The muscles of your inner thigh are primarily the adductor magnus, abductor brevis and adductor longus. These muscles originate on the lower part of your pelvic bones then insert on your femur, or thigh bone. Your adductor muscles draw your thighs toward the center of your body when your thigh is in front of, behind or to the side of your pelvis.
Squats
Squats of all forms --- back squats, front squats, wide-stance squats and sumo squats --- activate the adductor muscles, along with your gluteal muscles and quadriceps. Perform squats with barbells or dumbbells by maintaining an upright trunk and lowering your body until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. You can squat more weight using a barbell than by using dumbbells, improving the toning effect on your inner thighs.
Adductions
Adduction exercises focus on drawing your legs in a lateral direction toward or across the midline of your body. Perform such exercises using a cable pulley, ankle weights and an adduction machine, or by simply squeezing an exercise ball between your thighs. For instance, use an ankle strap on your right ankle and secure it to a low cable pulley, then draw your right leg across your left leg. The American Council on Exercise also suggests placing an ankle weight on your left ankle, lying on your left side and lifting your left leg toward the ceiling; switch sides and repeat with the right ankle and leg.
Lunges
Lunges activate your leg muscles in ways similar to squats, though they engage your adductors to a greater extent due to the larger range of motion. Lunge in place, or alternate legs and do walking lunges. You can also perform side lunges by keeping your feet pointed forward as you step off to one side then push back up to the center. Do a stationary reverse lunge by stepping backward with your left leg, then contracting the muscles of your right leg to return to the start position.
Flat or Hill Sprints
Sprinting on level ground or up a hill tones your adductor muscles, because these muscles must exert a tremendous amount of force within a short period of time to bring your thighs toward the center of your body. Sprint up a hill then walk back down 10 times, or sprint on flat terrain for 30 seconds then walk for 90 seconds, alternating for 20 total minutes.
References
- "Personal Trainer Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 1997
- "Anatomy & Physiology"; Gary Thibodeau, Ph.D., and Kevin Patton, Ph.D.; 2007
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