Build Stronger Hip Adductors With This Move
The hip adductors are often ignored in workouts and tend to be a weak link in athletes. It's a lot sexier to build a bigger squat or rip a heavy bar off the floor.
But the hip adductors play a crucial role in your overall movement and function. The adductors attach to the inner thigh starting from the medial knee all the way up to the pelvis.
Tight Adductors and Knee Pain
They attach to the inner ligament in the knee, and tight, weak adductors are often the culprit for nagging knee aches and pain. In addition, tight adductors are often at war with the glutes and can win the battle by causing knee valgus and anterior tilting of the pelvis. Though it's not as cool to squeeze a ball between your knees as it is to hip thrust, the adductors should be trained equally during accessory work as the glutes in your training. I recommend doing 2 adductor exercises for every 3-4 glute exercises during your workout week.
Enter The Copenhagen Plank
The Copenhagen plank is a great way to train the adductors. This is the simplest variation, but it's a lot tougher than it looks.
- Set up in a side plank position with bent knees.
- Place one knee on the bench.
- To begin, lift the bottom hip off the floor into a plank position.
- You can progress this by squeezing the bottom knee into the bench.
- Hold for 10-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Other Adductor Exercises
If your gym has a seated adductor machine, use it. Vary the tempo, holding for longer pauses and slowing down the eccentric contraction.
Another great way to improve adductor strength is lying side adduction, ball squeezes between the knees, and band standing adduction.
I will have a feature in an article on BarBend.com coming out soon with Copenhagen plank variations. If you're on my list, I will send out a link when the article publishes.
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