Your inner thighs work with your legs, abdominal muscles and other hip muscles to move in a variety of directions and perform daily and sports activities. They help to move your legs toward and away from the center of your body and stabilize your leg and hip when you move, such as running and squatting. To get slimmer legs, you should perform total-body exercises that incorporate your inner thighs with your entire body rather than isolating them, recommends Juan Carlos Santana, author of "Essence of Program Design." Fat loss occurs when you burn more calories than you burn.
Dumbbell Squat and Press
Step 1
Hold a 25-lb. dumbbell in each hand, and stand with your legs shoulder-width apart with your feet pointing forward. Hold the dumbbells over your shoulders with your knuckles facing out to the sides and your elbows close to your body's center.
Step 2
Squat down as low as you can while keeping your torso upright, preferably to the point where you buttocks go pass the knee level. Keep your knees and feet pointing forward.
Step 3
Exhale and stand up. Press the dumbbells up over your head at the same time. Lower the weights down to your shoulders, and perform 10 to 12 reps for three sets.
Box Jumps
Step 1
Stand in front of a two-foot high plyobox. Swing your arms forward, and jump on top of the box at the same time.
Step 2
Land lightly on the balls of your feet with your legs bent, and immediately jump off the box in front of you.
Step 3
Turn around quickly, and repeat the jump as fast as you can. Perform 10 jumps for three to four sets.
Multi-planar Lunges
Step 1
Stand with your feet together, step forward with your left leg. Lunge down until your right knee almost touches the ground. Keep your torso upright or slightly leaned forward.
Step 2
Exhale and step back to the starting position. Brace your abdominals so that you would not injure your back. Step to the side with your left leg, and keep both feet pointing forward.
Step 3
Lunge toward your left leg, and keep your right leg straight. Bring your arms forward to maintain your balance. Do not lean forward too much. Exhale and step back to the starting position.
Step 4
Turn your body to your left, and step forward to lunge down. Pivot your right hip and foot as you turn. Return to starting position, and this whole series counts as one round. Perform four to five rounds on each leg.
Tips and Warnings
- Rather than doing each exercise individually, Coach Robert dos Remedios, director of strength and conditioning at College of the Canyons in Santa Clara, recommends that you perform each exercise for 30 seconds continuously, and rest for 20 to 30 seconds between exercises. This method, called interval training, allows you to burn more calories in less time and improve muscular stamina and endurance.
Things You'll Need
- 1 plyobox
- 2 25-lb. dumbbells
References
- "Cardio Strength Training"; Robert dos Remedios; 2009
- "Essence of Program Design"; Juan Carlos Santana; 2004
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