Inner thigh lift

The inner thigh lift strengthens your inner thigh muscles. Use caution if you have lower back problems.

Getting set
Roll up a bath towel (or use a step aerobics platform). Lie on your right side with your head resting on your outstretched arm. Bend your left leg and rest your knee on top of the rolled towel so that your knee is level with your hip and your top hip is directly over your bottom hip. Place your left hand on the floor in front of your chest for support. Pull your abdominals in. See photo A.

The exercise
Lift your bottom (right) leg a few inches off the floor. Pause briefly at the top of the movement, and slowly lower your leg back down. Switch sides and do the same number of repetitions with your left leg. See photo B.

Do’s and don’ts

• DON’T lift your leg more than a few inches. Stop when you feel tension in your inner thigh. How high you need to lift depends on your flexibility, your strength, and your build.
• DON’T arch your back as you lift your leg.

Other options
Modified inner thigh lift (easier): Instead of placing your top knee on the towel, bend your knee and place your foot behind your bottom leg.
Inner thigh lift with a weight (harder): Wear an ankle weight while performing the inner thigh lift. If you have bad knees, drape the weight on top of your inner thigh.

Side-lying leg lift

The side-lying leg lift strengthens your outer thigh muscles. Pay attention to the instructions marked by the Posture Patrol icon, particularly if you have a history of lower back pain.

Getting set
Lie on the floor on your left side with your legs a few inches in front of you, knees bent slightly, and head resting on your outstretched arm. Bend your right arm and place your palm on the floor in front of your chest for support. Align your right hip directly over your left hip and pull your abdominals in so your back isn’t arched. See photo A.

The exercise
Keeping your knee slightly bent, raise your right leg until your foot reaches shoulder height. Then slowly lower your leg back down. Switch sides and do the same number of repetitions with your left leg. See photo B.

Do’s and don’ts

• DO keep your top hip stacked directly over your bottom hip; don’t roll backward.
• DO keep your head down and your neck and shoulders relaxed.
• DO keep your abdominals pulled in to help your body remain still so you work only your outer thigh.
• DON’T raise your foot any higher than shoulder height.

Other options

• Modified leg lift (easier): Bend your top knee even more when performing the side-lying leg lift.
• Leg lift with rotation (harder): When you reach the top of the movement, rotate your thigh outward by turning your knee up to the ceiling; then rotate back to the original position and lower your leg back down.
• Leg lift with a weight (harder): Place an ankle weight on your ankle or, if you have knee problems, on top of your thigh.

Inner/outer thigh machine

The inner/outer thigh machine sets to strengthen either your inner thigh muscles or your outer thigh muscles. Skaters, skiers, and basketball players —anyone involved in side-to-side movements — can help prevent injury by using this machine.

Getting set
Set the machine so the leg mechanisms are together and the knee and ankle pads are rotated to the outside. Sit up tall in the seat, and bend your knees so they rest against the thigh pads and the outside of your ankles rest against the ankle pads. If there’s a seat belt, wear it to help keep you from popping out of the machine. Pull your abdominals in and sit up tall. See photo A.

The exercise
Press your knees outward until you feel tension in your outer thighs. Hold the position for a moment, and then slowly allow your legs to move back together. This is the outer thigh, or abduction, exercise. To set the machine for the inner thigh, or adduction, exercise, shift the leg mechanisms so they’re comfortably spread apart, and turn the knee and ankle pads toward the inside. Position your legs so that the inside of your knees rest against the thigh pads, and the inside of your ankles rest against the ankle pads. Pull your legs together, and then slowly move them back out to a point at which you feel a comfortable stretch through your inner thighs. See photo B.

Do’s and don’ts

• DO control the movement in both directions. If you hear the weight stack come crashing down, slow down.
• DO change the weight between exercises if you need to. Most people use approximately the same weight for both inner and outer thigh exercises, but don’t take that for granted.
• aDON’T arch your back or wiggle around in the seat in an effort to assist your legs.

Other options
Vary seat position: Some machines allow you to decline the seat back a few degrees or even all the way down so you can lie flat. Experiment with different back positions to see what’s most comfortable for you and to give the exercise a different feel.