractiveness. Spoiler, it isn't either of those things. What it is, is a mix of genetic predispositions (where your body naturally stores fat), your current body composition and body fat percentage and your bone structure.

Before we go any further: whether you do or do not have a thigh gap does not make you less or more healthy, strong or worthy. Each of our bodies is different, each of our lives is different. To expect to have the same as someone else is a fruitless task in comparison. Instead, let's look at what our bodies can do – not just what they look like, OK?

What causes a thigh gap?

'Even typically slim people may not have a natural thigh gap,' says GP, Dr Ross Perry, medical director of Cosmedics. 'If they have higher sitting adductors [the group of muscles on the inside of your thigh] and an alternative pelvic bone shape.'

'This is because it's generally not only down to very little body fat but also the width of the hips compared to the length of the femoral head [a bone at the top of the thigh]. Predominantly, it will be down to genetics, bone structure and amount of body fat on the person.'

Also, please don't drink the snake oil of believing there's such a thing as 'thigh gap exercises'. There isn't. Thigh gaps are a result of the reasons Dr Perry's laid out. Not doing hundreds of lunges or clamshells.

The Royal College of Nursing stated, in 2015, that the healthy body fat percentage for women aged 20 to 40 is between 15% and 31%. Read up on healthy body fat percentages for women.

Can everyone have a thigh gap?

Short story: No. And for good reason – we're all different.

'For some people, a thigh gap is a natural part of their bone structure and genetics,' says Dr Rekha Tailor, GP, cosmetic doctor and medical director at Health & Aesthetics.

'For the majority of people, however, genetics mean that their hips are set too close together to exhibit a thigh gap. This, plus the normal fat distribution on the female body, means that women can carry additional fat around their thighs in spite of a healthy diet and exercising.'

In fact, attempting to lose body fat to the point of having a thigh gap can be downright dangerous, especially if your body isn't naturally predisposed to have one.

'For everyone to have a thigh gap, most would have to starve themselves down to such a low body fat that it would be dangerously unhealthy,' says PT Abi Hardy, founder of Girls Who Lift. 'A small minority of people, due to their bone structure or naturally low body fat can maintain a thigh gap whilst being perfectly healthy.'

4 healthy goals to aim for that aren't getting a thigh gap

Okay, so hopefully we've made it pretty clear that a thigh gap shouldn't be the pièce de résistance of your healthy lifestyle: There are so many other more worthwhile goals to chase instead. From increasing your strength to learning a new skill, finding the goal that keeps you trucking on (and feeling good in both mind and body) is super important.

1. Learn something new

'Aim for measurable feats of success,' says Hardy, advising that learning a new skill could be just as rewarding as refining what you're already good at. 'Focus on a new skill such as learning to do a handstand,' she suggests.

Just bought a load of home gym equipment? Dip a toe into resistance training or master the best dumbbell exercises.

2. Build your strength

Setting a goal and surpassing it? Yeah, we like the sound of that. For Tig Hodson, co-founder of the female-only gym, StrongHer, it's about charting your progress with tangible markers like strength gains, whether through strength training or weightlifting.

'It's so much better mentally to think of the things your body can now do as a result of training. For example, on week one perhaps you squat with 25kg and a few weeks later you're squatting 35kg. This increase means your strength is improving, you're building lean muscle, you're physically and mentally becoming stronger.'

'Switch to thinking of how much you're capable of doing, instead,' says Hodson's co-founder Sam Prynn.

3. Beat your PB

If you've experienced the unrivalled feeling of achieving a goal, setting a new one could be the thing to get you going. For keen runner beans, perhaps look to beat your 5k PB, rather than just meeting your old one. If you love strength training, try deadlifting a heavier weight or build up to doing a pull-up. The world is your oyster, you just gotta work for it.

4. Get the basics right

Dr Perry says that getting the basics right first is always a good goal to aim for: 'As a GP, we advise people to lead a healthy lifestyle, to drink plenty of water, eat a balanced diet and aim to take some kind of physical exercise every day,' he says.

Getting these foundations right is a great goal to aim for – especially if you're someone who gets stuck in the cycle of everything-then-nothing as your motivation ebbs and flows. Basics, done right. We love to see it. Get after it, friends!

6 lower body exercises to try instead of unsafe 'thigh gap exercises'

We see you – stop googling 'thigh gap exercises'. Drop the keyboard and step away from the computer. Instead, get to grips with basic strength training exercises like these lower-body compound exercises that build muscle and help to keep your bones and nervous system healthy. (In fact, take a peek at these strength training benefits if you don't believe us!)

1. Forward lunge

a) Keeping your back straight, engage your core muscles and place your hands on your hips to stay balanced.

b) Take a big step forward with your right foot and bend your knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Allow your back heel to lift, but don’t let the knee touch the floor.

c) Step back to the starting position, then repeat on the same or opposite leg. Just keep track of the number you're doing on each and aim for the same both sides.

2. Squat

a) Standing with feet hip-width apart hinge at the knees to come into a squat position – making sure your knees track over your toes and don't extend past.

b) With the weight in your heels push back up to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top. Repeat.

3. Sumo squat

a) Stand nice and wide with both toes pointing slightly outward. Bend your knees until your quads are parallel to the floor.

b) Push through your heels, straighten your legs to return to a standing position

4. Dumbbell step-up

a) Keep your heel flat on the step, your knee should track slightly outwards.

b) Step up, keeping your torso tall and proud.

c) Brace your core and straighten your leg to bring yourself to standing on the step.

d) Keeping your shoulders back and head up, lower your leg down slowly to the ground.

5. Romanian deadlift

a) Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell in each hand, and place them in front of hips with palms facing thighs.

b) Keeping your spine in a neutral position and squeezing the shoulder blades, start sending the hips back.

c) Lower dumbbells down so they are in front of your shins, keeping them close to the body. Once they pass the knees, do not allow the hips to sink further.

d) Maintain a neutral spine and drive through heels to fully extend hips and knees, squeezing glutes at the top.

6. Deadlift

a) Pick up a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip and hold them by your sides. Stand with your knees slightly bent, and your feet hip-width apart.

b) Hinge at the hips as you bend your knees, lowering your torso until it’s almost parallel with the floor, and your arms so that they hang in front of your knees and shins. Remember to keep your back neutral i.e. not rounded.

c) Reverse the move by pushing your hips forward, squeezing your glutes, and pushing through the heels of your feet. That’s one rep.