It’s that time…with swimsuit season in full swing, it’s time to talk inner thigh thinning and ALL the errors you’re making! Who knew you’ve been doing it WRONG all these years?! Countless hours spent doing exercises you THINK are “spot reducing” the fat on your inner thighs…when really those exercises are actually BULKING THEM UP!
TRUTH: You cannot spot reduce. Nope. Nada. Not possible (without some magical wand, surgical procedure, or pixie dust). What this means is that no matter how hard you work your inner thighs, those movements alone WILL NOT burn fat. Fat loss is done in the kitchen!
ALSO TRUTH: Those inner thigh lifts you’ve been doing relentlessly at gym all these years —called ADDUCTORS— are actually just doing what lifting does…building muscle.
So while you thought you were slimming your thighs by doing countless reps on the machine that mimics Suzanne Summers Thigh Master from the 70’s, what you were actually doing was building so absolutely beautiful (and slightly larger) Adductor Longus and Gracilis muscles…ie. inner thighs.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to point out a problem without giving you a solution or ten. So let’s talk SOLUTIONS. Watch this vid real fast…then scroll down for all the solutions + PLUS my favorite AT-HOME RESISTANCE BAND MOVES to thin those inner thighs.
YOU CAN’T SPOT REDUCE YOUR INNER THIGHS.
So let’s talk about this + get into the magical moves! Two very important things to remember:
1. First and most importantly, don’t forget “calories in, calories out!” I cannot post about this without reminding you. Fat cannot be lost at a calorie surplus. This is a longer post for another day, BUT eat at either a deficit OR maintenance (asterisk…we’ll talk later) to burn fat….GLOBALLY (ie. All over the body, which is how body fat is lost!).
2. ABduct!! Don’t ADduct!! A-B. ABDUCT. As in “AWAY from the body.” Grab the machine NEXT to the one you always hop on…you know, the one where you press your knees OUTWARD and feel it more in your glutes?! Yeah. That one. By focusing on the OPPOSITE motion, we are able to inflate and sculpt opposing muscles that help create the look of an ACTUAL THINNER INNER THIGH.
* Add in some squats w/ weight on heels, hip thrusts w/ and w/out band, banded squat walks…and you’re golden.
Resistance Band Moves for Thinner Thighs
Now for the moves. Here are three of my faves exercises for building the booty and shaping thighs for bikini season (or really any season, for that matter!). The best part about these moves? NO GYM, NO PROBLEM! You can do them from the comfort of your home, your hotel, your kids soccer game, or poolside while you play! Now let’s do work.
Shop my favorite Resistance Band Set and 4KOR Resistance Band →
AIR SQUATS
- Begin in a standing position, feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly out from parallel. Place the resistance band just above the knees.
- Keeping your weight on your heels, bend your knees and lower your buttocks down and back, as if being pulled from a belt.
- Using your arms as a counterbalance, reach upward as the crease of your hips drops slightly below your kneecap, making sure that your knees are tracking directly over your toes (not inward).
CLAM SHELLS
- Lie on the floor on your side with your legs bent at around 90 degrees at the knees, knees on top of each other and forward so you feel supported. If you’re using a resistance band, place it just above your knees.
- Keeping your hips straight and “stacked” on top of each other, raise the top knee up towards the ceiling, keeping your feet together, like a clamshell. Squeeze your glutes to drive the movement, making sure your pelvis doesn’t roll backwards as you raise your knee.
- Return to the starting position.
STANDING LEG ABDUCTORS
- Begin in a standing position with a resistance band around your ankles. Holding your core tight, transfer your weight to one leg and raise the other one out to the side, using the band as resistance.
- Be sure and keep your upper body straight—no leaning!
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the other leg.
HOW MANY OF EACH MOVE SHOULD I DO?
Start with 3 sets of 10 of each move (both sides), working up to 5 sets of 20 over time.
HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK SHOULD I DO THESE?
Start with once a week on lower body days, working up to 3 days a week. Make sure to allow a day rest between each time you perform these moves.
HOW CAN I MAKE THESE EASIER IF I’M A BEGINNER?
Easy! Simply remove the band and do what you can!?
So remember, if you’re after thinner inner thighs, hit the Abductor machine or use a resistance band to work on the muscles that are OPPOSITE your inner thighs. By doing this, you’ll strengthen the muscles that will pull everything away from the midline and give your thighs a killer shape and a leaner, bikini-ready look!?
What other muscle groups would you like to improve for swimsuit season? Share with me below so I can help us all get into our very best bikini shape!
xo,
Heidi
Related reading:
7 Resistance Band Moves You Can Do Anywhere + A Cash Out Bonus Challenge!
BBQ Buns and Thighs
8 Resistance Band Moves You Can Do Anywhere
7 Workout Moves You’re Doing Wrong
Top 10 At-Home Exercises for Total Body Toning
41 Responses
What exercise is best for outer thighs or saddlebags?
Hi Amy: Unfortunately, you really can?t spot reduce. Any unwanted fat will leave our bodies in its own unique way. Keep doing what you?ve been doing, make sure you?re including resistance training in your workouts (especially lower body moves), and you?ll get there! Heidi has several lower body workouts on this blog, and I hope they’ll help! 🙂
We Downloadyour 28 day program we can’t find the Videos to follow you on that program help Please.
Thanks
Hi Victor & Martha! Are you talking about the “Transform at Home” 28 day program? If so, please contact our amazing support team, and they’ll be happy to help you figure out what’s going on: [email protected] If you’re talking about a different program, please reply, and I’ll do my best to help. 🙂
Hi Heidi, my name is Elke and i am from the Netherlands. After 3 c sections and a belly operation my tummy looks like cr…. I have lower back problems for which i have therapy and excersises but do You have some excersises for my belly and also to strenghten my lower back muscles. I could also loose some 10 kg.
You yourself look gorgeous!
Hi Elke! Thank you for reaching out! First of all, we’d recommend you talk with your healthcare team to see if you have diastasis recti (ab separation mostly due to pregnancy), and if you do, then get their recommendations on the best way to help close that gap. Here are some posts from this blog that could also help you reach your transformation goals!
https://heidipowell.net/19042
https://heidipowell.net/11206
https://heidipowell.net/9060
And here are some FREE resources you can use to begin your transformation journey today: https://transformhq.com/freebies/ If you?d like to try out The Transform App for FREE for 14 days, go here: https://transformhq.com/chris-powell-14-day-free-trial/ And again, we recommend you discuss any new nutrition and exercise program with your healthcare team first and then follow any modifications they might recommend. We wish you all the best! 🙂
I?m Ellen, 63 , I used to weigh over 540 lbs! I now weigh 254 lbs! It?s taken many yrs and lots of hard work! It?s come in waves. Most recently, I lost 40
Lbs! I had WLS IN 2004, put back some weight! I am now 9 lbs away from my lowest weight from WLS! I?ve had both knee replacements! I workout at the gym, ride my tricycle, and swim at aqua size classes!
But my dream is to be able to come to your facility and be trained there to finish up my weight loss journey!
Understand, my goal is not to be 120lbs! I?ve been a big girl all my life!
If I could just get under 200 lbs, that would be miraculous to me! When I reach that goal, I can always make a new goal and continue at home!
I don?t have much $$$$. I?m on disability. So, anything you do to make this life long dream a reality, would be amazing! I?ve worked long & hard to get to this point! And can just use some help to get to my next level!
I?ve lived through other health issues, but I?m here and I?m a a fighter!!!!!!
I am a breast cancer fighter! Diabetic!
And I need to to this to help get my diabetes under better control!
It seems that even though I am gluten intolerant & diabetic & follow those rules for both, eat salad, veggies & protein, I?m still having issues! So, this is not only about weight loss, it?s about my health!!!!!!!!
Hi I’m writing to you because my daughter needs help she is 38 and had a stroke last year she is going through a lot and now doctor said she needs to lose 100# or she has 75% chance she could have another stroke she is about 280 5″4 she’s a single mom of 2 and work s hard she is an RN and has worked 3rd shift for about 17 years they want her to have gastric bypass surgery and I am so scared for her to do that she’s on blood thinners and would have to go off of them to have surgery I need help to get her to do this on her own with out surgery I watch the show extreme weight loss and Stephen how you guys helped so many people would appreciate anything you can tell me to get her started on the right track I’m sending my email address to you. (thank you for your time
Hi Sheryl: I’m so sorry to hear about all your daughter is going through, and I cannot imagine how difficult this must be for all of you. She can get some great tools to begin her transformation journey today in this post: https://heidipowell.net/9060. Please have her pay special attention to the part about promises – these are truly the key to achieving any goal! She can totally do this!
I?m an emotional and stress eater!!! I have major family issues and I feel overwhelmed all the time! I?m ready to start on a positive journey where do I start ???????
Hi Stephanie: You can get some great transformation tools in this post: https://heidipowell.net/9060. You can totally do this!
Hi Heidi love your show love your husbands heart! I am 5?4? and weigh about 140. Weighed 125 seven years ago when I got married. Want to be that again. I am 58 and workout with my husband four times a week we walk a few miles a few times a week and follow a healthy diet. Can you give me a good diet or calorie amount I should be doing each day so I can get this weight off and keep it off?
Hi Tina: Have you heard about our app, The Transform App (http://thetransformapp.com)? It will give you a customized nutrition program (and workout program) that adjusts as you progress towards your goal. It amazing! And we have some other awesome transformation tools in this post too: https://heidipowell.net/9060. You got this!