Thighmaster

The Thighmaster is an exercise product designed to shape one's thighs. The device is basically two pieces of metal tube bent in a loop and connected with a hinge. The intended use is to put the Thighmaster between the knees and squeeze them together. This exercises the hip adductors. Even if the marketing was targeted towards women (assuming men rarely want to shape their legs), the simple mechanism allows exercising any suitable muscle where a small angle can be created to press it, for example the biceps (elbow lexion) or the hamstrings (knee flexion).

As with most fitness products marketed to homes, advertisements often emphasized that the Thighmaster could be used while doing something else. The infomercials featured people watching television and exercising with the Thighmaster at the same time. It was mainly advertised in the 1990s by the actress Suzanne Somers.

The Thighmaster was marketed by Joshua Reynolds, who also made a great deal of money with his version of the Mood ring. Reynolds is an heir to the fortune of R. J. Reynolds, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company founder.

In popular culture

*Featured on Coffee Talk. 1991-1994.
*Mentioned in Talk Soup, being bought by Señor Sock, a womanizing Argentinian sock puppet. 1991-2002.
*Inspired an art project: Thank You Thighmaster. 1993.
*Featured in In Living Color. February 21, 1993.
*Mentioned in Friends. 1994-2004
*Featured in Angel. February 15, 2000.
*Featured in . July 13, 2004.
*Featured in Desperate Housewives. December 19, 2004.
*Featured in the Mike Meyers' film So I Married an Axe Murderer.
*Compared to the Bedazzler. April 29, 2005.
*Mentioned in The Colbert Report. August 2, 2007.