10 Adductor Exercises to Add to Your Workout to Strengthen Your Inner Thighs
For many folks, adductor exercises are a neglected part of strength training. Unlike other lower-body players—like the glutes, quads, and calves—the inner thighs are typically not top of mind for a lot of exercisers, in part because they’re usually out of view, Femi Betiku, PT, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist and Pilates instructor in Westchester, New York, tells SELF.
And that’s a shame: Because whether you see them or not, strong inner thighs really do a lot to support and stabilize your body, allowing you to safely perform a host of movements in life, sports, and the gym.
With that in mind, we tapped fitness pros for a roundup of excellent adductor exercises that’ll have your inner thighs quaking—many of which you can easily do at home with just your bodyweight. We also got the intel on what role this muscle group plays in your body, the importance of bolstering it with strength exercises, and the best ways to work adductor exercises into your routine. Here’s what you (and your neglected inner thighs) need to know.
What do your adductors do anyway?
Your inner thighs, formally known as your adductors, are a group of five muscles that sit on the inside of your upper leg between your pelvis and knee. Any time you bring your leg closer to the center of your body (like stepping your feet together), your adductors are firing.
“Their main function is to stabilize your pelvis,” according to Dr. Betiku. They also help steady your knees, he adds. Because of this, they play a big role in your balance, whether you’re walking, running, climbing stairs, or playing sports. This is especially true if you’re moving on an unstable surface, like a hiking trail or grassy field, Dr. Betiku says.
The adductors are also key for athletes like soccer, football, and basketball players, Dr. Betiku says—really anyone whose sport requires them to perform explosive movements and quickly change directions, he explains.
Beyond that, the inner thighs help you perform daily tasks like sitting down in a chair and getting out of the car, Dr. Betiku says. And they also assist with tasks like lifting a heavy box or picking up your kids, Rachel Pieroni, CPT, Master Trainer for Pure Barre in New Jersey, tells SELF. That’s because to perform those actions correctly and safely, you’ll want to take a wide stance, which is one surefire way to light up the adductors. (More on that in a moment.)
Why are adductor exercises so important?
Like we mentioned, your adductors play a big role in stabilizing your pelvis. So if your inner thighs aren’t strong enough to do that job, then other muscles—like your hip flexors, hamstrings, and quads, for instance—will step in and take on some of that load, Dr. Betiku. This can put a lot of stress on those helpers, and ultimately up your chances of injury there.
Weak adductors can also contribute to hip instability, which could lead to hip impingements and ultimately labral tears within the hip socket, Pieroni says. Hip instability caused by weak adductors can impact your running (and walking) gait, making it less optimal and upping chances of injury, and also create difficulty engaging your glutes, Pieroni says.
That’s why inner-thigh exercises are so crucial: By regularly targeting this muscle group, you can bolster its strength and lower your chances of experiencing all these issues. You’ll also improve your ability to stay safely balanced as you move about daily life and participate in sports.
What’s the best way to work your inner thighs?
Taking a wide stance as you squat is one of the best ways to work your inner thighs, Dr. Betiku says. That’s because this opens up your hips, and your adductors need to kick on in order to keep your knees in line with your toes in this positioning, he explains. (Otherwise, your knees would collapse inward.) For bonus inner thigh activation in that wide stance, angle your toes slightly out, Pieroni says. “When your feet are turned forward, there is more of an emphasis on the tops of your thighs and your quads,” she explains. But when those feet point out? Hello, adductors!
Beyond that, doing single-leg moves that challenge your center of gravity—like standing on one leg atop a Bosu ball, or doing split squats, for example—is another way to work this muscle group, Dr. Betiku says. You can also work them with exercises that involve bringing your legs out from and then back toward the center of your body (like lateral lunges, side-lying inner thigh leg raises, and in-and-out squat jumps, to name a few), as well as moves like glute bridges that involve pelvic stability, and ones like step-ups that require knee stability.
How should you best work adductor exercises into your strength training routine?
If you’re someone who likes to do regular dedicated leg workouts, then slot in a couple inner-thigh exercises every time you work your lower half, Dr. Betiku suggests. If you do more full-body strength workouts (or other forms of exercise), then weave one to two adductor exercises into your warm-up, he suggests. For example, you could do bodyweight sumo squats and side-lying inner thigh leg circles before getting into your main workout, he says. However you choose to incorporate inner-thigh exercises, “the key is to just not forget that [your adductors] are there and that they’re important,” Dr. Betiku says.
Here are some adductor exercises to try.
Need some inspo to finally work your inner thighs? Check out the moves below—many of which rely just on your bodyweight, making them an easy addition to your at-home workout.
Katie ThompsonSumo Squat
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out, hands clasped together in front of your chest.
- Engage your core and keep your chest lifted and back flat as you shift your weight into your heels, push your hips back, and bend your knees to lower into a squat.
- Drive through your heels to stand and squeeze your glutes at the top. That’s 1 rep.
This squat variation has you taking a wide stance and angling your toes out, which places a spotlight on your adductors. Specifically, they’re really worked in the second half of the move, since you squeeze your inner thighs as you press through your feet and stand up, Pieroni explains.
Katie ThompsonSumo Squat Pulse
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out, arms by your sides.
- Engage your core and keep your chest lifted and back flat as you shift your weight into your heels, push your hips back, and bend your knees to lower into a squat. Reach your arms towards the floor.
- Perform three pulses where you drive through your heels to stand halfway up before lowering back into the squat. On the third pulse, stand all the way up and squeeze your glutes at the top. That’s 1 rep.
A riff on the classic sumo squat, this exercise has you pulsing at the bottom of the movement, which especially fires up your inner thighs, glutes, and quads. Make it harder by holding a weight with both hands.
Katie ThompsonLateral Lunge
- Stand with your feet together and your palms pressed together at chest level. This is the starting position.
- Take a big step (about 2 feet) out to the right. When your foot hits the floor, hinge forward at the hips, push your butt back, and bend your right knee to lower into a lunge. Keep your left leg straight.
- Pause for a second, and then push off your right leg to return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
- Do all your reps on one side, then repeat with the other leg. You can also alternate legs if you prefer.
This lunge variation is a great one for targeting your inner thighs, as those muscles really fire up as you push through your moving leg and return to the starting position, Pieroni explains. Correct form involves keeping your stationary leg straight as you shift to the side; if you notice that leg bending, modify it by taking a shorter step out to the side, she says. Make it harder by holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Katie ThompsonSingle-Leg Glute Bridge
- Lie faceup with your knees bent and heels a few inches away from your butt, so that when arms are at your sides the fingertips can touch your heels.
- Lift your left foot and extend your leg straight, so your knees are still in line with one another.
- Now engage your glutes and lift your hips, pushing off your right foot. Return hips to floor, but do not lower your left leg. This is 1 rep.
- Do all your reps, then switch sides and repeat.
Compared to standing single-leg moves like lateral lunges and step-ups, this inner-thigh exercise is not as much of a stability challenge thanks to the support you have from lying on the ground. It works well as a warm-up before those standing single-leg exercises we mentioned.
Katie ThompsonPilates Criss-Cross
- Lie on your back with legs extended. Place your hands on the back of your head, keeping your elbows wide, and curl your head off the floor.
- Engage your core and press your low back into the ground as you raise your legs about a foot off the floor, toes angled upwards.
- Cross your right leg over the left, then switch and cross the left leg over the right. That’s 1 rep.
This bodyweight exercise works your inner thighs while also challenging your core and hip flexors. Make sure your lower back stays pressed into the floor as you complete your reps.
Step-Up
- Stand in front of a sturdy box or step, feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides.
- Step onto your box with your left foot, then follow with your right foot. Pause for a moment when both feet are on top of the box, hip-width apart.
- With control, return your left foot to the floor, then step your right foot to the floor to return to your starting position. This is 1 rep.
Here you’re firing up your adductors while also working your outer thighs, hips, and the muscles that surround your knees, Dr. Betiku says. Make it easier by ditching the dumbbells and performing reps with just your bodyweight.
Katie ThompsonSide-Lying Inner-Thigh Raise
- Lie on one side with your legs out straight and stacked on top of each other and your torso flat on the mat or propped up on your forearm.
- Cross your top leg over your bottom leg, bending at the knee so that your top foot is in front of your bottom knee.
- Lift your bottom leg toward the ceiling in a slow and controlled movement. Keep your torso stable throughout. Return to the starting position. This is 1 rep.
A classic inner-thigh exercise, this move also works your pelvic floor and lower abs, Pieroni says. At the same time, your obliques (side torso muscles) are helping to stabilize your body, she adds. Make it harder by wearing ankle weights, Dr. Betiku says.
Katie ThompsonSumo Deadlift With Barbell
- Stand behind your barbell with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and toes angled out. (The more you turn your feet out, the more this move will work your inner thighs.)
- Lean forward and wrap both hands around the barbell. You can also do this move with dumbbells by holding a weight in each hand in the middle of your legs, or with a single weight holding it with both hands.
- Keeping your core tight, push through your heels to stand up straight. Keep the barbell directly underneath your body as you pull upward.
- Pause at the top and squeeze your butt.
- Now, hinge at your hips and bend your knees to lower your body. Push your butt far back and keep your back flat. Your torso should be almost parallel to the floor and the barbell weights may tap the floor, though you should not allow the weight to rest on the floor. This is 1 rep.
Similar to the sumo squat, the sumo deadlift really fires up your inner thighs due to the wide, angled stance you take. Using a barbell is pretty advanced—make it less intense by using dumbbells or kettlebells instead.
Katie ThompsonIn and Out Squat Jump
- Stand tall with feet together, palms pressed together at chest level. This is the starting position.
- Jump your feet wide as you bend your knees, hinge forward at your torso, and reach one arm towards the ground. Let your other arm swing behind you. Tap the ground with your fingertips and then jump your feet together and return to the starting position.
- Now repeat, this time reaching your other arm towards the ground. This is 1 rep.
This squat variation is a light plyometric exercise that forces your inner-thigh muscles to work in tandem with the other hip and lower-body muscle groups, Dr. Betiku says. You’ll feel your adductors firing up every time you jump your legs together.
Katie ThompsonSide-Lying Inner Thigh Circles
- Lie on one side with your legs out straight and stacked on top of each other and your torso flat on the mat or propped up on your forearm.
- Cross your top leg over your bottom leg, bending at the knee so that your top foot is in front of your bottom knee.
- Lift your bottom leg several inches off the ground and from here, make small circles with your leg in a clockwise direction. Keep your torso stable. One circle equals 1 rep. Do a set number of reps, then switch sides and repeat.
This exercise is similar to the side-lying inner-thigh raise, except you’re moving the leg in a circular motion (multiplanar motion) instead of just lifting it up and down (which is motion in a single plane). This activates more of your inner-thigh muscles along with other hip muscles too, Dr. Betiku says.
Demoing the moves above are Amber Edwards (GIFs 1, 2, 4) a NYC-based licensed occupational therapist and strength coach; Zach Bergfelt (GIFs 3, 5, 9, 10), a certified Pilates and group fitness instructor in NYC; Chad Ryan (GIF 6), a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and life coach; Jowan Ortega (GIF 7), a personal trainer, sports performance coach, and partner at Form Fitness in Brooklyn; and Davi Cohen (GIF 8).
Related:
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