Tone your inner thighs with these 7 exercises, without leaving your bed!

When you think about working your inner thighs, you might believe it’s really hard. But NO, that’s not true! You don’t need to go to the gym or follow a rigorous workout to achieve your goal. In fact, you don’t even need to get up from your bed. Yes, you heard it right! To perform some inner thigh exercises, all you need to do is get on top of your blanket. 

So, practice these 7 exercises to tone and sculpt your inner thighs:

1. Butterfly stretch

As legs have to be placed close to the inner thigh area, the muscles, joints and connective tissues get engaged and strengthened. 

Here’s how you can do it:

• You can sit on a well-cushioned bed or sit on the floor on a mat. Start by straightening your spine with legs stretched out.
• Now, bend both the knees to resemble a winged butterfly. Next, bring your feet towards your pelvis area, as close as you can and join them together, clasping your hands.
• Slowly breathe in and out, while pressing your thighs and knees downward towards the mat. Taking a cue from this position, start flapping both the legs up and down, like the wings of a butterfly.
• Remember to keep your spine straight while performing the pose and stretch your legs out to come back to the starting point.

2. Garland pose

Garland pose opens the hips and groins, as it stretches and strengthens the feet and ankles. 

Here’s how you can do it:

• Start by standing tall, keeping your feet a little wider than the hip-width distance.
• Now, join your hands in front of your chest in a namaste and turn your toes slightly outwards.
• Inhale deeply and while exhaling, begin to slowly bend your knees, lowering your hip towards the floor.
• Once your hips are a few inches above the ground, use your upper arms to press your thighs open. Simultaneously, squeeze your thighs inwards so that you feel a lift through the hips.
• Keep your torso upright and chest lifted. Relax your shoulders. Keep your whole body engaged and hold for 8-10 breaths.

Also, read: Try these 6 yoga poses to tone your thighs and hips

3. Air cycling

Air cycling exercise is a total body and calisthenics exercise that primarily targets your thighs, abs, hip flexors, and obliques. 

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Here’s how you can do it:

• Lie on your back on the bed or an exercise mat, keeping your lower back pressed against the mat. Gently support your neck by bracing your hands against the back of your head.
• Lift your upper body off the surface while bringing your knees up above your torso and keeping your legs parallel to the floor.
• Extend your right leg straight out without letting it touch the floor. Keep your left knee bent and your left leg parallel to the floor. Using your abdominals, crunch upwards and sideways, extending your right elbow to your left knee.
• Alternating elbows and knees, now extend your left leg while bringing your right knee toward your torso (similar to riding a bicycle), and crunch sideways so that your left elbow extends toward your right knee.
• Continue to repeat, alternating knees and elbows.

4. Leg kickbacks

This exercise is essential to enhance your agility, and range of motion. It also works to strengthen your thighs and lower back. 

Here’s how you can do it:

• Start on all fours, with your hands aligned under your shoulders, and knees aligned under your hips.
• Lift your right knee off the ground. Push your right heel backward, and straighten your leg. Do not rotate your hips or shoulders.

Also, read: Here’s how you can ace sumo squats for well-toned inner thighs

5. V-kick

The V-sit ab exercise builds core strength by working multiple areas at the same time, while also challenging your balance. 

Here’s how you can do it:

• Lie down on the bed with hands below your bum, and bend your knees towards your chest. 
• Knees apart, form a mini V, then kick the right leg up to its top right direction. 
• Come back down and kick your left leg up towards the top left direction, as if there is a big imaginary V. 

6. Lizard pose

Need to work on that booty? The lizard pose strengthens our shoulders, muscles, arms, and chest and works on our glutes and thighs.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Start by getting into the downward-facing dog asana.
• Inhale and bring your right foot forward to the outside edge of your right palm, coming into an extended lunge position.
• Now lower your hips, keeping your arms straight and spine flat and lengthened.
• If comfortable, slowly lower onto your forearms. Press onto the ball of your left foot, as you straighten your left leg. Stay here for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

7. Glute bridge

The glute bridge is one of the best moves for glute activation. If done regularly, it can help with strengthening the muscles as well as toning the hamstrings and glutes.

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Here’s how you can do it:

• Start by lying face-up. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
• Keep your arms by the side with your palms down. 
• Now, lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips, and shoulders are in a straight line.
• Remember to engage your core.
• Hold the bridge position for 2 to 3 seconds and return to the starting position.
• Repeat the pose. 
• Note: If you feel the burn in your glutes and hamstrings, you’re doing the pose correctly!