Stretch adductors: 7 effective exercises for the living room

Want to stretch your adductors? Here you'll find great exercises to stretch your inner thighs. Get started now!

Today we give a little more attention to the thighs. They absolutely deserve it.

After all, the thighs are stressed in one way or another in almost every sport. Unfortunately, many athletes neglect to stretch the inner thighs.

With shortened muscles, the mobility of the pelvis is limited. This has a negative effect on the spine. At the same time, the adductors cannot stabilize your hip and pelvis sufficiently.

The likelihood that you will injure yourself during sports or everyday life increases enormously. If you regularly give your inner thighs a few stretches, you ensure that the connective tissue remains loose and the lymph fluid flows. This allows you to recover more quickly after a workout.

At the same time, it is so important to do regular stretching sessions for the thighs.

What is the structure of the muscles of the thighs?

Basically, the thigh is supported by the femur. The knee joint connects it to the lower leg. And the hip joint connects the thigh to the trunk.

Before we start stretching the adductors, let's take a little look at the anatomy of the thighs.

The muscles in the thigh can be divided into three areas:

• anterior thigh muscle
• posterior thigh muscle
• Inner side of the thigh (adductors)

This time we will focus on the adductors. Adductors are muscles that pull a limb closer. The term is derived from adducere (to bring close).

Adductors are located on the inner side of the thighs and guide the splayed leg back to the center of the body. In addition, they allow flexion in the hip joint.

In runners, they provide stabilization of the pelvis. The adductors are composed of different muscles. The superficial musculature includes the

• Pectineus muscle
• Adductor longus muscle
• and Musculus gracilis

The deep muscles of the inner thigh are composed of the

• Musculus adductor magnus
• and adductor minimus muscle

together.

In between there is the middle musculature - to which one counts the musculus addductor brevis.

Why are the adductors shortened?

The adductors are shortened when the legs are pulled too far inward. This can be the case, for example, when passing in soccer. But also in everyday life, the legs are often pulled together unnaturally tight.

Shortened adductors are particularly noticeable when spreading the legs. Normally, you then feel pain in the area of the inner thigh.

The shortening increases the tension in the muscle. This can be felt as far as the groin region. You don't know if your adductors are shortened?

There is a very simple test for this.

• Lie on your back and stretch out your legs.
• Place one foot on the knee of the other leg. Your lower leg should lie across the leg.
• Now try to come towards the floor with the knee of the bent leg. Your hand can help a little.

The closer your knee is to the floor, the better. If the distance between your knee and the floor is more than 20 cm, then your adductors are shortened and you should definitely stretch your inner thigh.

Why should I stretch my adductors?

Shortened adductors are a common problem. They limit the mobility of the pelvis and cause back pain.

In addition, shortened adductors can no longer adequately stabilize the hip and pelvis. Therefore, it is important that the adductors are stretched regularly.

This reduces the risk of injury and the loosened connective tissue allows the lymphatic fluid to flow more quickly to the cells.

This ensures faster recovery and higher performance. But not only the inner thigh should be stretched, but all thigh muscles and the calves.

How long should I stretch my adductors?

Here it depends on what reason you want to stretch? Do you want to do stretching sessions for injury prevention or to improve your flexibility?

To improve your mobilityTo get rid of shortening and to loosen your muscles, it is best to stretch every day.

However, don't stretch your thighs right after strength training or when you've just used them heavily. It is better to stretch them the day after. Set aside a stretching day for this purpose.

To prevent injuries, it's enough to stretch your adductors two or three times a week.

You should stay in the position for at least 45 seconds per exercise. Make sure you stretch to a comfortable level. You should feel a pulling sensation in the inner thighs.

However, this should not be painful in any case. Make sure that you do not form a hunchback during the exercises. Perform the movement only as far as you can maintain a straight back.

For more mobility
Duration (total)	min. 5 min
Frequency	daily
Intensity level (1-10)	7-8
Injury Prevention
Duration	1-2 min
Frequency	2-3x per week
Intensity level (1-10)	6-7

What is the difference between static and dynamic stretching?

There are two types of stretching: static and dynamic stretching. In both cases, the aim is to improve or maintain the flexibility of the body.

Static stretching

In static stretching, you get into a position and hold it for a few seconds. You try to go as deep as possible into the stretch. The muscles are stretched in length.

Static stretching is best done after a workout. You loosen your muscles and improve your flexibility.

Before training, this type of stretching is not very recommended. Because by taking the tension out of the muscle, it is no longer very powerful.

Dynamic stretching

Dynamic stretching uses a repetitive rocking, circling or swinging motion to bring the muscle into stretch.

You do not go into maximum stretch and the tension is not held. It is done only briefly, but several times.

This type of stretching is perfect for stretching before a workout. You warm up your tendons, ligaments and muscles and the blood flow is stimulated.

Dynamic stretching not only makes you more flexible. It activates your tissue and prepares it for the subsequent load.

But be careful: too jerky movements can overstimulate your tendons and ligaments.

The 7 best exercises for stretching the inner thighs

Here you will find a mix of exercises for your thigh muscles. However, one that is specifically designed for the inner thighs.

By the way, don't hang your head if you are very immobile and find the exercises difficult. It will get better with time. I have experienced that myself. But now let's start with the stretching exercises for the adductors.

Butterfly

• Sit up straight.
• The soles of your feet are touching.
• The lower and upper legs are on the mat.
• Now press the soles of your feet firmly together and tense your legs.

To intensify the stretch, push your knees towards the floor. You can use your elbows to push your thighs down. Also bend forward a little with your upper body. However, make sure that your back remains straight and that you do not form a hunchback.Lateral Lunge

• You stand upright and a little more than shoulder width.
• Now lean on your left side.
• Make sure your right leg stays on the ground and is straight through.
• Your back is straight. Bend over to your left side as far as you can. And already you can feel your inner thighs.
• Hold this position.
• Then you change the leg.

Adductors stretch with the squat position

• Stand upright and take a large step to the right and left to the side.
• Now squat down as low as you can.
• Remain in this position as long as possible.

In this exercise, you can use your hands to push the knees outward a little more. This will make the stretch more intense. However, make sure that you feel a pleasant pull and do not overextend the adductors.

Inner thigh stretch in wide stance

• Go as far into the straddle as is still comfortable for you.
• Try to get as far as possible with your fingers to your toes.
• Stretch sometimes right, sometimes left and sometimes in the middle. Always nicely alternating. Without straightening up fully.

You find the exercise easy and you hardly feel a pull? Then bend forward with your back straight. Press your hands in front of you on the floor. They should be slightly wider than shoulder width. Look at your legs so that your head is in line with your spine during the exercise.

Thigh stretch while sitting

• Sit on the mat with your legs straight.
• Open the legs as wide as possible.
• Bend your upper body forward.
• Hold the stretching exercise for the legs for a few seconds.

To stretch even more effectively, move your hands forward. However, your back must remain straight. Do not form a hunchback.

Leg swing to stretch adductors

• Stand upright and stretch your arms out to the side. If your balance is not so good, you can hold onto a chair.
• Now lift one leg off the floor.
• Swing the leg in front of you to the left and right.

What mistakes should I avoid when stretching the adductors?

As with all other exercises, mistakes can happen when stretching and thus reduce the effect of the stretch. To prevent this from happening, we have tips for you on how to avoid these mistakes.

Do not stretch too hard

When stretching, it is important to have a comfortable level. You should always feel a slight pulling sensation, but you should never feel pain. Feel into your body and decide for yourself how intensely you can and want to stretch your adductors.

Watch your back

With very many exercises, you need to make sure your back is straight. Often people tend to want to intensify the stretch and thereby form a hunchback. However, the movement should only be performed as far as you can keep a straight back.

What can be done for adductor pain?

When people experience pain in the groin, they often think of a hernia or hip osteoarthritis. But we can reassure you.

Usually, adductor pain is a hardening or tightness that you can treat yourself with simple exercises.

The cause of the pain is usually an overload during sports activities. Often runners or soccer players are affected by painful adductors. In these sports, the adductors are heavily loaded due to repetitive motion.

When does adductor pain occur?

Only in very acute cases does the pain in the groin occur at rest. Mostly, however, they are caused by sitting too long and constantly.

For runners and ballplayers who run a lot, the pain often occurs when the leg is brought forward or backward.

If you have adductor pain, you should take the tension out of the surrounding muscles and fascia. There are several ways to do this.

Light stretching

If you have pain in your adductors, you can do the above stretching exercises. However, it is important that you only stretch slightly. Otherwise, the muscles and fascia can contract even more instead of relaxing.

Work at an intensity of 3 to 4. Do the exercises a few times and see if the pain decreases.

Massage

Another way to get rid of pain in the adductors is to have a massage that loosens up your muscles and fascia tissue. You can see a physical therapist for this. The first treatment will probably be painful. However, with each subsequent one, the discomfort will decrease.

Exercises with the fascia roller

Besides the massage you can also Exercises with a fascia roller perform. For this, go on your forearms and place the roller just above your knee. Now slowly roll piece by piece towards your groin. It's best to roll up a few centimeters and then back down again.

If you have pain in the adductors, it is also possible that the gluteal muscles are tense. Loosen them with the fascia roller and observe whether the pain subsides.

Our conclusion

Do not abandon the stretching of the adductors. Include stretching exercises in your training schedule. You should stretch your legs two to three times a week. You can also include the exercises in your warm up. This will prevent your muscles from shortening.

To browse further:

• Stretching shoulders - 7 simple exercises with which it works!
• The 11 best stretching exercises for the thighs
• The yoga swivel seat: this is how it goes, this is how it works

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