Some places on the body are tougher to firm up than others, and inner thighs are certainly high on that list. But the good news is there are specific workouts to target this area and help you get sculpted and strong in no time. There are also many practical benefits to strengthening your inner thighs through specific exercises at home or at the gym. We use these muscles for countless everyday tasks, including helping to stabilize our hips, lower back and core, and to maintain balance. And if the muscles of your inner thighs aren’t strong, this will have a negative ripple effect on the rest of our body. So, let’s get to it!
Best inner thigh workouts
Sumo squats
“Not only is this a great exercise for working the inner thigh, but you will also feel a deep stretch when lowering the body,” says Katie Higginbotham, personal trainer, sports therapist, and massage therapist.
How-to do sumo squats:
Take a shoulder-width stance then turn the toes out slightly so they are pointing at 2 and 10 positions of a clockHolding a weight in front of the hips, making sure you have pinched your shoulder back and down, keeping the upper shoulder muscles lengthened and relaxedBend through the hips and knees lowering the weight in a vertical line in between the feet. As you do so remember to keep pushing the knees out, so they are running in the same direction the toes are pointing.Throughout the move keep the chest open and the torso uprightIdeally, aim for the hips to lower to in line with the kneesPush the ground away from you making sure the feet are fully placed into the floorComplete 10-15 reps for 2/3 sets. Have a 30-60 secs rest in between the sets.At the end of each set, you should feel that you could still have completed 2 to 3 more reps (reps in reserve)
Tip: If you have a good range of movement and want an extra challenge, place a step box under each foot so you can drop deeper into the squat
Lateral lunge
“The exercise will also challenge balance and control,” Higginbotham explains.
How-to do lateral lunge exercises:
Start with feet hip-width apart and feet facing forwardTake a larger than normal sidestep, ensuring both feet remain flat on the floor and toes point forwardBend through the knee of the leg making the step and sit the hips back whilst keeping your body as upright as possible (when bending the knee ensure the knee is keeping in line with the direction of the toesLower as far as possible keeping the opposing leg straight, then push off from the foot that has made the stepThe lowering into position should take 2-3 secs, the drive off the ground should look to be more explosive yet under control. Aim to complete 8-10 reps on each side whilst maintaining good form. If adding the stalk stance as suggested in the tip, hold this position for 2 secs.2 sets per side with a 30-sec rest between sets is a good starting point
Tip: To further develop balance as you drive away from the ground come to a single leg stalk stance at the end of the move. This will emphasize the glutes doing more work in the opposing leg
Scissor plank with gliders
“Not only is this a great target for the inner thighs, but it will also help with core strength and shoulder stabilization,” Higginbotham states.
How-to do scissor plank with gliders:
Place your body in a forearm plank position with the feet on top of towels or a pair of gliders (ensure this is on a smooth surface)When in the plank position the shoulder should be directly over the elbow and the shoulder blades pinched back so you feel the muscles between the blades engagingMake a straight line with your body from ear, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle and ensure the core is activated.Slowly and under control slide the feet out to the side, then draw back into the body until the feet are back to hip width distance apart.Alternatively, you can do one leg at a time. Only do as many reps that allow you to keep a strong plank positionAvoid rushing the move. It will be more challenging to hold your plank if you are moving with a lack of control. 2 -3 secs in both directions will ensure control.Start with 1 set of good form reps. When you can hit 10 add an extra set with a 60-sec rest between
Tip: to make this more challenging, start the exercise in a full plank with arms lengthened. To regress limit the movement as you open the legs. You can also slow down the rate of movement to add extra demand.
Deficit reverse lunge
“Adding a greater degree of movement will create extra loading and demand on the inner thighs,” says Higginbotham.
How-to do a deficit reverse lunge:
Using a step and, a weight held into the chest (bodyweight will also work)Place both feet onto the step hip-width apartTake a back step with one of the legs, lowering the knee within 1 inch off the floor.Both knees should be at a 90-degree angleWith the front foot fully planted push into the box driving the body straight up towards the ceiling.Whilst keeping your torso in a strong upright positionThe lowering phase of the move should take 3 secs, followed by 2 secs back to the original start position. Complete 8 reps per leg for 2 sets, with a 30-sec rest between sets.If using the pulsing method, use a 3-sec tempo on both the way down and back up
Tip: This can be made more demanding by coming to a balance hold at the end of the move, focusing on a single leg balance. If too demanding, you can start with the rear foot off the box and just pulse up and down in a slower motion
Stability ball hamstring curl squeeze
“This will not only target the inner thighs, but also the hamstrings which is great for helping gain strength when we have been sat at our desks all day,” Higginbotham explains.
How-to do a stability ball hamstring curl squeeze:
Lie face down on a mat, with the head fully relaxed (you may need a towel to support the forehead)With either a stability ball, yoga block, cushion or ball placed between the legs apply some pressure to keep the object in placeKeeping the upper body relaxed whilst still squeezing with the inner thighs slowly bend through the knees drawing the heels towards your bottomOnly go as far as possible whilst maintaining a relaxed lower backLower back under control at a slower speed continuing to maintain the squeeze with the inner thighsAim to complete 12-15 reps, focusing on 2 secs when bringing the ball into the bottom and 4 secs as you lower back into the start position. Perform 2 -3 sets with a 45-60 sec rest between the sets.
Tip: To take this to the next level, you can add the extra resistance of a cable machine
Plank with prop
“Planks are a fantastic full-core exercise that you can do almost anywhere at any time,” Kelly Bryant, Performance Coach at Future.
How-to do a plank with prop:
Imagine that you’re trying to roll the ball toward the floor as you squeeze to find some extra engagement in the glutes, too.
Boat with block
“Similar to the plank with a block, boat pose with a block allows you to combine the abs and inner thighs. Because the muscle groups like to co-contract, you’ll get more bang for your buck out of both!” says Bryant.
How-to do a boat with block:
Sit with your feet on the ground in front of you and place the block between your thighs.Keeping your spine straight and arms reaching forward, lift the feet so the shins are parallel to the floor and squeeze in.
Inner thigh plank
“This inner thigh exercise also challenges your obliques and will quickly show you where you may have some muscle imbalances between the right and left sides,” Bryant explains.
How-to do inner thigh planks:
Set up as if you are going to do a side plank on your forearm, but place your top foot on a weight bench or your coffee table.Lift your hips up into a side plank.Lift your bottom leg to bring the inner thighs to touch and then release it back down.Repeat.
Slider side lunge
Similar to the lateral lunge, but with sliders, “this move works both inner thighs at once, and also gives you a great burn on the quads, glutes and hamstrings,” says Bryant. How-to do a slider side lunge:
Start with feet together and one foot on a slider.Imagine you’re sitting your hips back into a chair behind you and slide the foot on the slider straight out to the side.Stand and slide the legs back together.
Pro tip: The heavier you make your sliding foot, the more challenge you will feel on the inner thighs.
Turned out plie
“This move is great to strengthen the entire lower body, especially the adductors but it also helps to increase the range of motion of your hips,” says Jenn Holderness, Jazzercise FitPro Instructor.
How-to do a turned out plie:
Wide stance with knees and toes turned out by externally rotating from the hipKeep the posture tall and abdominals tight, lower down into the plie, pressing down in the heels engaging the quads, glutes and inner thighs.Press back up from the plie engaging the glutes, quads and squeezing the inner thighs at the top of the movement
Glute bridge
“Not only does this move target the glutes, quads, adductors and hamstrings but also strengthens the entire core including abdominals and lower,” Holderness explains.
How-to do a glute bridge:
Lie back on the ground with knees bent and feet flat on the floorLift hips up in the air, press down into the heels to activate the inner thighs and hamstrings and squeeze glutes at the top of the movementLower hips back down to the floor
Next, read about the best quad exercises for strong, super-toned legs—and how to do them safely.
Sources
Katie Higginbotham, personal trainer, sports therapist, and massage therapistKelly Bryant, Performance Coach at FutureJenn Holderness, Jazzercise FitPro Instructor
