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Inner/Outer Thigh Exercises

Why should I train adductors and abductors?

Inner and outer thigh exercises

See all abductor variations here

See all adductor variations here

The adductors and abductors refer to the groups of muscles in your hips and inner thighs.

The adductors are on the inside of your thighs, and are so called as they help to pull your thighs towards the midline of your body (known as adduction). They are made up of five muscles: adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, gracilis, and pectineur. The abductors sit on the outside of the hips, and help to pull the thighs away from the midline. They include the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fascia lata. 

Adductors and abductors play a role in stabilising the pelvis and hips, rotating our legs, balancing, and many functional movements like walking, standing, and sitting down. Strengthening these muscles have been shown to reduce back, knee and ankle pain, improve knock knees, help to prevent injuries,  and improve posture. It's important to train both muscle groups, as an imbalance between the two can lead to a poor walking gait and balance. 

Check out our other leg exercises: Calf exercises, Hamstring exercises, Quad exercises

Commonly asked questions on adductors and abductors

  • Exercise causes microscopic damage to the muscle fibres. While this damage is an essential part of building strength, it can lead to stiff and painful muscles - known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Making sure you warm up before your workout, and cool down and stretch after,  can help to prevent muscle pain after exercise. If you do experience sore muscles, gentle exercises and stretches to get the blood flowing, applying heat, and massaging the area can help to relieve and manage soreness. 

  • An easy way to test if your hip adductors are weak compared to your abductors is to perform a squat. If your knees point outwards at the bottom of the squat, it suggests your adductors are weaker and need strengthening. 

  • One way to test for weak hip abductors is to perform a single leg squat off a step, in front of a mirror:

    • Stand with both feet on a step facing a mirror
    • Slide one foot forward off the step and lean onto the other leg
    • Lower into a quarter squat

    If you have weak hip abductors, your hip will drop on the non supported leg, and you may find yourself leaning over for balance. 

  • The clamshell is a hip strengthening exercise that mainly works the gluteus medius, which is the main hip abductor muscle. When done correctly, you should feel this exercise in gluteus medius, around the back of your hips. 

  • Running from below your knee to above your hip, the IT band is a tendon that helps to stabilise the hips. Having weak hip abductors can cause the IT band to be overworked and become strained. Clamshells help to strengthen the hip abductors and therefore reduce strain on the IT band.

Adductor & abductor tips

  • If you sit down for long periods of time, your adductor and abductors might be tight. Make sure to warm up before working out, and slowly increase the range of motion over time to avoid injury. 
  • Stick to a resistance or weight where you can perform the exercises in a slow and controlled movement, and focus on mind-muscle connection. 

Abductor variations

How to do a seated hip abduction

Level: Beginner

Equipment required: Hip abduction machine

  1. Sit with your back against the back pad, knees against the knee support, and feet on the foot rests. Select the weight. 
  2. Adjust the machine so that your legs are together, then grip the handles at the side of the machine for support.
  3. Use your hip abductors to push your knees out as far as you can comfortably go, making sure your upper body stays still. 
  4. Hold at the top of the movement before slowly returning back to the start.

How to do a side lying hip abduction

Level: Beginner 

Equipment required: Bodyweight, resistance band

  1. Lie down on your side on a mat or soft surface. Use one arm to rest your head and place the other on top of your hip.
  2. Your hips should stacked in line on top of each other, and your legs should be extended out with one on top of the other. If using resistance bands, loop the band around your thigh just above your knee. 
  3. Keeping your legs straight, raise the top leg towards the ceiling, stopping once the leg is in a straight line from your hips. 
  4. Hold for a second before lowering your leg back to the start. 
  5. Repeat for desired reps and then switch sides.

How to do a standing hip abduction

Level: Beginner 

Equipment: Bodyweight, resistance band

  1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. If using a resistance band, place it around your thighs just above your knees.
  2. Holding on to a wall for balance if needed, slowly push your right leg out to the side as high as you are able while keeping upright. Your left leg should have a slight bend in the knee. 
  3. Pause at the top before returning your leg to starting position. 
  4. Repeat for desired number of reps and switch legs.

How to do a banded hip abduction

Level: Beginner

Equipment required: Resistance band

  1. Banded hip abductions can be done standing up (see above) or seated. 
  2. Place a resistance band around your thighs just above the knees and sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 
  3. Holding on to the edge of the bench for support, push your knees away from each other. As you push your knees, your feet will rotate. 
  4. Pause at the top of the movement before returning back to starting position. 

How to do a cable hip abduction

Level: Beginner

Equipment required: Cable pulley machine, cable cuff

  1. Attach the cable cuff to the pulley and move the pulley to the lowest height.
  2. Stand with your left leg facing the pulley and attach the cuff to your right ankle.
  3. Holding on to the pulley for support, raise your leg out to the side. Keep your hips facing forward and upper body upright.
  4. Hold at the top before slowly returning back to starting position. 
  5. Repeat for desired reps and switch sides. 

How to do clamshells

Level: Beginner

Equipment required: Bodyweight

  1. Lie on your side, hips stacked one on top of the other, using your arm to support your head.
  2. Bend your knees to 90 degrees. Your feet should be one on top of the other. 
  3. Engage your core and raise your top knee as high as you are comfortably able to while keeping your feet together and hips facing forward. 
  4. Squeeze your glutes and hold at the top, before slowly returning to the starting position. 
  5. Repeat for desired reps.

How to do banded clamshells

Level: Beginner

Equipment required: Resistance band

Once you're able to perform clamshells with the correct form, try adding a resistance band for progression.

  1. Wrap a short resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees. 
  2. Lie on your side with your hips stacked one on top of the other. Rest your arm on your head.
  3. Bend your knees to 90 degrees, with your feet one on top of the other. 
  4. Keeping your feet together, push your top knee as high up as you are comfortably able to without your hips rotating. 
  5. Squeeze your glutes and hold at the top, before slowly returning to the starting position. 
  6. Repeat for desired reps.

How to do a side plank clamshell

Level: Advanced

Equipment required: Bodyweight, resistance band

The side plank clamshell is an advanced progression that strengthens your glutes and core, and helps to improve hip mobility. You should to be able to perform both a controlled side plank and clamshell separately before attempting this exercise. Adding a resistance band around the thigh makes it more challenging. 

  1. Start by getting into a bent knee side plank: hips, feet, and knees on the floor, with your knees bent 90 degrees so your feet are behind you, elbow underneath your shoulder with your forearm on the floor. 
  2. Raise your bottom hip off the floor, engaging your glutes to extend both hips forward. 
  3. At the same time, lift your top knee towards the ceiling. Both feet should remain on top of another on the floor. 
  4. Hold this position for a few seconds before returning back to the start.
  5. Repeat.

Adductor variations

How to do a seated hip adduction

Level: Beginner

Equipment required: Hip adduction machine

  1. Select your weight and use the lever to close the knee pads together. Sit with your back against the support, feet on the foot rests, and knees on the outside of the knee pads. 
  2. Use the lever to open the pads out until you feel a light stretch in your inner thighs. 
  3. Holding on to the handles for support, squeeze your thighs together to bring the knee pads back to the middle, stopping just before they collide. 
  4. Hold this position for a few seconds before slowly returning back to the start.

How to do a side lying hip adduction

Level: Beginner

Equipment required: Bodyweight

  1. Lie down on your left side on a soft surface, with your hips, knees and ankles in a straight line stacked one on top of the other. Use your left arm to support your head and place your right hand on the floor in front of your core for balance.
  2. Bend your right leg and cross it over your left leg, so your right foot is on the floor in front of your left shin. 
  3. Raise your left leg off the ground as high as comfortably possible, keeping it straight. 
  4. Hold before lowering back to starting position.
  5. Repeat for desired reps then switch sides.

   

If you’re not sure if any of the above exercises are suitable for you, please consult your doctor before you start it. Need guidance on how to perform the exercise? Ask a personal trainer at your gym.