Resistance Band Exercises for the Inner Thigh

An inexpensive and portable tool used to strengthen your body, resistance bands can help sculpt your inner thigh muscles. They can serve as a valuable addition to your inner thigh toning exercises, and you can do the moves right in your own home.

Read more: The Perfect Full Lower-Body Workout for Leg Days When You're Short on Time

Not everyone has the time to head to the gym. For those looking for a workout alternative to gym weight machines, resistance bands are a convenient option because they're light and portable, says a March 2018 study from the Journal of Human Kinetics.

As an added bonus, they promote similar strength gains to conventional resistance training, even in different population profiles, according to a February 2019 review from SAGE Open Medicine.

The following movements from the American Council on Exercise use a resistance band and can get you started on productive inner thigh toning exercises:

Move 1: Squats

1. Loop a resistance band around both legs right above your knees and stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Bend your knees, push your glutes back and lower your body down. Keep your head straight and abs engaged.
3. Squeeze your glutes as you push through your heels back to standing.
4. Complete two sets of 10 reps.

Move 2: Clamshells

1. Loop a resistance band around both legs right above your knees.
2. Lie on your side with your knees bent and legs stacked on top of each other.
3. Keep your feet together and raise your top knee as high as you can. Keep your lower leg on the floor.
4. Lower your top leg.
5. Complete 10 reps; then switch sides.
6. Complete two sets of 10 reps on each side.

Move 3: Lateral Walks

1. Loop the band right above your knees.

2. Squeeze your abs to stabilize your pelvis.

3. Step to the right as far as you can without turning your hips out or titling your pelvis. Slowly, in a controlled manner, move your left foot toward your right.
   

4. Continue moving to the right for five steps.
   

5. Move to the left for five steps back to center.
   

6. Do two sets of five reps.

Move 4: Standing Hip Adduction

1. Stand up with your right side next to a sturdy object.
2. Loop a band above your ankle and around a sturdy object, such as the leg of a table or chair without wheels.
3. Step away from the sturdy object to allow for slight tension in the resistance band.
4. Relax your arms at your sides and engage your abs.
5. Pull your right leg away from the sturdy object and cross it in front of your left shin. This will increase the tension in the band.
6. Return your right leg to the start position. Complete 10 reps.
7. Switch legs.
8. Do two sets of 10 reps on each leg.

Read more: 3 Lower-Body Supersets to Pump Up Your Legs, Butt and Calves

As with any fitness equipment, you should follow proper protocol to keep yourself as safe as possible. For anyone new to resistance bands, starting slowly can help you avoid overloading your body and risking long-term damage.

To begin, following these tips from the Cleveland Clinic can make this new equipment more user friendly:

• Always wear shoes.
• If you connect the band to a doorway, make sure you tug on it first to ensure its security.
• Check the band for wear and tear. A band with cracks can lead to injury.
• Keep resistance bands out of the sun as this can lead to cracking.
• The bands have specific colors. The darker colors have more resistance. If you're new to strength training, you might want to stick to lighter colors. As you progress, you can switch to a darker band.
• Don't overstretch them as they can snap and break.

Read more: 7 Resistance Band Exercises to Replace Clunky Weight Machines