5 Best Exercises for Women to Target Inner Thigh Muscles

The inner thighs, commonly known as the adductors, are frequently neglected in standard gym routines. However, these important muscles serve a crucial function in facilitating safe movement and stabilizing the core, hips, and knees, among other joints.

The adductors can be strengthened to correct muscle imbalance, avoid injury, and develop lean, toned legs. Having strong adductors also helps keep the hips and lower back in a more neutral position, which prevents arching the back excessively and experiencing any associated aches and pains.

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Exercises for Inner Thigh Muscles

Working out the inner thighs is important if you are looking to tone the thighs and lose fat. Check out the following five exercises for women to help them achieve the same:

1) Inner Thigh Raise

This traditional pilates movement is low-impact and directly works the inner thighs. This is one of the most targeted inner thigh exercises and requires a great deal of concentration and control, despite the fact that you are lying down during the workout.

Here's how you do this exercise:

• Lie down on your right side on the floor or the yoga mat. Your head, hips, and heels should form a single plane, supported by your right elbow.
• Place the fingertips of your left hand on the ground in front of you to support the body.
• You should cross your left leg over to your right so that your left foot is on the ground. Utilize your abdominals and glutes.
• Raise your bottom leg two inches while keeping it straight, and lower it back down two inches.
• After completing the repetitions on one side, repeat on the other.

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2) Sumo Squat

This squat variation is great to work out the inner thighs. It can increase your range of motion and strengthen the legs, inner thighs, and calves. This exercise not only strengthens the legs, but also helps improve balance and posture.

Here's how you do this exercise:

• Start with your feet externally rotated and legs in a 3-4 feet wide stance.
• As you squat, tuck your tailbone in. Maintain a long spine, and engage your core as you open up your legs to focus on your inner thighs.
• At the bottom of a squat, your knees must be squarely above the ankles.
• As you come back up, and straighten your knees, contract your glutes.
• When you are at the bottom of the squat, go an inch up and down.

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3) Lateral Squat Walk

This exercise targets the inner thighs in addition to the glutes. Consider integrating resistance bands that require a great deal of control and concentration to improve both the eccentric and concentric phases of the movement. This move works the inner and outer thighs, glutes, quads, hamstrings.

Here's how you do this exercise:

• Place a resistance band around your ankles or just above your knees on your lower thighs.
• Separate your feet by the breadth of your hips.
• Maintaining a tall spine and an erect chest, push the buttocks back, and descend into a squat.
• Maintaining strain on the band, take ten steps to the right while remaining in a squat. Reset, and walk ten steps to the left in a squatting position.

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4) Curtsy Lunge

This exercise is a staple for your inner thighs, as it stabilizes the hips and strengthens the glutes and inner thighs. You can also use dumbbells with this exercise, but perfecting your form is of utmost importance before increasing the weight. This move works the inner and outer thighs, glutes, quads, hamstrings.

Here's how you do this exercise:

• Stand with your arms by your sides and feet hip-distance apart.
• Keep your chest elevated, and lunge behind your left leg with your right foot.
• The rear knee should hover a few inches above the ground when you squat.
• Return slowly to a standing position.
• Repeat on the other side.

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5) Glute Kickback

This exercise is not only fabulous for toning the glutes but also for contoring the inner part of the thighs and targeting the minor supporting muscles throughout the leg.

Instead of passively going through the motions of an exercise, actively engage the muscle, and you will begin to notice significant improvements. This exercise also activates the glutes, hamstrings, and core.

Here's how you do this exercise:

• You may wrap a resistance band around your ankles or just above your knees on your lower thighs.
• Separate your feet to the breadth of your hips. Utilize a wall or strong chair to maintain your equilibrium. Engage your core and glutes, and maintain a long spine.
• Maintain your right leg in a straight position, and raise it behind you. Slowly descend to lightly tap the floor.
• Repeat, and remember to switch sides after completing all repetitions.

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Takeaway

Include the aforementioned workouts in your weekly routine to target this difficult-to-reach area and maintain sculpted, toned thighs.