7 exercises to tone your inner thighs

The inner thighs are a particularly delicate area. They face many challenges: loss of muscle tone, visible weight fluctuations, stretch marks… But none of this is inevitable, as long as you take care of them. It all starts with a fitness routine that targets the inner thigh muscles: adductors, gracilis and pectineus.

How to strengthen your inner thighs

To strengthen your inner thighs, you target the adductors, gracilis and pectineus with lifting, pressing and opening movements. The routine below has seven exercises. It starts with a warm-up on the floor, then moves on to the fire hydrant on all fours, two side-lying exercises (the lateral leg press and the clamshell), the standing lateral squat, the boat pose variation balanced on your sit bones, and finally the standing lateral extension/press. Some need no equipment at all, while others call for a resistance band or an inner thigh toner placed between your thighs to create resistance. These moves also work your hips, glutes and core.

Here are a few exercises, to do at home, as often as you like.

Exercise 1: Warm-up

To avoid any risk of inner thigh muscle strain, a proper warm-up is essential. All you need for this exercise is a little motivation!

• Sit on the floor with your legs bent and spread apart, feet together, back straight.
• Hold your feet with your hands and draw them as close to your groin as possible.
• For one minute, gently flutter your thighs up and down — without forcing, but feeling a light warmth building on the inside of your thighs.
• Then extend your legs into a wide straddle and briskly rub the inside of your thighs to finish warming up the muscles.

This simple little exercise will prepare you for your session. Repeat it every time you’re about to start a dedicated thigh gap workout.

Exercise 2: Fire Hydrant

This exercise works the inner thighs as well as the hip muscles. You can use a resistance band for added intensity.

• Get on all fours, knees and hands firmly planted on the floor, back straight and not arched.
• Loop the resistance band around your thighs, just above the knees.
• On the inhale, lift your right thigh out to the side, keeping the knee bent and your back flat.
• On the exhale, lower the thigh back down without resting the knee on the floor, maintaining tension in the thigh muscles and core.
• Repeat this movement 10 to 15 times, then switch sides.

Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 20 to 30 thigh lifts. If your inner thighs are burning, that’s perfectly normal. Hang in there!

Exercise 3: Lateral Leg Press

Like the previous exercise, this one works the thigh and hip muscles. It also engages the oblique abdominal muscles, along the sides of your waist. For more ideas, take a look at our waist workout tips.

• Lie on your side, balancing on your left leg and left elbow. You can also rest your torso on the floor and place your left hand under your head if that’s more comfortable.
• Place the inner thigh toner between your thighs (or legs). Each handle should be in contact with one thigh, with the base pointing towards your groin.
• On the inhale, lower your right leg to press against the fitness accessory. Keep your body in a straight line.
• On the exhale, release the pressure from your right leg, making sure it stays in contact with the accessory.
• Repeat the movement 10 times, then switch sides.

Add 2 to 3 sets of 20 presses to your firm-thighs routine.

Exercise 4: Clamshell

This is a true fitness classic and remains a favourite for working your legs and thighs.

• Return to the previous starting position, with one difference: your legs are slightly bent.
• Place the resistance band around your thighs or the toning accessory between your thighs. The key is to create resistance — against the thigh lift with the band, or against the thigh press with the accessory.
• With the resistance band: on the inhale, lift your top knee. Your legs open like a clamshell. On the exhale, slowly lower the knee back down without letting it touch the other. To do this, keep the thigh muscles under tension.
• With the accessory: on the inhale, lower your top knee to press against the accessory. On the exhale, slowly raise the knee back up without dropping the accessory.
• Repeat the movement 10 times, then switch sides.

The ideal? Having both accessories. Why? Because they engage your inner thighs in different ways! Include 2 to 4 sets of clamshells in your routine if you’re aiming for firm, toned thighs!

Exercise 5: Lateral Squat

No fitness routine is complete without squats! But this variation really puts your inner thighs to the test!

• Stand with one leg at shoulder width and the other extended out to the side. Feet are slightly turned out, hands clasped in front of your chest.
• On the inhale, bend the standing leg while the other stays extended to the side. Shift your hips slightly back without arching your lower back, keeping your core engaged.
• Slowly rise back up on the exhale.
• Repeat the movement 10 times, then switch sides.

Add 2 to 3 sets of 20 squats to your fitness routine. The great thing about squats: as well as working the inner thighs, they also engage the glutes and core, for an all-round workout for your figure.

Exercise 6: Boat Pose Variation

This is an incredibly demanding exercise that works your inner thighs just as much as your core.

• Sit balanced on your sit bones (the bony base of your pelvis), knees bent, accessory between your thighs (or legs). Each thigh should be in contact with one of the handles, with the base pointing towards your groin.
• On the inhale, lift your legs in front of you. Ideally, keep your arms free and maintain your balance without using them.
• Over 5 breaths, press your thighs against the accessory while holding the position.
• On the final exhale, slowly lower down by bending your knees first, then placing your feet back on the floor.

This exercise, inspired by Pilates, combines balance, core stability and muscle strengthening. It’s challenging but very complete, and you can repeat it 2 to 3 times as a transition between the other exercises.

Exercise 7: Lateral Extension/Press

The final exercise, which works equally well with the resistance band or the toning accessory — and as you might expect, the movements are reversed!

• Stand upright, either leaning against a wall or with your hands on your hips (if you feel steady enough).
• With the resistance band: loop the band around your legs. On the inhale, extend one leg out to the side. On the exhale, bring it back in towards the body without letting the band drop. To do this, keep the thigh muscles engaged.
• With the accessory: place the accessory between your thighs, base pointing towards your groin. On the inhale, lift one foot off the floor and bring the leg inward, pressing against the accessory. On the exhale, extend the leg back out without putting your foot down or dropping the accessory.
• Repeat the extension or press movement 10 times, then switch sides.

If you have both fitness accessories, even better! 2 to 3 sets of 20 extensions/presses will work your inner thighs, as well as your upper thighs and hips.

How to firm up your inner thighs

When it comes to firming up your inner thighs, the key to these exercises is holding the contraction. During the fire hydrant, lower your thigh without resting your knee on the floor. During the clamshell, keep your thigh muscles under tension. With the accessory, keep pressing without letting it drop. Start each session with the floor warm-up, then work through the exercises, slotting in the boat pose variation as a transition between moves if you like. Alternate between the resistance band and the accessory, as they work your inner thighs in different ways.

After your session, you can massage a moisturising cream into the area. Above all, focus on consistency: short, regular sessions, without pushing too hard.

Frequently asked questions

How can I strengthen my inner thighs quickly?

There’s no shortcut: consistency is what counts. Do the exercises in this routine several times a week, making sure to really contract the inner thigh muscles on every movement. Build up the number of sets gradually rather than pushing too hard from the start.

Which exercise is best for strengthening the inner thighs?

The lateral squat and the lateral leg press put the inner thighs to work in particular. The fire hydrant and the lateral leg press also work the hips, while the boat pose variation engages the core. The simplest approach is to combine several exercises from the routine so you work the area from different angles.

Can you strengthen your inner thighs without equipment?

Yes, to an extent. The warm-up and the lateral squat need no accessories, and you can do the fire hydrant without the resistance band, which is only there to add intensity. The lateral leg press, the clamshell, the boat pose variation and the lateral extension/press, on the other hand, require a resistance band or an inner thigh toner to create resistance.

Should I warm up before strengthening my inner thighs?

Yes — a warm-up prepares the muscles before you start your session. Exercise 1 in this routine, which you do on the floor, is enough to warm up your inner thighs before your workout.

How many sets should I do to strengthen my inner thighs?

Allow 2 to 3 sets for most exercises: 20 to 30 lifts for the fire hydrant, 20 presses for the lateral leg press, 20 lateral squats and 20 extensions/presses. The clamshell can go up to 4 sets, and the boat pose variation is repeated 2 to 3 times as a transition between the other exercises. Adjust to suit your level.

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