Getting into Position
Use an exercise mat to make this exercise more comfortable. If you don’t have an exercise mat, you can lie down on a carpeted area, fold a blanket in half, or stack 2 to 3 open towels on the ground instead. This will help to provide some padding between your body and the floor, which will help to make you more comfortable during the exercise. Avoid doing this exercise on a hard floor without any padding. Lying directly on a hard floor will be very uncomfortable and possibly even painful. You can also do inner thigh lifts while lying down on a sofa or bed if you prefer. Just make sure the bed or sofa isn’t too squishy or bouncy or you might not have enough stability to do the exercise.
Lie down on your side with your legs out straight. Position yourself with your left hip on the ground and your legs stacked on top of each other. Ensure that your legs are extending out straight from your hip just like they would be if you were standing up. Flex your feet and stack your ankles as well. If this position feels uncomfortable, try relaxing your knees and hips slightly. It’s okay if you have a slight bend in them. Just make sure they are mostly straight.
Support your upper body with your left elbow. Look in a mirror or ask a friend to check your position. Ensure that your left elbow is directly under your shoulder, not under your neck or chest. Place your right hand behind your head if you want to challenge yourself a little more. You can also rest your right hand on the ground in front of you if you need more stability. If supporting your upper body with your elbow feels uncomfortable, lie all the way down on your side with your arm outstretched above your head and your palm on the floor. Rest your head on your bicep and relax your neck. Put your right hand on the floor in front of your chest for extra stability.
Bring your right foot in front of your left knee and place it on the ground. Put your right foot flat on the ground with your toe pointing down towards your other foot at a 45-degree angle from your knee. Move your right heel forward until it is about 6 to 8 in (15 to 20 cm) from your left knee. Variation: To make the exercise harder, try placing your right foot on top of your left knee instead of in front of it. This will add resistance when you do the inner thigh lifts.
Doing the Basic Exercise
Lift your left leg 6 to 12 in (15 to 30 cm) off the ground. Keep your right foot planted on the floor in front of your left knee. Flex your left foot so that your toes are pointing straight ahead and keep your leg straight. Then, use your inner thigh muscles to lift your leg upwards as far as it will go. If your right foot is on top of your left knee, you will feel extra resistance as you lift.Variation: If this feels too easy, try placing a dumbbell on top of your inner thigh. Use your right hand to keep it steady as you lift your leg. Start with a light dumbbell, such as a 5 lb (2.3 kg) dumbbell, and increase the weight as you gain strength.
Hold your leg up for about 1 second and squeeze your glutes. When you get to the highest point that you’re able to lift your leg, squeeze your glute (butt) muscles. Hold the squeeze for about 1 second, and then release and relax your glutes again. Make sure to keep your core engaged while you hold your leg up, such as by tensing your abs.Variation: To work your glutes even more while you do inner thigh lifts, hold the squeeze for longer. Try holding it for 5, 10, or even 15 seconds to intensify the exercise. Increase the amount of time that you hold the squeeze as you gain strength.
Lower your foot back down until your ankle hits the ground. Bring your leg down slowly towards the ground until it’s back in the start position again. This completes 1 leg lift. Variation: To make the exercise more challenging, hover your ankle 2 to 3 in (5.1 to 7.6 cm) above the ground instead of lowering it all the way back down with each repetition.
Repeat the exercise 15-20 times with your left leg, then switch. Since this exercise uses small movements and minimal resistance, doing more reps will help you to build strength and tone your muscles. After you finish your reps on your left leg, turn onto your right side and repeat the exercise with your right leg. This will complete 1 set. Do a total of 3-4 sets of this exercise.
Include this exercise in your strength-training regimen. Doing inner thigh lifts alone is unlikely to make a noticeable difference in your physique, so make sure to do other leg strengthening exercises as well. When you strength-train your legs, work your thighs, calves, glutes, and hamstrings as well. Some exercises you can do along with inner thigh lifts include: Squats Lunges Calf raises Hamstring curls Leg lifts
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