Exercises for the inner thighs for women and men

Anatomy of the inner thigh muscles

The main reason for the massive lag of the inner thighs in many athletes lies in the specifics and functions of this group. Anatomically, the muscles of the inner thigh are adductors. That is, their main function is hip adduction. This movement is absent in most classic exercises from fitness and bodybuilding, which is why even trained girls may lag behind the inner thigh muscles. This is where the stereotype about the “problem zone” arises, although in fact the reason lies in the fact that the adductor group is not trained separately.

To ensure that all leg muscles receive an even load, it is recommended to add exercises for the inner thighs to each workout. If there is a pronounced lag in the area, a separate training day should be allocated to working out the group. This is also relevant for girls who want to achieve the so-called “thigh gap” - the gap between the thighs, which has become one of the indicators of an aesthetic figure.

Benefits of exercising for your hips

In addition to a beautiful and fit figure, there are a number of other advantages of organizing regular training in this area:

Constant physical exercise involving the legs and pelvic girdle allows you to strengthen the muscular frame of the pelvis. The head of the femur is firmly fixed in the acetabulum, which significantly reduces the risk of dislocations and fractures.
Regular exercise stimulates the absorption of minerals and vitamins, which is also an important measure in the prevention of hip fractures.
Working on muscle development allows you to strengthen the muscle layers of the pelvic diaphragm, which is very important for women of reproductive age and before menopause.
There are huge exercise programs designed to correct gait disorders (congenital hip dislocations).

Tight and trained gluteal muscles participate in the formation of normal posture and help prevent osteochondrosis of the lumbar and sacral spine. When you regularly perform a set of exercises, pain and muscle fatigue disappear, and restrictions on active movements are eliminated.

Top 7 exercises for home and gym on the inner thigh

Most exercises for the inner thigh can be performed both in the gym and at home. Although some movements will still require exercise equipment or their “home substitutes” (usually a rubber band or expander). Working with your own weight will be very useful for beginner athletes, but after 3-5 months the body will fully adapt to the load and you will have to complicate the implementation using the progression method.

Lying leg raises

This exercise is used both to develop the muscles of the inner thigh and as a warm-up. To progress, you will need leg weights (preferably with sections for weight regulation).

Technique:

Lie on the floor, head, shoulder blades and lower back pressed tightly, body fixed. Legs raised up at an angle of 90 degrees.
Slowly spread your legs out to the sides as wide as possible, holding for 1-1.5 seconds at the peak point.
Slowly bring your legs together and repeat the movement.

The exercise is useful because it tightens the inner thigh muscles and significantly improves stretching.

Hip adduction while lying on your side

Another universal movement. It is great for pumping up the inner thighs at home, can be used as a warm-up or as one of the elements of supersets.

Technique:

Lie on the floor on your side, rest on your hip and bend your arm at the elbow (your arms can be placed in any way, but they must securely support the body).
Straighten your lower leg and move it slightly forward, the second leg is bent at the knee, the foot rests on the floor to maintain balance.
Slowly lift your lower leg off the floor and lift it as high as possible.
At the top point, pause and lower your leg to the starting position.

The inner thigh exercise will be more effective if you do not lower your leg completely to the floor. This will help maintain constant tension throughout the entire set.

Side Lunges

This variation of the inner thigh exercise is suitable for both home and the gym. In addition to the problem area, it trains almost all the muscles of the lower body, as well as the core muscles.

Technique:

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms bent at the elbows and pressed to the chest.
Take the widest possible step to the side while simultaneously shifting your center of gravity to your leg. The toe and knee look slightly to the side.
Bend your knee and move your body forward (toward your leading leg), stretching your other leg as much as possible.
Take a minimal pause (you can spring 2-3 times), then return to the starting position.

Read more about the side lunge exercise →

During the exercise, it is important not to make sudden falls (during a step) or jolts (when returning), and also to constantly keep your back straight.

Plie squats

This movement is great for toning your inner thighs. Can be performed with any weight (dumbbell, kettlebell, water bottle) or without weight.

Place your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and hold the apparatus in your free hands at hip level. The back is straight, the toes are turned as far as possible to the side.
Slowly lower yourself down, bending your knees. Try to sit as low as possible, as far as your stretch allows.
At the same pace, return to the starting position without straightening your knees completely.

Plie exercise here →

Standing leg adduction

Performed with an expander, a tourniquet or in the lower crossover block (with a loop handle).

Technique:

Place your leg in a rope or loop handle, then step a few steps to the side (so that there is significant but tolerable tension).
Stand straight, grab any handle or ledge with your hands (you can hold it on your belt).
Slowly move your working leg to the other side.

Leg adduction with tape

Crossover leg adduction
In this exercise, it is important to keep your back straight and firmly fix the position of your body to eliminate inertia.

Leg abduction in the simulator

The main exercise for the inner thighs for women. Provides a focused load on the desired area, eliminating cheating and involving other muscles in the work. At home, you can replace it with a foot expander.

Sit on a chair and press firmly against the back. Use your hands to hold the handles to stabilize your body.
Start moving the platforms together with your feet at a moderate pace.
At the peak point, pause for 1-2 seconds, then at a slow (or very slow) pace return your legs to the starting position.

Read more about the leg abduction exercise in the simulator →

Tightening your legs with a fitball

A simple and effective exercise for the inner thigh muscles, which can be performed not only with a fitball, but also with any other ball. Its peculiarity is that tension in the internal region occurs without dynamic contraction. Mixing can be done standing or lying down (the second option is more difficult).

Technique:

Lie on the floor, fix the ball between your legs (at hip level if a regular ball, and closer to your feet if a fitball).
Raise your legs up so that they are suspended.
Squeeze the ball with your feet as hard as possible.

Each approach is performed for a time (20 seconds) or until muscle failure.

Which is better: basic or isolated exercises?

“Base” refers to exercises that involve working multiple muscles at the same time. Exercising your body is essential for building muscle mass and losing weight (fat loss). You will definitely find 3-4 basic exercises, for example:

Squats with a barbell (barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells).
Reach your toes on exercise machines.
Dead weights (corpses) with weights.
Lunges with a bar on the shoulders.
Platform and press.

When you do isolation exercises, only one muscle is worked. Such exercises should be a supplement. They are carried out according to the “base” and do not exceed it in number (usually one or two exercises):

Leg bending or extension on exercise machines (lying, sitting)
Squats.
We stretch our legs.

“Base” is the basis of classes!

Change your buttocks and feet! In the gym with different weights, you get closer to your goal (losing or gaining muscle mass) faster. After all, muscles need extra work to grow and strengthen.

Try increasing your sets and reps. Once you get used to the weight, increase it. Go through a lot of exercises: replace one main exercise with another, replace the barbell with dumbbells, kettlebells, machine weights and vice versa. Then exercise in the gym will become a habit and part of your life. Exercise will become better after giving up alcohol, cigarettes and junk food.

Recommendations for training

To make each movement effective, use the following recommendations:

In any movements, you should not fully straighten the knee (locked), this will increase the load on the joint, but will reduce tension in the muscles.
When doing exercises, try to concentrate the tension on the inside, this will help turn off other muscles.
There is no need to do 5-7 exercises at a time. It is enough to perform 2-3 exercises, 4-5 approaches per workout (no more than 2 times a week).
The recommended number of repetitions in each approach is from 12 to 20.

Proper nutrition

In the era of fast food and genetically modified food, it is vital to adjust your diet so that you get most of the vitamins and microelements not from pharmacy vitamin complexes, but from food. Delicious diet dishes will help you lose weight and stay fit.

The daily diet should be based on the following principles:

You need to drink at least one and a half liters of water. A large amount of fluid entering the body will help the flabby epithelium become more elastic and pliable, responding well to massage and cosmetics. Remember that clean drinking water cannot be replaced with tea, coffee or carbonated drinks; they are not included in the required daily one and a half to two liters.
Increase the amount of protein in your diet. According to research, for normal functioning the body needs 2 grams of the substance per 1 kg of weight daily. Protein is the “building blocks” of our body, and without it, sagging skin will not be able to renew and tighten. The vital substance is found in meat, fish, legumes and dairy products.
To maintain energy, carbohydrates are required, which can be fast and slow. Give up the fast ones found in sweets and baked goods, and switch to slow ones. Eat pasta, cereals, natural honey.
To maintain the elasticity of flabby skin, collagen is needed, which can be produced in the body in insufficient quantities. It should be taken from seaweed, fish, fruits and vegetables.
Eat foods with natural antioxidants and fatty acids. Flaxseed oil, nuts, beans, and cranberries will help maintain beauty and tone.

Try to get rid of the habit of eating at night; if you really want to have a snack before bed, drink a glass of kefir or nibble on an apple. It is advisable to establish a diet and have breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same time. This way, the body will get used to receiving food at certain hours and will not require snacks. Don't overeat, it's better to eat 5 small portions throughout the day than 3 large ones.

Sample program

An example of a program of effective exercises for the inner thigh:

Warm up.
Plie squats – 4*12.
Leg abduction in the simulator – 4*12.
Superset: lying leg raise, side hip adduction – 5 sets of each movement with 30 second breaks.
Standing leg abduction.

At the end there is a stretching complex.