[Gumbygirl]

When you have a leg day for weights, what exercises do you do? I just do squats, lunges and deadlifts but should I also be working my inner and outer thighs? If so what exercises can I do with just dumbells? Thanks!

[stacylambert]

I do a ton of lower body work. I split it up into glutes, inner/outer thighs, and compound leg work (squats, deadlifts, etc). For inner/outer thighs you could always do leg lifts (lying on your side, lifting top leg for outer and lower leg for inner). Just hold your dumbbell on your thigh to add resistance. You can also do a lateral lunge. Stand with a dumbbell in each had and lunge out to side (instead of to the front/back as usual) with toes pointed forward. Finally, a plie or wide stance squat. Stand with feet wider than shoulder width with toes pointed at 45 degree angles. Hold the dumbells in front of and squat until thighs are parallel. Squeeze your glutes and inner thighs to really focus on them. I would reccommend looking all these exercise up either on reputable websites or in books for proper form. It's difficult to explain things precisely on here.

[busker]

"should I also be working my inner and outer thighs?"

Definitely. The hip adductors/abductors are secondary stabilizers to the bigger quads/hamstrings, so they should be worked too.

Outside hip (Hip Abductors):
1. You can do lateral (side) lunges/stretches for the outside thighs. (http://latinafitness.com/resource/tr...l-lunge-sm.jpg)
2. Lay on your side and raise your top leg towards the ceiling (http://www.sparks.org/hwdb/images/hw...e/nr551589.jpg)
3. Standing: (http://a820.g.akamai.net/f/820/822/1...c/039b_125.jpg)
4. With a fitness ball/chair: (http://www.firstpath.com/images/leglift.jpg)
5. "Fire Hydrants" - kneel on all fours and lift your leg to the side like a dog peeing on a hydrant (http://www.prevention.com/images/cma/8ffd6b.jpg)


Inner thighs (Hip Adductors):
1. lay down on the side lifting the (lower) leg up.
(http://a820.g.akamai.net/f/820/822/1.../side_lift.jpg)
(http://www.frameofmindonline.net/pho...nner_thigh.jpg)
2. Use a thigh-master (one of those spring-loaded things you squeeze between your legs)
3. Or, use a sofa cushion/pillow between your legs and squeeze
4. Sit butterfly style (http://www.prevention.com/images/cma...ezestretch.gif) and put your arms on your knees. Use your arms to resist while squeezing your legs up/closed.
5. With a yoga ball (http://www.tinajuanfitness.info/exer...0on%20ball.htm)
6. Yoga ball lift (http://www.netfit.co.uk/hip2.htm)

Those are all the ones I can think of off the top of my head that you can do at home.

--Janis

[Gumbygirl]

WOW! Thanks you guys!! Great suggestions, better get started