As we become more and more busy in our lifestyle and most of our jobs require us to sit in the same place for a long time, regular exercise becomes all the more important to keep ourselves healthy and fit. We might find it difficult to maintain regularity, but it is important to understand that every step that we take towards self care will reap high returns in the long term. You might be wondering how to get rid of thigh fat or how to tone legs through leg exercise at home. To make your life easier, a list of 10 effective inner tight exercises are given below, which you can follow step by step to build up your everyday leg workout routine which will result in toned legs.
Effective Inner Tight Exercises
Sumo Squats
This leg exercise stresses the inner thigh muscles, and quads, glutes, calves and, hamstrings.
- Start by standing in a manner that you keep your feet apart wide enough and toes pointing at 45 degrees.
- Start squatting and bend at the knees and the hips while you keep your knees out and chest up.
- Keep squatting low enough till your thighs become parallel to the floor and push yourself to go slightly beyond that as well.
- Come back to the starting position. Try doing 3-4 sets of 8 to 15 reps.
Walking Lunges
Walking lunges help in making the core strong and the sides of the body stronger along with boosting hip flexibility.
- Stand straight and keep your feet apart according to the width of your shoulders approximately. Put your hands on the hips or keep it on the side.
- Put weight on your heels and take a step-in front with your right leg.
- Next bending your right knee, lower down your body so that it is parallel to the ground maintain a lunge position and maintain that position for a beat.
- Move the left foot forward keeping the right leg in the same position and repeat the same routine for the left leg. Take a pause when the left leg parallels the ground in the lunge position. the same movement
- Continue this movement with alternate legs “walking” in front as you continue lunging. 10 to 12 reps on each leg and 2-3 sets are ideal for effective results.
Leg Extension
This exercise strengthens the quad and important attachments in the knee joint.
- Set up the leg extension machine so the pad is at the top of your lower legs at the ankles. Your knees are at 90 degrees. Select a weight that will give you a moderate load for 10 to 12 repetitions.
- Set the leg extension machine in a way that the pad is placed on top of the lower legs near your ankles. Knees should be at 90 degrees. Make sure that you select weights so that you can comfortably go for 10-12 repetitions.
- Hold the hand bar and slowly lift the weight and exhale till the legs become straight. Keep your back straight and don’t lock the knees.
- Again, breathe out and bring the weight back to where you started.
- Try three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
Side Leg Extensions
Side leg extensions boost flexibility and posture. For women, it helps in getting rid of cellulite.
- Lie down with one side of your body on the floor balancing with the lower arm. Place your upper hand in front of the body so that you get support.
- Brace your abs and bring the bottom leg in front of the top leg and let the inside of the top foot to rest on the floor. Next, without moving your hips, lift the upper leg towards the ceiling. Pause for a beat and then bring the leg down.
- Do 2 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
Side Leg Raises
This exercise helps in toning hips, thigh muscles and the butt. It helps in increasing mass of lean muscles in the body.
- Take a robust chair and stand behind it, keeping your feet apart. Hold the chair for balance.
- Breathing out, lift one leg gradually towards one side.
- Paise in that position for one second.
- Slowly lower down your leg as you breathe in.
- Repeat 10-15 times on each leg.
Diamond Kicks
Diamond Kicks help in increasing the strength of the hip, inner thighs and knee joints.
- Lie on the ground on your back and keep your arms on the side. Slowly raise your legs towards the ceiling.
- Bending your knees, bring together the soles of your feet, like that of a frog.
- Next, spread your legs on both sides as wide as possible after which squeeze the inner thighs bringing them together.
- Go back to the frog posture and complete the set.
- 2-3 sets of 30 second to 1-minute sets is advisable for effective results.
Side Plank
Side planks help in toning one’s shoulders as well as legs from the hip to the heel.
- The starting posture should be such that you lie on your side, keeping the feet together and your forearms should be directly under the shoulder.
- Then raise the hips till your body comes in a straight line from head to toe while contracting your core.
- Hold the posture and do not let your hip drop in any of the sets. Repeat the routine on each side.
- Try holding the position for 10 seconds and do 3 to 4 sets.
- Deep Side Lunges
These lunges strengthen the glutes, hamstrings and the quads improving the muscles of the inner thigh.
- Start by keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and parallel to each other. Keep your back straight and put your weight on the heels.
- Take a big step to one of the sides and keeping your torso straight, lower down till the knee of the leading leg is bent to almost 90 degrees. Keep the trailing leg straight.
- Push back and return to your starting posture.
- Practice 20 lunges on each leg every day.
Inner thigh lifts
These lifts help in trimming the inner thighs and also helps in improving body balance.
- Lie on the floor on your side, lengthening your bottom leg, cross the top leg over it. Also, keep your foot or knee in a resting position on the floor. Use your arm to rest the head.
- As you exhale, lift your bottom leg up, and inhale as you lower it back down. Your torso should stay still while you do this.
- Lift up the bottom leg while you exhale and when you lower it again, take a deep breath in. The torso should not move during the process.
- Do 10 repetitions on each side
Cross Jacks
These improve metabolism, stimulates relaxation and keeps up the heart rate.
- The starting position is to keep your feet apart and extend the arms out on both sides, keeping your palms facing downwards.
- Jump and cross the right foot over your left while crossing over the right arm over the left. Jump back to the position you started with and then repeat the same with opposite pairs of hands and feet. This counts as one entire rep.
- Continue alternating till you finish 25 reps in total per day.
Including these leg exercises as a part of leg work out routine every day will surely give you results but maintaining regularity is key to getting effective results.