Walking in summer often leads to inner thigh sweat, chafing, and redness from rubbing flesh. A yoga instructor shares one simple exercise to quickly tighten inner thigh muscles, eliminating that sticky, uncomfortable feeling.
According to Japanese media Asa Jikan, yoga instructor Saori Takagi notes that inner thighs tend to accumulate sweat, leading to skin irritation when moisture combines with friction between the thighs and glutes. She recommends a simple exercise that not only tightens and strengthens inner thigh muscles but also effectively prevents skin chafing while walking:
Steps
- Lie flat on the ground with feet together and knees bent, feet on the floor.
- Lift both feet off the ground, keeping hips and knees bent at about 90 degrees, with lower legs parallel to the ground.
- Keep the soles of both feet pressed together, and repeatedly open and close your knees outward and inward. Perform 10 reps per set, completing 3 sets in total.
Takagi highlights three key points for practice
- Keep the soles of your feet firmly pressed together throughout the exercise. Inhale as you open your knees outward, exhale as you slowly bring them together. Focus intentionally on feeling the contraction of your inner thigh muscles during the closing motion; avoid using momentum to open and close quickly. This ensures effective stimulation and tightening of the target muscles.
- If you find your lower back lifting off the ground during the exercise, place a folded towel or blanket underneath your lower back. This helps stabilize your pelvis and lower back, significantly reducing the strain on your lower back.
- Beginners can gradually increase the number of repetitions as their body adapts and their fitness improves, to further enhance the workout's effectiveness.
Source: Asa Jikan (朝時間)
