Diary of a Fit Mommy's Inner Thigh Rehab Guide

Yeah yeah yeah, spare me the whole "you cannot spot reduce" talk. We know this!

However, you can work a particular target area to build lean muscle to make your appearance a lot better!

One of the most common problem areas that I hear women complaining about-besides their butts-are the inner thighs.

"My thighs jiggle"
"I have thunder thighs"
"I can't seem to get rid of that inner thigh fat"
"What can I do about this?"

Well, the answer lies in our genetics and hormones.

Since puberty, women’s hormones signal for fat cells to be stored around your butt and thighs, ultimately to help serve as reserve energy for pregnancy and breastfeeding. Women tend to gain fat in very specific body parts, mostly those from the waist to the knee.

The problem is that many women are often so afraid of getting bulky thighs and calves that they neglect to strength-train their legs. Actually, bulky legs are mainly due to fat. With lack of activity and poor eating habits, we start accumulating fat, and it affects the function and strength of muscle.

There are two levels of fat in the legs: a superficial layer and a deeper one. The superficial layer is where we find the puckered tufted-mattress look we call cellulite when extra fat bulges out between the tissues that connect skin to underlying muscle. The good news is that this deeper layer is also typically the first layer of fat to shrink when we exercise.

With all of that being said, what can you really do about it if you cannot spot reduce a given particular area?

The answer-just as you probably already know-is a clean diet, low in sugar and trans fats, and exercise (cardio + strength training).

Here is a great guide to follow with appropriate eating times for a cleaner diet.

As for workouts, we have you covered!

Here are the 11 key workouts to help build your thigh muscles which, in turn, will burn more of that stubborn inner thigh fat.

1. Skater Lunges

1. Perform a reverse lunge with your back leg slightly at an angle.
2. Leap to the side and bring the opposite leg behind you, only tapping your toe to the ground.
3. Immediately jump back the other direction and continue alternating until you feel the burn.
4. Form check: Keep your knees bent and stay as low as possible to really work your quads.

2. Walking Lunges

1. Step forward with first leg. Land on heel then forefoot.
2. Lower body by flexing knee and hip of front leg until knee of rear leg is almost in contact with floor.
3. Stand on forward leg with assistance of rear leg.
4. Lunge forward with opposite leg.
5. Repeat by alternating lunge with opposite legs.

3. Squat Jumps

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Start by doing a regular squat, then engage your core and jump up explosively.
3. When you land, lower your body back into the squat position to complete one rep. Land as quietly as possible, which requires control.

4. Burpees

1. Begin in a standing position. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. Now, lower your body into a squatting position, placing your hands on the floor in front of you.
2. Kick your feet back so that you are in push-up position. Keep your hands firmly on the ground to support your body.
3. Lower your chest to do a push-up. Bring your chest back up.
4. Kick your feet back to their original position. Stand up, and then jump into the air while clapping your arms overhead.
5. Repeat.

5. Frog Jumps

1. Squat all the way down to the floor with hands in front of you.
2. In an explosive movement, push up from the floor, jumping up in the air and tapping your heels together.
3. Land with bent knees to protect the joints and go back into your squat to prepare for the next jump.

6. Barbell Squat

1. Place a barbell across shoulders (not on top of your neck) and stand with feet just wider than shoulder width, toes turned out 10 to 15 degrees.
2. Bend at knees and hips, lowering body as close to the floor as possible (heels should not lift off the ground and lower back should not lose its arch).
3. Keep knees wide and tracking in the same direction as toes to avoid letting knees drop in toward the midline of body.
4. Reverse the motion and stand up.

7. Scissor Legs Plank

1. Begin in a full plank position with each foot on a folded towel, paper plate, or gliding disc.
2. Keeping upper body stable, slide feet apart, opening legs as wide as possible.
3. Then slowly squeeze inner thighs to slide feet back together.

8. Cossack Squats

1. Stand with feet much wider than shoulder width, arms relaxed by sides.
2. Squat as deep as possible to the left, while turning right toes up, flexing right foot (right leg remains straight and torso leans slightly forward to maintain balance).
3. Extend arms straight out from shoulders.
4. Return to the starting position and perform on the opposite side to complete one rep.

9. Leg Scissors

1. Lie face up on the floor, extend your legs straight up to the ceiling and lower them to a 45-degree angle.
2. Place your hands on the floor at the sides of your body or held out in front of you.
3. Alternatively, sit on a chair with your legs extended parallel to the floor, and grasp the sides of the chair with your hands for support.
4. Tighten your abdominals, point your toes and open your legs about 2 feet into a v-shape.
5. Pause two seconds before slowly bringing your legs toward each other and crossing your right leg over your left leg.
6. Spread your legs about 2 feet again, and this time when you close them, cross your left leg over your right leg.

10. Inner Thigh Lifts

1. Lie on your left side, flat against the floor.Rest your head on your left upper arm.
2. Bend your right (top) leg at the knee and cross over in front of left leg. Rest your right arm on your right hip.
3. Keep your left leg straight. Using inner thigh muscle (adductor), lift left leg 6 inches off floor. Keep left toe in flexed position (not a pointed position). Exhale (breathe out) as you lift your leg.
4. Using resistance with the inner thigh muscle (not gravity), slowly lower your leg. Inhale (breathe in) as you lower your leg.
5. Repeat entire sequence on your right side, step 1-9 (working right adductor muscle).

11. Side Lying Scissors

1. Lie on your left side with your legs extended and on top of each other.
2. Bend your left arm and place it under your head for support and place your right hand on the floor in front of you.
3. Engage your abdominals and glutes and raise your right leg up about 30 degrees and hold it in this position.
4. Lift your left leg off the floor and bring it up toward your right leg.
5. Pause two seconds and slowly return both legs to the starting position.

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