I’m kind of obsessed with giving my clients inner thigh exercises.

When the inner thigh muscles are worked correctly, they not only give a beautiful look to legs, they help support and stabilize the pelvis, low back and knees.

I feel like inner thigh exercises are the missing piece for many people looking for a workout to help with low back and knee pain!

The problem is, almost everyone works their inner thigh muscles wrong.

Your experience working your inner thighs probably includes one of two things. You either used that lovely infomercial product back in the 1980’s that you put between your knees and squeezed, OR you’ve used the sitting adductor machine at the gym.

I was a proud user of both of these in the past, so I can relate!

The major problem with these machines is that 1) you are sitting with your knees bent, and 2) you just load more weight on to increase the resistance.

Let’s discuss why these things are a problem when working your inner thigh muscles.

Anatomy lesson warning!

The adductor muscles (inner thigh muscles) attach at your pubic bone and run down your inner thigh to attach at the knee. That means the majority of these muscles cross two joints – the hip and the knee.

If you work these muscles only in a sitting position with the knees bent, you are not working them in a fully lengthened position. While this isn’t an issue with some body parts, it is with the inner thighs.

Let’s use the bicep curl as an example.

Imagine you are doing bicep curls with 15 pound weights. You do 3 sets of 12 repetitions a few times a week. They start to get easier, so you add more weight and continue the process.

You are looking for some definition and bulk in your biceps, which is what you will get.

Mission accomplished.

That isn’t really our goal with inner thighs.

We don’t want to “bulk” and build more and more strength. We want to lengthen and define the muscles by toning them with less weight in a lengthened position.

This will give you the look you want AND work them in a way to optimize their ability to stabilize both the pelvis and the knee.

By adding some HIIT and eating right, you will burn calories and slim down, leading to the extra “layer of fun” on the inner thigh muscles burning away.

You are then left with the long and lean inner thigh muscles you have been looking for!

To show you an example of a great inner thigh routine you can do quickly at home, I put together this video for you! You don’t need any equipment and you’ll love the shaky leg feeling you have at the end!

You can also check out this barre routine that focuses primarily on your inner thigh muscles!

Do them back to back and you get a gold star.

So say “good-bye” to that awful inner thigh machine at the gym forever! (I mean who really wants to sit on that and open and close their legs 20 times anyway? Awkward is an understatement.)

Say hello to a happier back, healthier knees and beautiful legs.