The thighs might be one of the most stubborn areas to tone. Biologically, women are more prone to accumulating fat deposits in this region than men. Your local gym should feature at least a couple of thigh-toning machines. Several machines can help tone your inner thighs, even if the machine isn’t specifically designed for that use.
Muscles
The muscles in your inner thigh are collectively called the adductor muscles, and they include the pectineus, gracilis, adductor longus, adductor magnus and adductor brevis. They all stem from the pelvic bone and attach to different points along the thigh between the pelvis and knee. Their primary actions are squeezing the thighs together, aiding in rotation and flexion of the thigh, stabilizing the hips and drawing your leg into your body -- known as adduction.
Machines
The adductor machine is specifically designed to target your inner thigh muscles. Typically, the machine features a padded seat and two movable padded levers at knee level, which are attached to adjustable weights. Press your thighs slowly against the resistant levers to bring your thighs together. Slowly return to the starting position to complete one rep. Do two sets of 12 to 15 reps. Another machine you can use to work your inner thighs is one with a cable pulley system. Clip a padded ankle attachment into the pulley’s carabineer. Strap in your left ankle and stand with your left side facing the machine. Slowly pull the weight by moving your leg across the front of your body in front of your other leg. Keep your leg straight during the movement. Pause and then slowly return to the starting position. Do two sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Best Exercises
Cardiovascular exercises and weight training are vital if you want to tone and trim your thighs. Toning exercises like yoga can firm the muscles to make your thighs appear thinner, but they do not actually do much to break fat deposits down in target areas. What makes exercising on a weightbearing machine helpful, aside from building muscle mass, is that the more muscle tissue you have, the more calories your body burns to sustain itself. It is a good idea to incorporate overall leg exercises as well, like weighted squats and lunges.
Caution
The adductor machine is designed for professional use. If you do not know how to work it properly, ask for assistance. As with most equipment, incorrect form or improper placement can lead to injury. Never lean forward on the adductor machine. Keep your lower back pressed into the seat. If you start to notice that you need to raise your lower back or hips to execute the move, reduce the weights. It will ensure the proper form and greater muscle development as opposed to when you are doing it wrong. Do your warmup exercises, because starting this exercise with cold muscles may result in muscle tears.
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