Inner thighs exercises in 3D

The inner thighs: Adductor longus, brevis and magnus; gracilis; pectineus

A group of muscles filling the inside of the thigh, from the pubic bone and the bottom of the pelvis to the inside of the thigh bone. The adductor magnus is one of the largest muscles in the leg and works as a hip extensor too.

What the inner thighs do

• Pull the leg in toward the midline (adduction)
• Help straighten the hip from a deep squat (adductor magnus)
• Steady the pelvis and knee in squats, lunges and sprinting

The 3 best inner thighs exercises

Each one is shown on the 3D figure above, position by position, with the inner thighs lit red. Tap one to watch it.

Sumo squat

Beginner · Dumbbells · works inner thighs and glutes, with help from the quads and hamstrings. Typical: 3 × 8–12. Watch it in 3D

1. Stand with your feet wide and toes turned out about 30–45°.
2. Hold one dumbbell by its end, hanging between your legs.
3. Sit straight down, pushing your knees out over your toes.
4. Stand back up, squeezing your glutes and inner thighs.

Keep in mind: Knees out over the toes; Torso upright; Weight on the heels and mid-foot. Avoid: knees caving in; leaning forward; stance so wide the knees cannot track.

Side lunge

Intermediate · Bodyweight · works inner thighs and quads, with help from the glutes and hamstrings. Typical: 3 × 8–12 each side. Watch it in 3D

1. Stand with your feet very wide, toes slightly out.
2. Shift your weight to one side, bending that knee and sitting the hips back, while the other leg stays straight.
3. Feel the stretch along the inside of the straight leg.
4. Push back to the middle and repeat on the other side.

Keep in mind: Bent knee follows the toes; Heel of the bent leg stays down; Chest up. Avoid: knee collapsing inward; heel lifting; rounding the back.

Copenhagen plank

Advanced · Bodyweight, Bench · works inner thighs, with help from the obliques, abs and outer hips. Typical: 3 × 50 s. Watch it in 3D

1. Lie on your side next to a bench and put your top foot and ankle on it (the knee on the bench is an easier version).
2. Prop yourself on your bottom forearm.
3. Squeeze your top leg down into the bench to lift your hips, so your body is straight.
4. Hold, keeping the bottom leg off the floor. Switch sides.

Keep in mind: Squeeze the bench with the top leg; Hips high; Start with the knee on the bench. Avoid: hips sagging; starting with the long lever too soon; rolling forward.

Exercises where the inner thighs help

These train other muscles first, but the inner thighs work alongside them:

• Romanian deadlift (barbell)
• Deadlift (barbell)
• Good morning (barbell)
• Dumbbell Romanian deadlift (dumbbells)
• Bodyweight squat (bodyweight)
• Box squat (bodyweight, bench)
• Goblet squat (dumbbells)
• Barbell back squat (barbell)
• Front squat (barbell)
• Forward lunge (bodyweight)
• Bulgarian split squat (dumbbells, bench)
• Leg press (machine)
• Wall sit (bodyweight)
• Barbell hip thrust (barbell, bench)

How to train the inner thighs

• Wide-stance squats and side lunges train them hard in a stretch.
• Copenhagen planks are one of the best exercises for strength and groin-injury prevention.
• Warm them up well before fast side-to-side sports.

Questions

Other muscles: Glutes · Outer hips · Quads · Hamstrings · Hip flexors · Calves · Shins · All muscles

General fitness information for healthy adults, not medical advice.