The muscles and skin of the inner thigh is one of the most difficult areas to tone for some women. Exercises for this area focus on movements that pull the leg toward the center of the body or across the bodyline are effective standing or lying down for best results. Combine focused exercises on the inner thigh with general body or aerobic exercise to reduce overall body fat content to tone your inner thigh muscles and firm the skin covering them.
Description
The muscles of the inner thigh include the adductor brevis, adductor longus and anterior and posterior adductor magnus. The gracilis and pectineus muscles of the inner thigh also benefit from focused exercises for this area. Adductor muscles enable you to pull your leg inward, while the abductor muscles on the outside of the thigh allow you to extend your leg away from the center of your body.
Standing Adduction
You don't need equipment or weights to gain benefits from inner thigh exercises, although you can wear wrap-around toe weights or ankle weights for increased strengthening and toning benefits. Tighten the skin and muscle fibers of your inner thighs by standing in front of a table or counter with your feet hip-distance apart. Extend your right leg at the hip outward, and then slowly swing it back in front of your body in a pendulum-type move. Cross the right foot over the center of your body and past your left foot. Repeat this swinging movement five to 10 times and then switch sides.
Inner Thigh Lifts
Firm the muscles and skin of your inner thighs by performing inner thigh lifts. Lie down on the floor on your side, head braced on your left hand, elbow bent, legs stacked and body straight. Bend your right knee and place your foot on the floor in front of your left knee for balance. Turn your left foot parallel to the floor, inner thigh facing the ceiling. Lift your left leg upward as high as you can, keeping your leg straight and your toes pointed toward your shoulders. For additional challenge, hold the lift at the top for several seconds. As you grow stronger, add light ankle weights. Do 10 lifts with your left leg, then turn over and repeat the exercise with your right thigh.
Weighted Plie
Resistance training increases fat-burning efforts and is especially beneficial in hard-to-target areas of the body like your inner thighs. Create an effective inner thigh exercise that tones your thighs and tightens the skin on your thighs by adapting a traditional plie squat with the benefits of weighted resistance. Hold onto a moderate to heavy dumbbell. Stand with your feet wide apart, toes pointing toward the side at a 45-degree angle. Lower your body so that your knees are directly over your toes and grasp one end of a dumbbell. Straighten your body, pushing upward with your heels. Don't lock your knees at the top, but immediately lower your body for another repetition, holding onto the dumbbell, keeping your torso tall and your back straight. Do 10 to 15 plie squats several times a day.
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