The adductors are a muscle group that are overlooked by many. Fixating on the glutes (a lot of people can probably relate to this) but neglecting the adductors is a common mistake many people make.
Here are 5 of my top exercises for strengthening the adductor (inner thigh) muscles. All of these exercises require a minimal amount of equipment so they can be done at home or the gym.
#1) Seated Weighted Adductions + Mobility
Here is a very simple and effective exercise for strengthening the adductors and improving mobility.
While I’m sitting on an elevated surface (two yoga blocks that are lengthwise) so I can use a greater range of motion, start off sitting on the floor (and using a smaller ROM).
Coaching Tips:
- Sit on the floor and rest your back against a stable surface (can help eliminate compensating/cheating). Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Bend your knees, and place the soles of your feet so they are touching/together.
- Rest a weight on top of each knee (on meaty part of quads). Be conservative with the weight you select.
- Now slowly bring your knees apart/lower your legs towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and where it feels comfortable).
- Once you hit your end range, use your adductors to lift your legs to the top position, and bring your knees towards each other.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from hip to hip.
- For the duration of the exercise keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.
#2) Lateral Squats
This exercise strengthens the adductors, quadriceps, and glutes, and improves mobility.
Coaching Tips:
- Adopt your preferred foot width. Your feet will likely be much farther apart than your regular squat stance. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- On the squatting foot, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the set. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- Hold a weight in your preferred position. You may also use a band. Keep your arms rigid, and pretend you are trying to crush something in your armpits. This will help keep your arms and the weight(s) from swinging.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now travel diagonally and perform a lateral squat. Once you hit your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), press away from the floor with your planted leg and return to the top/starting position.
- Imagine a horizontal line is drawn on the floor between your two feet. The entire time, your body should travel horizontally on this line. You can also imagine a wall is directly in front of and behind you. Do not let your body travel forward or back and strike the wall.
- Aim to do most of the work with your squatting leg, versus pushing off with your extending leg.
- When you are performing the squats, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your legs. Don’t just mindlessly drop down. Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps per side.
#3) Copenhagen Lift-Offs
This exercise strengthens the adductors, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Bend your knee of your upper leg to roughly 90 degrees, and place your knee/lower leg on a box, bench, or other stable elevated surface.
- Get into a side plank position from your forearm and knee/lower leg. Your shoulder should be above your elbow.
- Use your adductors and press your body away from the surface and towards the ceiling.
- Pause for a count in the top position.
- Then use your adductors to control the movement as you lower your body towards the floor and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- For the duration of the exercise pay attention to your supporting arm. Push away from the floor/towards the ceiling and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to pike or collapse.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps per side.
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#4) Half Kneeling Hinges + Adductor Strengthener
This exercise strengthens the adductors (on the extended side), the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps (on the kneeling side), improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and hip mobility.
Coaching Tips:
- Kneel on one side. Your thigh should be in a vertical position.
- On the other side, fully extend your leg, and place it in a lateral position.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Hold a weight in your preferred position. For the duration of the exercise, keep the weight tight to your body. Pretend you are crushing something in your armpits.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall. When you are hinging, pretend you are “pulling” your body back/down with your posterior chain muscles. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.
- Gain a moment of control in the bottom position, then press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position using your extended leg. Really focus on using your adductors (inner thigh muscles).
- Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps per side.
#5) Band Resisted Kneeling Adductor Slides
This exercise, which strengthens the adductors and improves hip controlled mobility, is deceptively tough!
You can use a slider, or a towel. If it’s more comfortable, you can also kneel on a pillow(s).
Coaching Tips:
- Fasten a resistance band around a secure surface, and loop the band around your knee. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise, and the resistance should be coming laterally.
- Kneel on a slider or towel. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Place your knees so they are approximately hip to shoulder width apart.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now slowly slide your knee laterally (knee where band resistance is being applied), and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and where it feels comfortable).
- Once you hit your end range, really squeeze your inner thighs (adductors), and return your body to the top/starting position.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from knee to knee.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps per side.
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