Tighten your inner thighs and abs with this three-move bodyweight workout

You just need 15 minutes and an exercise mat

Woman doing leg raises on the floor
(Image credit: Getty)

Our inner thighs can often get overlooked during leg workouts for larger muscles, like our quads and glutes. But it’s important not to neglect these smaller muscles. You don’t have to do hundreds of exercises on them either, as this three-move workout proves. All you need is an exercise/yoga mat, 15 minutes and you’re good to go. Oh, and they also work your abs too, so you can kill two birds with one stone.

You may be wondering how significant your inner thighs really are, well, very significant actually. Although small, the inner thigh muscles play an important role in helping you balance and keeping your hips healthy. If you’re trying to sculpt your legs, again, the inner thighs shouldn’t be missed as they help give them great shape. 

For this workout you’re given a choice of five different exercises, but you’ll only pick three to do. Once you’ve chosen your three, you’re going to do 10 reps (on each side where applicable) and you’re aiming for three to four rounds in total. Some of the exercises also require a chair, so have one to hand. Make sure you really take your time with each movement to really engage with the exercise and get your muscles turned on. Here’s your exercise choices:

  • Copenhagen plank thread the needle
  • Supported leg single leg squat
  • Adduction to twist
  • Copenhagen plank knee extension
  • Second position heel lift

We’ve also got a seven-move inner thigh and leg workout or this 10 minute lower body and inner thigh session. Remember, if the exercises are too easy, you can always increase the difficulty by incorporating a pair of dumbbells or a single kettlebell, as the more resistance your body has to work against the more calories you’ll burn.    

Bryony Firth-Bernard
Staff Writer, Active

Bryony’s T3’s official ‘gym-bunny’ and Active Staff Writer, covering all things fitness. In her spare time, you will find her in her natural habitat - the gym - where her style of training is a hybrid of bodybuilding and powerlifting. Bryony loves writing about accessible workouts, nutrition and testing innovative fitness products that help you reach your fitness goals and take your training to the next level.