Exercises for Inner Thighs & Buttocks

Exercises for Inner Thighs & Buttocks
Photo Credit squating female with leggings and dress image by David Winwood from Fotolia.com

The muscles of the buttocks and inner thighs are called the glutes and adductors, respectively. The adductors should not be confused with the abductors, which are the muscles of the outer thighs. You can train these groups separately by doing side leg lifts, glute kickbacks and a variety of other exercises, but since both are part of your core musculature, you can save time by working them together.

Squat with Medicine Ball Squeeze

The squat is a classic exercise for the glutes and thighs. Squeezing a medicine ball between your thighs during squats targets the inner thighs, too. Stand tall with a med ball between your thighs and your feet pointing forward. Your arms can be relaxed at your sides, or your hands can go on your hips. You can hold dumbbells to increase the difficulty of the exercise. Bend your knees and lower your hips toward the floor, but do not go lower than your knees. The upper body inclines forward slightly during the squat, with your back kept flat. Raise back up to complete the exercise. The inner thighs are squeezed the entire time to hold the ball.

Hamstring Curl on a Ball

The hamstring curl targets the glutes and the backs of the thighs, but adding the instability element of placing your feet on top of a stability ball brings your entire core into the exercise for stabilization, including the inner thighs. Lie on your back, with your arms at your sides. The knees begin in a bent position, with your feet on the ball and your knees in line with your ankles. Lift your back and hips off the floor so your shoulders, arms and head support your upper body on the floor. Extend your legs straight to roll the ball forward, and point your toes up so your heels are on the ball. Your hips will lower so your body forms a straight line at a 45-degree angle to the floor as your head remains flat. Bend your knees and return to the starting position.

Clock Lunge

The clock lunge combines a forward lunge and a side lunge to work the glutes, inner and outer thighs, and the front and back of the thighs. The forward lunge mainly targets the front and back of the thighs and glutes, and the side portion hits the inner and outer thighs. Stand with your hands on your hips and your feet together. Step forward with your right foot about 2 or 3 feet. The right knee bends to 90 degrees as the left knee bends toward the floor. The back should be straight. Step your feet back together. Next, step your right foot out to the side about the same distance. Bend your right knee, and straighten your left leg, shifting your body weight to the right and leaning forward with your upper body. Return to the starting position, and repeat with your left foot.

References

Article reviewed by DavidW Last updated on: Apr 3, 2010

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