Your inner thigh muscles include the pectineus and gracilis muscles, along with the hip adductor muscle group, composed of the adductor brevis, adductor longus and adductor magnus. All five of these muscles adduct, or bring together, your legs at the hip. They also stabilize your body during weight-bearing knee flexion. While stability balls are typically used to train core strength, their inherent instability will challenge any muscle involved with a given exercise, including your inner thigh muscles.
Ball Lunges
Ball Lunges are a variation on bench lunges, also known as single-leg split squats. Using the ball to support your rear foot, instead of a stationary bench, introduces a whole new level of demand on your leg muscles, including your inner thighs.
To do ball lunges, take a step away from the ball with your right foot, then lift your left leg and place the shoelaces of your left foot on top of the ball. You may need to have a spotter stabilize the ball for you until you establish your balance.
Once you're stable, drop your hips straight down until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Straighten up and repeat a full set with your right foot forward before switching legs.
Stability Ball Hamstring Curls
Your hip adductors help stabilize you during weight-bearing resistance exercises like lunges. Stability ball hamstring curls force your inner thigh muscles to stabilize you against the ball's potential motion, even though your legs are actually supporting very little weight.
To do stability ball hamstring curls, lie on your back, heels resting on the very top of the stability ball. Squeeze your glutes to lift your hips off the ground until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to feet. The farther you place your hands and arms away from your body, the more stable your upper body will be. Bend your knees, curling your legs to roll the ball toward you, then straighten your legs. Repeat. Emphasize your hip adductors' involvement by keeping your knees slightly apart, as stable as possible, throughout the entire motion.
Stability Ball Leg Lifts
Stability ball left lifts work both your core, particularly your obliques, and your hip adductors. Lie on your side and hold the stability ball between your feet. Squeeze your core muscles to keep your spine stable as you lift the ball slightly off the ground, hold for a slow count of three, then lower back to the starting position. Do an equal number of repetitions on both sides.
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