The inner thighs, also known as the adductors, are often underworked when it comes to a typical gym routine. But your adductors play a vital role in helping you move safely and stabilize your core, hips, knees and more. Strengthening the inner thighs can alleviate muscle imbalances, prevent injury and create toned lean legs.
Fitness experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Wellness Lab teamed up with Melissa Wood-Tepperberg, creator of The MWH Method, and Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott, personal trainers and co-founders of Tone It Up, to create the ultimate inner thigh at-home routine to strengthen and tone the body. Not only do these exercises challenge the adductors, but they also require the engagement of other major muscle groups like your core and glutes. You’ll notice that many of these exercises work in lateral movements or side-to-side, which can help balance the forward and backward motions most of us commonly do for the majority of the day.
Sprinkle in these inner thigh exercises at home throughout your fitness routine or end your workout with a quick inner thigh circuit.
10-minute inner thigh workout plan:
- Choose three moves below.
- Perform each exercise for 45 seconds.
- Once you complete all three moves, rest for one minute.
- Repeat the circuit two more times for a total of three times.
Inner Thigh Raise
This classic pilates move is a low-impact option that directly targets the inner thighs. You may be laying down but don’t be fooled; this move requires a ton of focus and control and is one of the most targeted inner thigh exercises.
How to:
- Lay down on your right side. Prop yourself up on your right elbow so your head, hips and heels are in one long plane.
- Place your left-hand fingertips on the floor in front of you to stabilize the body.
- Bend your left leg over your right so your left foot sits on the floor (your left leg can either be in front or behind your right leg). Engage your core and glutes.
- Keeping your bottom leg straight, raise your bottom leg up 2 inches and then lower it back down 2 inches. Once you finish the reps, repeat on the other side.
Muscles worked: Inner thighs, outer thighs, glutes, core
Inner Thigh Heel Pulses
Wood-Tepperberg swears by this move that tones the inner thighs, glutes and even your core. You don’t need any equipment for this movement, and it’s one of the popular inner thigh exercises.
How to:
- Lay down on your side and make sure your head, hips and heels are in one long plane.
- Place your fingertips on the floor to stabilize the body or for an added challenge you can lift the top arm to the ceiling.
- Engage your core and glutes, squeeze your heels together and externally rotate your toes.
- Lift both legs off the ground about an inch, try to hold up for 10 seconds and then release back down. Be sure to repeat on the opposite side.
Muscles worked: Inner thighs, outer thighs, glutes, core
Plié Squat
This squat variation is a favorite of Wood-Tepperberg. She says it can increases the range of motion in the hips while also strengthening the legs, inner thighs and calves. Not only is this exercise great for strengthening, but it also can be helpful for working on balance and posture.
How to:
- Start with your legs in a wide stance with your feet externally rotated.
- Tuck the tailbone in, keep the spine long and engage the core as you sink low opening up your legs so you can really focus on your inner thighs. Knees should be directly over your ankles at the base of the squat.
- Engage your glutes as you come back up and straighten your knees.
- Optional: Pulse an inch up and down when you are at the bottom of the squat.
Muscles worked: Inner thighs, outer thighs, hamstrings, quads, glutes, calves
Lateral Squat Walk
This move targets not only the inner thighs but also fires up the glutes. Try incorporating resistance bands that require an immense amount of control and focus to help enhance both the eccentric and concentric portions of the movement.
How to:
- Optional: Place a resistance band around your ankles or around your lower thighs right above your knees.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Keeping your spine tall and chest upright, push the booty back and lower down into a squat.
- Stay in your squat and carefully walk 10 steps to the right, keeping tension with the band. Reset, and then walk 10 steps to the left while staying in the squat position.
Muscles worked: Inner thighs, outer thighs, glutes, quads, hamstrings
Lateral Lunge
Lateral lunges are a favorite of the Tone It Up team. “We are so used to moving forward and backward that we often neglect moving laterally, which is so important for building strong and sculpted inner thighs,” says Scott.
How to:
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms at your sides.
- Keep your chest up and step your right foot out as wide as possible.
- Push the booty back and sink down into a squat on one side.
- Engage your glutes to come back up into a standing position. Repeat on the opposite side.
Muscles worked: Inner thighs, outer thighs, glutes, quads, hamstrings
Curtsy Lunge
This move is a staple for Dawn and Scott as it helps to stabilize the hips and build both glute and inner thigh strength. You can certainly incorporate dumbbells with this move, but mastering your form is always of the utmost importance before you start adding weight.
How to:
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms at your sides.
- Keep your chest lifted and move your right foot to lunge behind your left leg.
- Lunge down, hovering your back knee a few inches above the ground.
- Slowly return to a standing position. Repeat on the opposite side.
Muscles worked: Inner thighs, outer thighs, glutes, quads, hamstrings
Ball Squeeze
This move may seem old school, but it’s stayed around for good reason. No move directly engages the inner thighs like this exercise. Plus, it’s one of the best standing inner thigh exercises to incorporate into your fitness routine.
How to:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Place an exercise ball between the inner thighs.
- Push the booty back so you are sitting in a high squat.
- Squeeze the ball for 10 seconds with your thighs, then reset and repeat.
Muscles worked: Inner thighs, glutes, core
Clamshell
This move directly targets the inner thighs, and it’s the perfect move to incorporate a resistance band. “Using resistance bands is a lightweight, convenient and effective option that can really fire up both the inner thighs and glutes,” says Dawn.
How to:
- Lay down on your side and make sure your head, hips, and heels are in one long plane. Place your fingertips on the floor in front of you to stabilize the body.
- Bend your knees in front of you.
- Keep your feet glued together and float your top knee up to your hip, then lower back down. Repeat on the opposite side when you finish all the reps.
Muscles worked: Glutes, inner thighs, outer thighs, core
Glute Kickbacks
This move not only tones the glutes, but it’s also excellent for sculpting the inner thighs and targeting those small supporting muscles throughout the leg. “Instead of just going through the motions of an exercise, actively think about engaging the muscle and you’ll begin to see real measurable results,” says Scott.
How to:
- Optional: Place a resistance band around your ankles or on your lower thighs right above your knees.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Use a wall or sturdy chair to help balance yourself. Engage your core and glutes, and keep your spine long.
- Keep your right leg straight and float it upwards behind you. Slowly lower down to gently tap the floor.
- Repeat and don’t forget to switch sides when you finish the reps.
Muscles worked: Glutes, inner thighs, hamstrings, core
Hip Bridge with Pulse
In addition to working the glutes, hip bridges help activate your inner thighs to improve hip and knee stability. They also help build muscle and power in the lower back and core. Not only are they great during a workout, but hip bridges make a great warmup for muscle activation before running, biking and other forms of cardio.
How to:
- Optional: Place a resistance band around your lower thighs right above your knees.
- Lay on your back, keep your legs hip-width apart and bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor. Arms lay flat along your side and shoulders stay glued to the floor.
- Push through your heels and lift the pelvis up to the ceiling. Pulse the knees out, then lower back down slowly. Gently tap the floor and repeat.
Muscles worked: Glutes, inner thighs, outer thighs, quads, hamstrings, core
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Stefani Sassos has been working in the fitness industry for the past 10 years, specializing in indoor cycling and strength training. As a NASM-Certified Personal Trainer, she uses her expertise and exercise science knowledge to create informed fitness content for the Good Housekeeping Institute. From vigorously testing exercise equipment to curating workout plans for GH readers, Stefani is passionate about leading an active lifestyle and inspiring others to do the same.
