Pilates Exercise Tips at http://www.centerworks.com/ This Pilates leg exercise is designed to help you improve leg strength with better activation of the Adductor muscle. http://www.centerworks.com/store/pilates-magic-circle/
Improve your inner thigh strength, balance, and body control. http://www.Centerworks.com
Your adductor muscles are the ones that help bring your legs together. Since your inner thighs are under your pelvic floor, It's important that these muscles are strong because they are an anchor point and are actually helping to activate your center, define where center is, and they give your torso something to lift away from. Your adductors also play an important role in healthy hip mechanics when you walk and run for balance, stability, and efficient movement.
So what's the best way to strengthen your Inner Thighs?
I'm going to give you a couple of choices today... First, I want you to try to squeeze your inner thighs together without any extra equipment or resistance. It might be easiest to do standing. Once you've found them, I want you to try it seated or lying down with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
What I notice a lot of the time as I'm helping people find their inner thigh muscles, is that the tendency is to mash the knees harder together. And while the adductors do make their way down to the knees, I want you to start the squeeze at the top of the inner thigh, way up by your crotch, to bring the upper leg bones closer together. Can you find it? Done well, you should have more squeezing going on at the crotch, and less pressure together at the knees.
Just practicing finding and squeezing the adductor muscles from the inner top of the leg with no extra equipment is the best place to start. If you can't find the muscle, how the heck are you going to use it?
If you need a little help to get the squeeze started from the right spot. Either place your hands up high between your thighs, or put a washcloth in between your legs to squeeze against.
It's always easiest to make a muscle contract on an exhale. So, Inhale for nothing....Exhale and squeeze your upper inner thighs together. Inhale hold the squeeze, Exhale and squeeze more. Inhale hold the squeeze, exhale and squeeze more. Do this for 3 to 5 breaths, then release. Repeat 3-5 times.
Once you've found your inner thighs in a standing position, and lying on your back with your knees bent, you're ready to use your inner thigh to move your leg. You can use a Magic Circle, or Small Ball to place between your knees. Repeat the exercise, being sure that the squeeze is still starting from the upper inner thighs and working down towards the ball or Magic Circle. Hold each inner thigh squeeze for 1-3 breaths, then release. Repeat 8-15 repetitions, and I recommend 1-3 sets.
It's important that the ONLY thing that's moving is your upper thigh bones. Be sure your back and pelvis stay completely still. The weight will shift from the outside edge of your foot when your relaxed, to standing evenly on the whole foot while doing your adductor squeeze. If you start your squeeze from the knee, you'll probably still feel your inner thighs working, but it's not the same -- If your knees squeeze together first you're cheating and won't get the best benefits from this exercise.
Can you find the right place to squeeze from? Your brain might be working harder than your body to get started, but once you find the right muscles, this exercise will help them get stronger quickly. Then as you're practicing your other Pilates exercises, pay attention to what your inner thighs are doing. Whether your legs are together or apart, your adductors should be working to help support your legs.
Thanks for checking out this video. If you liked it, please pass the link along to a friend. Come back soon for more exercise tips to help improve your Pilates technique. Have a Healthy Day! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak8U3XFfsyg
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Inner Thigh Workout - Tighten and Tone Your Thighsby WomensAbWorkout93,710 views
Love this!! So simple and so effective!!!
louisetaube 8 months ago