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14 EASY THIGH WORKOUT For Beginners At Home (15-Minute Workout)

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Reviewed By: Ashley Castleberry

A lot of thigh workouts only target one area, which can leave your legs looking a little uneven. But the fix is simple — you just need to train both your inner and outer thighs together.

This easy thigh workout covers both in just 15 minutes, and you don’t need any equipment to get started. Every exercise is 30 seconds long, so it’s easy to follow along at your own pace.

Here’s the full thigh workout:

1

Regular Sumo Squats

A wide stance and a good squeeze at the top is all you need for this one.

You’ll feel it right in your inner thighs as you come up, especially if you take your time and really focus on that contraction.

Since the wider stance is what sets this apart from a regular squat, don’t be afraid to go wide.

How to perform:

  • Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.
  • Keep your chest up and core engaged.
  • Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower into a squat.
  • Squeeze your inner thighs and glutes as you stand back up.
2

Sumo Squat with Leg Cross

Now you’ll add a little twist to your sumo squat. As you come up from the bottom, you’ll cross one leg over the other to give your inner thighs an extra challenge.

It might feel awkward at first, though, so just keep your core tight and find your rhythm.

How to perform:

  • Start in a wide sumo squat stance.
  • Lower your hips into a squat.
  • As you stand up, lift one foot and cross it over the other leg.
  • Squeeze your inner thighs together as you cross your legs.
  • Return to the squat position.
  • Alternate legs.
3

Sumo Squat to Kick

This one builds on the last exercise, but instead of crossing your legs, you’ll kick across your body as you stand up.

The key here is to rotate your heel toward the ceiling so your inner thigh does the work. And since it takes a bit of coordination, don’t rush it.

How to perform:

  • Lower into a sumo squat position.
  • As you stand up, kick one leg diagonally across your body.
  • Rotate your heel to face the ceiling as you kick.
  • Focus on lifting your inner thigh toward the ceiling.
  • Return to the squat position.
  • Alternate legs.
4

Pulsing Sumo Squat

Time to stay low and pulse it out. You’ll hold at the bottom of the squat and do small, controlled pulses throughout this thigh workout move.

And honestly, the burn is real on this one, so just embrace it because those 30 seconds will be over before you know it.

How to perform:

  • Lower into a deep sumo squat position.
  • Stay low at the bottom of the squat.
  • Perform small, controlled pulsing movements up and down.
  • Keep your core tight and embrace the burn.
5

Scissor Kicks

Now you’re heading to the ground for a toned thigh workout classic. You’ll open your legs wide and then squeeze them back together, crossing one over the other.

A small tip that makes a big difference here: try rotating your inner thighs slightly toward the ceiling to really target the right muscles.

How to perform:

  • Lie flat on your back with your legs extended up.
  • Open your legs wide in a “V” shape.
  • Rotate your inner thighs slightly toward the ceiling.
  • Squeeze your inner thighs to quickly cross one leg over the other.
  • Open your legs wide again.
  • Alternate which leg crosses on top.
6

Top Toe Glute Bridge

This variation puts you on your tiptoes instead of flat feet, which changes how your thighs and glutes work together.

Since your heels are lifted, you’ll feel more activation through your inner thighs as you press your hips up, so keep those heels in close to your glutes for the best results.

How to perform:

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent.
  • Bring your heels close to your butt and come up on your tippy-toes.
  • Press your hips up toward the ceiling.
  • Squeeze your glutes at the top.
  • Lower your hips back down.
7

Inner Thigh Leg Lift

For this one, you’ll prop yourself up on your side and lift your bottom leg toward the ceiling. It looks simple, but you’ll notice the burn pretty quickly.

Just make sure you sit slightly forward on your hip so you’re lifting from the right spot, because that little adjustment makes all the difference.

How to perform:

  • Prop yourself up on your side using your elbow.
  • Cross your top leg over and place that foot flat on the floor.
  • Sit slightly forward on your bottom hip.
  • Extend your bottom leg straight with toes pointed toward your fingers.
  • Lift your bottom leg up toward the ceiling and lower it back down.
  • Switch sides.
8

Inner Thigh Pulse

Same position, same leg, but now you’re holding it up and pulsing. These small movements might not look like much, but they keep your inner thigh muscles working the entire time.

So try not to let your leg drop between pulses, and keep the movement tight.

How to perform:

  • Stay in the same side-lying position as the previous exercise.
  • Lift your bottom extended leg up.
  • Hold the leg lifted and perform small, rapid pulses up and down.
  • Keep the movement tight and controlled.
  • Switch sides.
9

Side Lunges

Time to stand back up for some side lunges. You’ll step out wide and sit into one heel, then push through to squeeze your inner thighs together.

One thing to watch for here is putting too much weight on your toes. Instead, you want to drive through that heel so your glutes and thighs do the heavy lifting.

How to perform:

  • Stand with a wide stance.
  • Keep your right leg straight and step out to the left.
  • Sit back into your left heel and lower into a side lunge.
  • Keep your chest up and do not put all your weight on your toes.
  • Push through your left heel and squeeze your inner thighs to stand up.
  • Switch sides.
10

Squat to Side Leg Lift

This one combines a regular squat with a side leg lift, so you’ll work both your inner and outer thighs in the same move.

As you lift your leg out to the side, your outer thigh takes over, and that’s exactly what makes this such an effective thighs workout for shaping both sides.

How to perform:

  • Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
  • Lower into a standard squat.
  • As you stand up, lift one leg straight out to the side.
  • Keep your inner thigh facing the ground and outer thigh facing the ceiling.
  • Squeeze your glutes at the top of the lift.
  • Alternate legs.
11

Glute Bridge Abductions

You’re back on the ground for this one, where you’ll hold a glute bridge at the top and then open and close your knees, almost like a butterfly movement.

The trick is keeping your hips lifted the whole time. If they start to drop, you’ll lose the tension in your thighs, so stay strong up there.

How to perform:

  • Lie on your back with knees bent and heels close to your butt.
  • Come onto your tippy-toes and lift your hips into a glute bridge.
  • Hold your hips up at the top position.
  • Open your knees outward, keeping your hips lifted.
  • Squeeze your inner thighs to close your knees back together.
12

Outer Thigh Leg Lifts

Now you’re on your side, working one leg at a time. You’ll lift your top leg straight up using your outer thigh.

Keep the top of your foot facing forward and try not to move the rest of your body, since this is all about isolating that outer thigh.

How to perform:

  • Prop yourself up on your side resting on your hand.
  • Bend your bottom leg and extend your top leg straight.
  • Face the top of your foot forward (outer thigh to the ceiling, inner thigh to the floor).
  • Lift your top leg straight up using your outer thigh.
  • Lower it back down without moving the rest of your body.
  • Switch sides.
13

Leg Circles

Still on your side, you’ll lower all the way down and draw big circles in the air with your toe. 

These feel a bit more relaxed than the leg lifts, but they challenge your thigh muscles in a completely different way.

Try to reach all the way to the back corner during each circle so you get the full range of motion.

How to perform:

  • Lower yourself all the way down onto your side/elbow.
  • Extend your top leg straight out.
  • Draw a large, controlled circle in the air with your toe.
  • Reach the toe all the way to the back corner during the circle.
  • Switch sides.
14

Clam Shells

Last one! You’ll prop yourself up, bend both legs, and press your hips up as you open your top knee toward the ceiling.

It’s a great way to wrap up this easy thigh workout, since it targets both your outer thigh and glutes in one move. Give yourself a pat on the back for making it through!

How to perform:

  • Prop yourself up on your side on your elbow.
  • Keep both legs bent and stacked on top of each other.
  • Press your hips up off the ground as you open your top knee toward the ceiling.
  • Lower your hips and close your knee to return to the start.
  • Switch sides.

Article Medically reviewed by

I’m fitness coach Ashley Castleberry, an NASM-certified personal trainer and nutritionist, as well as a coach on an established YouTube Channel with over 1 million followers. With certifications from major fitness brands, I specialize in athletic, HIIT, and strength training. Leveraging my experience coaching clients on lifestyle changes, I provide customized exercise and nutrition guidance to help people reach their fitness goals, whether that be weight loss, muscle gain or overall health improvement.

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Tonya McIntosh

Hi, I’m Tonya McIntosh — Founder of TGFFitness, NASM-certified Nutrition Coach, and Personal Trainer. With over 8 years of coaching experience, I’ve seen firsthand that the biggest challenge most people face isn’t starting — it’s staying consistent.

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