If you’ve ever used the inner-thigh machine at the gym (that seated contraption where you press two padded arms together), you know how well it works the muscles running along the inside of your thighs. But once you hit 55, using gym machines for firmer thighs may not be the best approach.
The problem is the seated position. In real life, your adductors never work alone. They get activated alongside your hips, glutes, and core to help keep you steady while you walk, climb stairs, or get up from a chair. Recent research shows that frontal-plane hip strength, including your adductors and abductors, is linked to fall risk in older adults, which is a solid argument for training them in ways that challenge your balance, not just in a seated machine that doesn’t ask much of anything else.
That’s where standing exercises enter the picture. They train your adductors together with the stabilizing muscles you actually rely on day in, day out, so the strength carries over into real movement, not just into the machine. In this article, we spoke with James Bickerstaff, CPT, a personal trainer at OriGym, who put together his top five standing exercises for firming inner thighs after 55. Read on for the moves and detailed instructions. When you’re finished, don’t miss these 3 Chair Exercises That Smooth Bat Wings in 21 Days After 65.
Sumo Squats
Up first we have sumo squats, which are the perfect starting exercise since its wide stance turns a familiar movement into an inner-thigh exercise. “The wider stance of a sumo squat places greater emphasis on the adductors, or inner-thigh muscles, alongside the glutes and quadriceps,” Bickerstaff explains. “Strengthening major lower-body muscles through one movement.”
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes turned slightly outward.
- Keep your chest lifted and your core engaged.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees while lowering as far as feels comfortable.
- Press through your heels to return to the standing position.
- Perform two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
- Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.
Standing Side Leg Raises
Standing side leg raises strengthen the muscles around your hips and thighs while forcing the leg you’re balancing on work extra hard to keep you steady. “Stronger hip muscles improve lower-body stability,” says Bickerstaff. “This becomes increasingly valuable for maintaining confident movement.”
How to do it:
- Stand tall while lightly holding the back of a sturdy chair or countertop for support.
- Keep your torso upright as you slowly raise one leg out to the side.
- Avoid leaning your torso as you lift.
- Lower your leg back down with control.
- Complete two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps per leg.
- Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.
RELATED: 4 Kitchen-Counter Exercises That Firm Sagging Arms Faster Than Gym Sessions After 65
Standing Inner-Thigh Leg Raises
This move targets the adductors, the muscles that pull your leg in toward the midline of your body. “Strengthening these inner-thigh muscles can help improve hip and pelvic stability as well as giving the area a firmer appearance as muscle develops,” says Bickerstaff.
How to do it:
- Stand beside a sturdy chair or countertop while holding it lightly for balance.
- Shift your weight onto one leg.
- Bring your opposite leg slightly forward and sweep it across the front of your body.
- Keep the movement slow and controlled rather than using momentum.
- Aim for two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps per side.
- Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.
Lateral Lunges
This exercise adds a side-to-side movement to the routine, which is an often overlooked component of building firm thighs. “Lateral lunges help develop the glutes and quads while improving strength in a direction of movement that can sometimes be neglected,” says Bickerstaff.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet together.
- Take a step out to one side.
- Push your hips backward and bend the knee of your stepping leg while keeping your opposite leg relatively straight.
- Push through your foot to return to a standing position.
- Perform two to three sets of 8 to 10 reps per side.
- Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.
RELATED: 4 Standing Exercises That Melt Belly Fat in 30 Days After 50
Standing Cross-Body Leg Swings
This final move is a fantastic thigh-strength builder. “Cross-body leg swings keep your inner and outer thigh muscles working while also encouraging mobility through the hips,” Bickerstaff explains.
How to do it:
- Stand tall beside a sturdy support and engage your core.
- Lift one foot slightly off the floor.
- Sweep your leg across the front of your body.
- Bring it back out to the side with control.
- Use a comfortable range of motion rather than swinging aggressively.
- Complete two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps per leg.
- Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between sets.
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