Are You Dissatisfied with Your Thighs? How to Get a Thigh Gap?

Most women are convinced that their thighs are the most unattractive among all their body parts and they would do anything to get rid of inner thigh fat and find out how to get a thigh gap. 

This is not surprising since slimming down the lower areas of the body, mainly the hips, thighs and buttocks, is miserably difficult. This is the main reason why I thought of presenting this article today.

In this guide, I am going to talk about several shortcuts and hacks that can help you achieve a thigh gap safely. I will be discussing dietary tips, motivational hacks and reasonable and actionable advice that can give you a thigh gap like the celebs.

Most importantly, I am going to discuss the only exercises you need to do in order to burn fat and avoid adding bulk to the legs. These inner thigh exercises will give you targeted fat loss in the thighs and help you develop slim, toned and sexy thighs that everyone will compliment you for.

Before we move on to discussing top 7 inner thigh exercises to help you remove that stubborn thigh fat, let us study some related factors that have influenced this trend.

What Is a Thigh Gap?

A thigh gap can be described as a ‘situation’ in which the person’s thighs do not touch while standing in normal, upright posture or even when the knees are touching. Media has made a huge hype about the thigh gap.

The term was first coined by fashion bloggers after a 2012 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show which featured several girls with ‘stick’ like thighs that did not touch. Overnight this trend became a new inspiration as the ideal body type for women. Fitness trainer and celebrity blogger Camile Hugh even wrote a book on it - The Thigh Gap Hack which has been featured on many talk show hosts including Dr Mehmet Oz.

Why Does Everyone Want a Thigh Gap?

Some important factors have influenced the thigh gap trend:

• Celebrities - If history has taught us anything, it is to look like our favourite celebrities. We thirst after their clothes and hair, envy their assets and buy their merchandise in minutes. Needless to say, we also all desire their body types. Many celebs are known for their sexy thigh gaps; the notable ones are Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Tyra Banks etc.
• What men want - A study conducted in 1993 showed that men prefer women with a lower waist to hip ratio than those compared to the higher ones. According to an article in ‘The Modern Man’ men want their women to have thigh gaps as it makes them seem more feminine. Men also believe that thigh gaps look great coupled with toned hips and especially when a woman wears a bikini or skinny jeans.
• Social media - Social media has time and again suggested that it measures thinness based on thigh gaps. The desire for a thigh gap is definitely fuelled by a continuous viewing of images on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

These are the main reasons why men and women both covet thin, sexy bodies. According to psychiatrist Kimberley Mofitt, the thigh gap is also used as a tool by women to quantify their beauty.

Can Everyone Get a Thigh Gap?

Some lucky women genetically have thin bodies and thigh gaps but there are also some who are not thin and yet have one.

Scientifically speaking though, a thigh gap could remain a dangerously unattainable goal as it depends on the ratio of the width of the hips to the length of the femoral head. In some people, changing the distance between one’s thighs is physically impossible and depends on the inherent bone structure.

It is therefore important to ensure that you do not get obsessed with the concept of thigh gaps. Many girls, teenagers especially, are known to resort to eating disorders and body dysmorphia etc. to achieve a thigh gap. Note that a thigh gap has no medical or health benefit or significance whatsoever so it is not a necessity at all. So by no means, do go ahead and try to lose the inner thigh fat but don't get too obsessed about it. 

Weight Loss and Thigh Gap

There is a deeper and darker side to achieving a thigh gap. As stated above, young girls are eating fewer than 250 calories per day to achieve it.

Drastic weight loss using such extreme means could give you a thigh gap but they would also come with jutting collarbones, hair loss, irregular menstrual periods and other health issues.

Never ever starve yourself to get a thigh gap. However, if you are overweight, I would definitely recommend that you lose the extra weight first and get within the normal BMI range. Losing weight will help you get rid of much of the thigh fat. Only then can you reasonably expect to develop a thigh gap using the 7 inner thigh gap exercises I will describe shortly.

How Long Does It Take To Develop a Thigh Gap?

Fat loss is the thighs can take anywhere between 2-4 weeks to start showing. You need to consistently do the exercises described below and also follow a healthy diet during this period. You can start slow.

Do the inner thigh exercises in sets. Start with sets of 10 then slowly increase to 20-30 twice a day. Diet is also very important for sexy toned thighs. I would not recommend cutting all carbs; rather I am of the opinion that you need to eat healthy or complex carbs, tons of proteins as well as healthy fats to develop sexy thighs.

Let us now discuss the best inner thigh workouts for toning the leg and thigh muscles.

Best Thigh Gap Workout to Slim Down Those Legs

These thigh gap exercises will not only give you a thigh gap quickly; they will also give you sexy toned legs that look awesome in jeans, leggings and bikinis.

The best part is that you need not starve yourself or practice anything drastic or unhealthy to achieve sexy thighs. This workout is all that you need to achieve the thigh gap.

However, as a word of caution, please allow me to reiterate that not everyone has the genetic predisposition necessary for a thigh gap. If, after doing these exercises for several weeks (or even months), you do not see results, you might want to consult a personal trainer. These experts can tell you whether you can or cannot develop a thigh gap. Accordingly, you can decide your next course of action.

Without further adieu, here are exercises which girls with thigh gaps recommend. You can easily do them at home. Before you begin, do some stretches. Stretches are sets of warm-ups that help tone the inner thighs as well as prep your muscles for the more strenuous exercises that follow.

How to Get a Thigh Gap? Start with Warm up Exercises

Lunges are the best stretching exercise for toning thighs and buttocks. You can do these with or without weights. Also, you can either alternate legs or use the same leg for consecutive repetitions.

Nothing targets inner thighs like the side lunge. Imagine you are holding a broomstick behind your neck. This will help you keep your back straight and maintain balance.

• Step to the right and bend the right knee. Point your right toe in the same direction. Keep your left leg as straight as possible. Do not bend the left knee. Also keep upper body straight. Do not lean forward or to the side.
•  Push off the right leg and return to the original position. Pause and resetting your self, step with your left leg following the same form.

For forward lunge, just repeat about steps with legs forward as shown in the image.

How to Get Rid of Inner Thigh Fat: 7 Exercises to Get a Thigh Gap

• Lie face up, knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
• Lift the hips to align with shoulders and knees.
• Hold bridge position for few seconds squeezing the buttocks. Repeat ten times.
•  As an alteration, you can slowly extend one knee straight, pause ad return to the floor.
•  Repeat with the other leg.

Inner Leg Lift

• To do an inner leg lift, lie on your side with the leg you want to exercise on the bottom.
• Raise your neck and support your head with the lower arm.
• Slowly raise the leg on top and cross it over to bring it down on the floor in front of your groin.
• Raise the lower leg to 6 inches or more and hold for 6 to 10 second. Lower the leg and repeat. Rest for a few seconds.
• Do 10 repetitions twice a day.
• If needed, add some weights to the ankles to maximise the workout.

Side Leg Rises

• Lie on your side. Keep the spine straight. Hips, knees and legs should be in a straight line.
• Keep knees straight but not locked. You can support your head with your lower arm.
• Bending lower knee as shown in the image, raise the upper leg to approximately 45 degrees. Hold for 5 seconds.
• Slowly and controlled, lower the raised leg.
• Repeat 10 times for each leg.

Deep Side Lunges With Dumbbells

• Start by standing up straight.
• Keep the back straight, abs pulled in, one knee bent and stick your butt out as you lower yourself to one side.
• Hold the dumbbells in your hands and lower them to the ground.
• Hold the position for a few seconds.
• Exhaling, press down with the weights on the floor and squeeze your glutes as you come up.

Pliė Squats With Kettlebells

• Stand in a wide stance in pliė position.
• Keep toes turned out, knees aligned with toes.
• Hold the kettlebell in front of the body with arms straight.
• Bend the knees and lower in squat position keeping abs contracted and back straight.
• Bringing the kettlebell up to chest level, push back up into starting position.
• Rise up on the toes, keeping kettlebell at chest level, elbows out and parallel to the ground.
• Keep abs engaged as you pull out against the handle of the kettlebell as you lift.
• Slowly lower back to start.

Side Leg Extension (Fire Hydrant Exercise)

This exercise isolates and activates the glutes, hips and thighs.

• Make a table of the back with only your legs and palms touching the ground.
• Keep the back flat and abs straight.
• Keeping the back flat, lift the leg using only the hips and glutes. Raise your knee outward and upward diagonally towards the side.
• Tighten your abs throughout the exercise.
• Repeat with the other leg.
• Continue alternating sides.

Leg Extensions

• Begin on your hands and knees.
• Keep the back straight as you lift one leg outwards, keeping it straight. At the same time, extend the opposite arm in front and stretch.
• Hold this position for 5 seconds.
• Repeat with the other leg and arm.

The thigh gap is the gap between two toned and muscled thighs. It is achievable and is not an impossible for many women. That said; you need not starve yourself or work yourself to the ground to achieve it.

Time and again we have seen that it is possible to shape your body through right diet and exercise and I have discussed all those factors above. Lose your inner thigh fat with the above exercises. You can do them easily anywhere you are!

Do you know of any other "how to get a thigh gap fast" exercises? Please share them in the comments below.