Your legs support your body and are home to some of your strongest muscles. A majority of your movement comes from your legs and they're the reason you can bend, rotate and balance. And in order to perform at your best, building your leg muscles (even your inner thighs) is imperative to your overall strength and mobility.
Your inner thighs are responsible for stabilizing your legs as they move forward, backward and laterally. You can thank them for your ability to run, walk and play sports, like tennis, that require you to move side to side.
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So, how do you work your inner quads with dumbbells? Grab a medium to heavy weight and do each of the following seven moves for three rounds to build serious strength during your next inner quad workout. (You can also use just your body weight to do these exercises for your inner quads!)
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1. Sumo Squat
- Begin with your feet slightly wider than hip-width distance apart and your toes turned slightly outward at a 45-degree angle. (If the position feels uncomfortable, move your feet in a little closer.)
- Clasp your hands together in front of your chest.
- Keeping your back straight, push your hips back and bend your knees, bringing your hips down as low as your range of motion allows.
- Drive your weight through your heels to get back into the starting position.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top and repeat.
2. Sumo Deadlift
- Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width distance apart with your toes turned out and your knees slightly bent. Hold one end of the dumbbell with both hands.
- Keeping your back flat and slightly pinching your shoulder blades together, brace your core and hinge at your hips as you lower the weight toward the floor. Make sure to keep your chest up and your shoulders back.
- Drive through your heels to stand back up and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
- Repeat.
3. Squat Jack
- Stand up straight with your feet together and your hands clasped in front of your chest.
- Bend your knees, then jump your feet out, dropping into a squat as your feet hit the ground.
- Jump your feet back together to return to the starting position and go straight into the next rep.
- Repeat.
Tip
For a lower impact option do alternating side step to squat.
4. Dumbbell Lateral Lunge
- Begin with your feet hip-width distance apart with a dumbbell in your right hand.
- Step your left leg out to the side, bending your knee and pushing your hips back like a squat, as far as your range of motion allows.
- Drive your weight through the heel of your left foot, bringing yourself back to the starting position.
- Do all your reps on your one side before repeating on the other side.
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5. Speed Skater
- Start with your feet hip-width distance apart.
- Start by taking a small leap to one side with your right leg, while your left leg travels behind the body and the foot is placed behind the body (slightly crossing the mid-line of the body like a curtsy). Your right leg in the front is kept bent.
- Immediately take a leap to the left with your left leg, placing the right foot at the back this time.
- Keep alternating between left and right.
Tip
For a lower-impact option, remove the jump and take large steps in each direction.
6. Inner Thigh Leg Lift
- Lie on your right side with your body in a straight line from head to feet. Support your body with your right arm, head in hand, and place your left hand in front of you for balance.
- Bend your left leg so your left knee points to the ceiling, and place your left foot behind your right knee.
- Letting your right heel lead, lift your right leg up as far as your mobility will allow.
- Lower your right leg back down to return to the starting position.
- Do all your reps on your right leg before repeating on the left leg.
7. Wide-Leg Glute Bridge
- Lie on your back with your arm resting at your sides, your legs bent and the bottom of your feet pressed together.
- Drive through your heels and lift your hips, squeezing your glutes at the top. You should form a diagonal line from your hips to your shoulders.
- Lower your butt back down to the starting position and repeat.
Tip
To make this glute bridge exercise harder, hold a dumbbell at your hips.