Training your inner thighs, mainly your adductors, often gets reduced to the adductor machine at the gym. You sit, squeeze the pads, and check the box. That can help you feel the adductors, but firmer inner thighs also need strength to move and support you.

When I coach clients over 60, I like adductor work with purpose that doesn’t lock them into one position. The inner thighs help guide the legs toward the midline and support control when you step sideways or work from a split stance. Stronger adductors can make lower-body training feel more balanced and other exercises like squats and lunges more confident.

At home, you can train that strength with a chair, a pillow, and your own bodyweight. The setup stays simple, and the exercises let you feel the inner thighs working through both holds and movement. Start small, keep the reps smooth, and build from there.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a simple plan for training the inner thighs with more purpose than a quick machine set. The focus is on controlled reps, comfortable ranges of motion, and daily movements that help the legs feel stronger and more supported.

Lateral Lunge

Most daily movement happens forward, so the side-to-side work can feel fresh right away. Lateral lunges train the inner thigh of the straight leg while the working leg builds strength through the hip and thigh. Keep the step comfortable and sit back into the side that bends. You should feel a stretch through the inner thigh, then use your legs to push back to the starting position.

Muscles Trained: Inner thighs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, core.

How to Do It

1. Stand tall with your feet under your hips.
2. Step your right foot out to the side.
3. Bend your right knee as you push your hips back.
4. Keep your left leg straight with your left foot flat.
5. Press through your right foot to return to standing.
6. Complete your reps, then switch sides.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps per side.

Best Variations: Smaller-range lateral lunge, supported lateral lunge, bodyweight side step squat.

Form Tip: A small lateral squat in the lunge is better than nothing!

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Seated Adductor Squeeze

This is the most direct inner-thigh exercise in the group. Sit tall, place a pillow or small ball between your knees, and squeeze with steady pressure. You’ll feel the adductors work without needing a large range of motion. Hold each squeeze for a few seconds, then relax just enough to reset before the next rep.

Muscles Trained: Inner thighs, hips, core.

How to Do It

1. Sit tall near the front edge of a sturdy chair.
2. Place a pillow, small ball, or folded towel between your knees.
3. Set your feet flat on the floor.
4. Gently squeeze your knees into the object.
5. Hold the squeeze for 3 to 5 seconds.
6. Relax slightly and repeat.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 squeezes.

Best Variations: Shorter hold, longer hold, lighter squeeze.

Form Tip: Sit tall as you squeeze to keep the work focused through the inner thighs.

Split Squat

Split squats give each leg a clear strength challenge. Your front leg does most of the work while the inner thigh helps keep the knee and hip lined up through the rep. Hold a chair or counter for extra support. Lower into a range you control, then press through the front foot to stand tall.

Muscles Trained: Quads, glutes, inner thighs, hamstrings, calves.

How to Do It

1. Stand tall with your feet staggered.
2. Place one foot forward and the other foot behind you.
3. Hold a chair or counter lightly for support if needed.
4. Bend both knees and lower into a comfortable split squat.
5. Press through your front foot to stand.
6. Complete your reps, then switch sides.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps per side.

Best Variations: Supported split squat, smaller-range split squat, paused split squat.

Form Tip: Push up strongly through your front foot.

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Glute Bridge With Adductor Squeeze

The glute bridge already trains the glutes, and adding a squeeze gives the inner thighs a little love. Place a pillow or small ball between your knees, press into it gently, then lift your hips. Keep the squeeze steady as your hips rise and lower. This helps your glutes and adductors work together from a position that feels easy to set up.

Muscles Trained: Glutes, inner thighs, hamstrings, core.

How to Do It

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent.
2. Place your feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart.
3. Hold a pillow, small ball, or folded towel between your knees.
4. Squeeze the object gently.
5. Press through your feet and lift your hips.
6. Lower your hips with control while keeping light pressure between your knees.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Best Variations: Regular glute bridge, shorter-range bridge, paused bridge with squeeze.

Form Tip: Squeeze the adductors first, then drive your hips up into a glute bridge.

RELATED: If You Can Do This Many Squats in 60 Seconds After 60, You’re in a Great Shape

How to Keep Building Inner-Thigh Strength After 60

Small daily reps can add up quickly when the movement stays clean. Use these exercises three to five days per week, or add one or two of them after a walk or lower-body workout. Start with bodyweight and light squeezes, then build range, reps, or hold time as the exercises feel more comfortable.

• Use support for balance: A chair or counter helps you focus on the working leg during lunges and split squats.
• Keep the squeeze controlled: The adductor squeeze should feel steady, not forced.
• Move through a comfortable range: Smaller lunges and split squats still build strength when your legs stay in control.
• Pause during bridge reps: A brief hold at the top helps you feel the glutes and inner thighs working together.
• Train both sides evenly: Give each leg the same attention during lunges and split squats.
• Build gradually: Add reps, longer holds, or a little more range once the current version feels strong.

References

• Collings, Tyler J et al. “Hip Adductor Muscle Forces during Strength Training and Rehabilitation Exercises.” Medicine and science in sports and exercise vol. 58,8 (2026): 1751-1763. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000004002
• Hirano, Kazuhiro et al. “Toward a Better Understanding of Hip Adductor Function: Internal Rotation Capability Revealed by Anatomical and MRI Evaluation.” Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology vol. 10,3 354. 16 Sep. 2025, doi:10.3390/jfmk10030354

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