9: The Adductors – The Inner Thigh Link Between Core Control and Lower Body Strength
The adductors are one of the most overlooked and undertrained muscle groups in the body. Often dismissed as just “inner thigh muscles,” they play a crucial role in hip control, knee alignment and even lower back function.
Whether you’re an athlete or someone just looking to move and feel better, weak or tight adductors can throw off your entire lower body mechanics. Training them isn’t just about strength—it's about coordination, stability, and balance between the inner and outer hips.
What Do the Adductors Actually Do?
The adductors consist of a group of muscles that bring the legs toward the midline of the body, but they do much more than that:
Stabilise the pelvis during walking, squatting and running
Assist with hip flexion and extension, depending on the angle
Control rotation at the hip joint
Work with the core to maintain balance in single-leg movements
Support knee tracking, especially when landing or changing direction
They work in tandem with the glutes and core to maintain control of the lower body—especially under load or during dynamic tasks.
Common Signs of Adductor Dysfunction
Groin tightness or pain during lunges or side steps
Knees drifting inward during squats or running
Feeling unstable when changing direction or balancing on one leg
Pelvic drop or twist during walking or stepping
Tightness in the inner thigh that doesn’t respond to stretching
In many cases, the adductors are not “too tight”—they’re weak, underactive or poorly coordinated with the rest of the kinetic chain.
Why They’re Often Neglected
Most lower body programs focus on glutes, quads and hamstrings. But without strong and responsive adductors, you’re missing a major piece of the puzzle. Neglecting them can lead to:
Hip instability
Knee strain or medial tracking issues
Lower back compensation
Poor movement mechanics during lateral or rotational tasks
How to Restore Adductor Strength and Function
1. Activate the adductors directly
Start with focused isometric and low-load exercises to build awareness:
Supine ball squeezes (between knees or ankles)
Side-lying adductor lifts
Wall-supported Copenhagen planks (regressions available)
2. Integrate with hip and core work
Combine adductor activation with glute and core control:
Tall kneeling side holds with band tension
Offset squats (e.g. foot on slider or block)
Split stance adductor dips
3. Strengthen in dynamic movement
Progress to higher demand exercises that replicate real-world motion:
Lateral lunges
Cossack squats
Adductor sliders
Weighted Copenhagen planks or tempo lateral step downs
4. Include rotation and stability work
Since adductors help resist unwanted movement, train them in rotational control too:
Anti-rotation holds
Pallof presses with lateral loading
Diagonal lunges with core engagement
Final Thought
Training the adductors is about more than just avoiding groin strains—it’s about building balanced hips, resilient knees, and better movement from the ground up. When the inner thigh muscles work in harmony with the glutes and core, you move more efficiently, more powerfully, and with less risk of breakdown.
Ignore them, and the whole system can become unstable. Include them, and everything from squats to sprinting starts to feel smoother.
