The Best Exercises for Toning Inner Thighs and Abs

The Best Exercises for Toning Inner Thighs and Abs

The infamous thigh gap and a flat-toned stomach have definitely become a trend. Today people and especially women, are more conscious about their bodies and overall health more than ever. Everyone wants at least one of the following: a toned tummy, leaner thighs, and toned arms. But getting a tight and toned bod is no easy feat – it requires a clean and overall healthy diet and regularly working out.

[ photo: pexels.com by oleg magni ]

The concept of working out has recently changed drastically- if once it was mandatory to get a gym membership, or better yet a personal trainer, today there are many other (affordable) options. 

Among these, the most popular is using a fitness app like the 30 Day Fitness Challenge app, that for example offers some of the best inner thigh workout routines, as well as many other kinds of customizable workouts and fitness plans. 

Here is quick rundown of the 5 the most effective exercises that help tone your thigh area and 5 for your abs.

Workouts to Tone Your Inner Thigh Area

1. Squats

Squats are an effective lower-body exercise that strengthens a bunch of muscles at once, including the thighs, core, calves, glutes, and hamstrings.

How to do a classic squat

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out, hips and knees facing forward and arms at your sides.

2. Bend your knees and lower your hips.

3. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Other squat variations that can help you tone your inner thighs include sumo squats, plié squats, goblet squats and lateral squats.

2. Lunges

Lunges are one of the best inner thigh workouts that you can do anywhere. This single-leg bodyweight exercise works the hips, core, hamstrings, glutes, and quads.

How to do basic lunges

1. Stand tall with your shoulders back, chin up and feet hip-width apart.

2. Take a step forward with one leg.

3. Lower your body until the thigh is parallel to the floor.

4. Press into the heel to push back up to the starting position.

5. Repeat on the other side.

Lunge variations like walking lunges, reverse lunges, curtsy lunges, slider lunges, and clock lunges can be nice additions to your lower body routine.

3. Mountain climbers

This workout is great for building core strength, cardio endurance, and agility. Not only do mountain climbers work several different muscle groups, but they’re also simple and can be done almost anywhere.

How to do mountain climbers

1. Get into a plank position

2. Pull one knee into your chest as far as you can.

3. Repeat the movement with the other knee.

4. Continue alternating the action with both knees as far and as fast as you can.

4. Froggies

Froggies are a great cardio workout to tone your inner thighs and open your hips.

How to do froggies:

1. Get into a plank position

2. Jump forward while looking straight and making sure that your knees are in line with the outside of the joints.

3. Jump back to the plank position.

4. Repeat the movement.

5. Burpees

Burpees are a full-body exercise that works most major muscle groups including the chest, shoulders, quads, abs, butts, inner thighs and triceps. This sweat-drenching exercise is commonly used as an aerobic exercise and in strength training.

How to do a burpee

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Drop in a squat position with your hands on the ground.

3. Go into a plank position with your arms extended.

4. Return your feet into a squat position.

5. Reach your arms over your head and jump up into the air.

6. Land then lower your back into a squat for the next rep.

Workouts to Tone Your Abs

1. Commando plank

1. Begin in the plank position.

2. Go into a push plank position using one arm at a time.

3. Repeat the movement on each side.

2. Flutter kicks

Flutter kicks work the muscles of the core specifically the hip flexors and the lower rectus abdominal muscles.

How to do flutter kicks

1. Lie on your back, facing up.

2. Place both hands underneath your rear.

3. Lift your legs off the ground slightly past hip height.

4. Rhythmically raise one leg higher and hold for two seconds, then switch.

5. Repeat 15 to 20 times.

3. Russian twists

This core body exercise is great for strengthening your obliques, abdominal muscles and lower back muscles.

How to do Russian twists

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent.

2. Keep your back at a 45-degree angle to the ground.

3. Hold your arms together straight out in front of you.

4. Twist your torso from side to side.

4. Plank hip dips

A modified version of the elbow plank, plank hip dips strengthen the obliques, abs and lower back and helps to whittle your waist.

How to do plank hip dips

1. From an elbow plank and with your feet hip-width apart, rotate your hip to the left and lower your body almost to the floor.

2. Return to the elbow plank position and repeat on the right side.

3. Keep alternating sides for 20 seconds.

5. Legs lifts 

1. Lie flat on your back.

2. Place your hands on the floor beside you.

3. With your legs straight and together, raise them off the ground.

4. Hold for at least 30 seconds.

5. Return to starting position.

These are just some of the many exercises that you can incorporate into your workout routine for toned obliques and inner thighs.