Building STRONG adductor (inner thigh) muscles will help you perform, function, and feel your very best!
Unfortunately the adductors/inner thighs is a muscle group that is overlooked by MANY!
Here are 5 top adductor strengthening exercises you should do!
All of these exercises require a minimal amount of equipment so they can be done anywhere!
#1) Seated Weighted Butterfly Adductions
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/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.
#2) Lateral Squats (also including landmine option)
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 planted side, keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. 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/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps per side.
Here is a landmine option:
#3) Copenhagen Plank + Weight Hold
This exercise strengthens the adductors, improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core), and shoulder and scapular stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a side plank position from your forearm and ankle/foot. Your shoulder should be above your elbow.
- On the upper side, fully extend your leg and place your ankle and foot on a stable elevated surface.
- If this fully extended position bothers your knee/any other part of your body, opt for the bent leg variation (your knee should be bent to 90 degrees, and your knee, lower leg, and foot should be on the surface).
- Place a weight plate or dumbbell on your knee/leg, and bend your knee. Lightly support the weight with your hand (optional as I’m not doing this as the weight is stable). You will not need to use much weight for this to be both challenging and effective.
- For the duration of the exercise, drive this leg up towards the ceiling.
- Now use your adductors and press your body away from the surface and towards the ceiling, and maintain this press and position. Do not mindlessly hang out on your leg! Many people make this mistake with Copenhagen plank variations!
- For the duration of the exercise, pay attention to your supporting arm. Push away from the floor and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around the ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to foot.
- 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 a 10-30 second hold per side.
Here is a more basic option:
Get STRONG hip flexors, improve your mobility and athleticism! Getting your hip flexors STRONGER might be the missing link to helping you function, perform, and feel better in the gym, with your running, your sport, and even in your daily life. For “experienced beginners” to advanced trainees, and also coaches. Great for home AND gym workouts!
#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 (think core), 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/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps per side.
Here is another option:
#5) Kneeling Adductor Slides
This exercise, which strengthens the adductors and improves hip controlled mobility, is deceptively tough!
You can use sliders or towels. If it’s more comfortable, you can also kneel on a pillow(s).
Coaching Tips:
- Kneel on sliders or towels. 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 knees laterally 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/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.
Here is another option:
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