7 Inner Thigh Exercises For Lean, Toned Thighs

The thighs are some of the strongest muscles in the body. A functional lower body, including your hamstrings, quadriceps, inner thigh muscles, and glutes, is the foundation for almost every daily activity.

About the Inner Thigh Muscles

Did you know that that the inner thighs are actually made up of five muscles? Inner thigh muscles are connected to the pelvis and extend down the leg.

The inner thigh muscle names are adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, pectineus, and the gracillis. While you don’t need to memorize the names of the thigh muscles, we do recommend you focus on strengthening them – not just to look great in jeans, but to optimize the way your body functions.

How to Tone Inner Thigh Muscles

There are so many inner thigh exercises that claim to tone your inner thighs fast – but the truth is, to build muscle it takes time and dedication. If you’re looking for an inner thigh workout that will tone and strengthen your upper legs, the below 7 exercises need to be on your list.

Inner thighs can tend to be a bit pesky but losing an inch or two to fit into those jeans can boost more than just your self-esteem. Strong, toned inner thighs come with benefits far beyond rocking a swimsuit.

Benefits of Strong Inner Thighs

• Improve body awareness
• Correct dysfunctional posture
• Provide a strong foundation for your spine when standing
• Decrease chronic aches and pains (specifically in your lower back, hips, and knees)
• Strengthen your core
• Strong inner thighs can make butt exercises even more effective
• Healthy hips and leg stability which is necessary for your favorite sports like tennis and basketball
• Improved ankle mobility
• Better range of motion in your hips and legs

With so many benefits, who wouldn’t want to work those muscles? And the best part? You don’t have to spend hours on your inner thighs to get the results you want. Just a few minutes doing the right moves to get your heart pumping in an effective way, several times per week can make a dramatic difference on your inner thighs and your confidence.

One quick note before you get into our effective inner thigh exercises: you can’t spot reduce thigh fat. If you want to lose fat, you have to lose it all over.

Focusing on thigh exercises alone won’t get you the results you want. Getting rid of thigh fat and sculpting the muscles underneath requires a comprehensive approach to weight loss, namely: eating clean, getting in cardiovascular exercise, and strength training that prioritizes inner thigh muscles.

The below inner thigh workout is going to be the perfect way to get your strength training in and tone your thigh muscles but make sure to check out the comprehensive guide to losing thigh fat for even more effective strategies.

Related: 7 Best Exercises To Reduce Cellulite

No Equipment Inner Thigh Workout

We chose these inner thigh exercises because they don’t require any special equipment. Complete 15 repetitions per exercise. Repeat the entire circuit of inner thigh exercises a total of 3 times. If you’re feeling up for a challenge add on another round making it a total of 4 rounds. You can do this entire workout with just your body weight, no weights are necessary. However, if you are looking for an extra added bonus or are working more on strength, feel free to grab a set up dumbbells to challenge yourself.

Inner Thighs Exercises Below

To get started, try these awesome exercises:

1. Plié Squats

Here’s how to do a plié squat:

1. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder distance apart and toes turned out into a 45 degree angle.
2. Bend knees and lower your torso, keeping your back straight and abs tight.
3. Squeeze your glutes and come to standing position.

2. Releve Plié

Here’s how to do a releve plié:

1. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder distance apart, toes turned out, and lift your heels into releve.
2. Bend at the knees lowering torso, keeping your back straight, and abs tight. Squeeze glutes and straighten legs to return to starting position.

3. Plié Leg Lift

This is an excellent inner thigh movement. Here’s how to do a plié leg lift:

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and toes turned out. Bend knees lowering torso into a plié and keeping your back straight.
2. Squeeze your glutes and come to standing lifting one leg out to the side working the outer thigh muscles. Then return to your plié and repeat on the other side.

4. Stiletto Squat

Here’s how to do a stiletto squat:

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart or narrower.
2. Lift heels high like you’re wearing heels. Keeping your abs engaged slowly drop into a squat bringing your hips to knee height.
3. Squeeze your glutes and return to you starting position.

5. Side Lunge

Here’s how to do a side lunge:

1. Start standing with legs slightly wider than shoulder-distance apart and toes pointed forward.
2. Shift your body weight to one leg bending the knee until it reaches a 90-degree angle and the other leg is straight. Glutes are pressing back behind you. Return to center and switch sides.

6. Single-Leg Hamstring Bridge

Here’s how to do a single-leg hamstring bridge:

1. Lie on back with bent knees hip distance apart, and feet flat on mat stacked under the knees. Extend one leg long towards the ceiling.
2. Squeeze glutes and lift hips off the mat into a bridge. Lower and lift the hips for desired number of reps then repeat on other side. Remember to keep feet hip width apart throughout the movement.

7. Crossover Lunge

Here’s how to do a crossover lunge:

1. Begin standing with your feet hip distance apart.
2. Transfer your body weight onto your left leg and cross your right foot behind your left leg keeping your hips facing forward as you bend both knees and lower yourself toward the floor in a lunge. Keep your back straight and chest lifted to keep your weight in the front leg.
3. Step back to start position with feet hip width apart and repeat on the other side.

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