There are so many major muscle groups in your legs, it’s easy to neglect the small ones—especially your inner thighs. These muscles (a.k.a. your adductors) are responsible for so much. They’re the main movers in pulling your leg closer into the body, aid in rotation of the hips, and help stabilize the pelvis.
Five different muscles make up this group—the gracilis, obturator externus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, and adductor magnus—physical therapist and exercise physiologist Milica McDowell, DPT, previously told WH.
Squatting, running, jumping, and change-of-direction movements all require effort from your adductors. So, giving them a little extra attention now and then could improve the way you move in the gym, on the pickleball court, or even in everyday life. Not to mention, the muscles support the hips and core, so strengthening them means improving overall lower body stability, too, Allison Jackson, CPT, says.
It doesn’t take much to hit these muscles, either. Our trainers selected a few of our favorites that hammer your inner thighs more than others, so you can really hone in on them. Your move: pick one of the following 4 adductor exercises to incorporate into your leg day routine. Aim for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
Meet the experts: Allison Jackson, CPT, is a personal trainer and founder of Allison Rose Jackson. Milica McDowell, DPT, is a doctor of physical therapy, exercise physiologist, and owner of Clearwater Physical Therapy.
You Might Also Like