Want Firm legs and a flat Stomach? Try this inner thigh workout

For a lot of women a decent inner thigh workout is a quick circuit of leg machines in the gymnasium.Now that is fine if you just want to target one area and nothing more but by doing this you are missing a great chance to not only tone the legs but flatten your tummy and burn loads of body fat.

To do this you need to start working your legs with body-weight and free weights exercises. This is because any leg focused movement especially with weights is going to work you lot harder due to amount of muscles involved in the process meaning you use more energy and burn lots of body fat. I will tell you this now any successful fat loss program will involve exercises where the legs are worked hard.

For a flat stomach and toned legs like this free weight exercises are best



Well known leg exercises like the lunge and squat also give your abs a great workout. This is because when you are performing these types of exercises your core muscles are recruited to provide balance and stability. Start adding weight as well and they have to work even harder resulting in a stronger, tighter and flatter stomach.

So if you want to burn body fat along with firming up your inner thighs then these 2 exercises are excellent. I would recommend doing either one as part of total body workout or do one after the other as a super-set for maximum burn.

A side or lateral lunge. 3 x 10 reps each leg

For this exercise begin with just your body-weight then when you can perform it correctly introduce medicine balls and dumbbells. Oh by the way this will also work you butt really hard!.

Begin with feet shoulder width apart inhale then slowly take a large step to the side and when you place your foot on the floor bend your knee and lower yourself down with your back straight as far as you can go. Try to keep your stationery leg as straight as possible then you will feel a stretch right down the inner thigh. Return to starting position. Initially you might not be able to get that low but over time you should find that you could step out further with more range of movement and start adding weight.

How a side lunge should look



Sumo Squats: 3 x 15 reps

To start these are best done using a dumbbell or medicine ball to target the inner thighs.

Here is a basic explanation on how to perform a sumo squat. Start with feet wider than shoulder width apart, toes pointed sideways from the body . Keep your body weight equal between both feet. Hold the dumbbell at one end so is below your waist with your arms relaxed and straight. Breathe in; keep your heels in contact with the floor at all times and your back straight. Slowly lower into a squat position pushing your hips backwards until the dumbbell is almost touching the floor.

Breathe out and slowly straighten your legs pushing your hips upwards again with a straight back and your head up. Try to keep the arms straight all the way through the motion to make sure that the thighs are being worked to the maximum.

How a Sumo Squat should look

For maximum effectiveness and to reduce the chance of injury these exercises must be performed after you have fully warmed up and with good technique. If you are not sure how to do these properly I would recommend getting a fitness professional to coach you properly either at the gym or at your home. These three movements are not only a effective inner thigh workout but will help you get a leaner and more functional body so start including them in your fitness regime.