Abductor and adductor stretches

When we train, it is vitally important to connect body and mind so that the exercise is truly effective. That state of connection starts from the warm-up and ends with the stretches. And this last step is where we want to focus right now, more specifically, on the abductors and adductors.

It is very common to confuse one with the other, so in a nutshell we will say that the adductors are responsible for closing the legs and the abductors for opening them. That is why it is so important to know how to stretch that muscle to avoid injuries, stiffness and other discomforts. In addition, training and stretching the inner thighs promotes flexibility, both in men and women.

Soreness in these areas is very common and this is because, during physical exertion, our body releases lactic acid, giving rise to the stiffness and pain that we know as soreness. That is why it is so important to stretch so that the muscle loses that stiffness and remains flexible and healthy.

How to stretch abductors

To stretch the muscles responsible for opening the legs, the best thing is precisely that, opening the legs, so the exercises that we are going to give next will help us improve the flexibility of our legs.

Supported Stretch

It is a very classic stretch and it is used for ductors and abductors. To do it:

• We stand up and look for support above or below our hips, a chair, a bar, a table, etc. It already depends on the flexibility you have at that time.
• In this support we put one foot and the other we keep it glued to the ground, so that we stretch the leg laterally to relax the abductors.
• Then we change legs and do the same.
• When we notice the pressure we can hold a maximum of 30 seconds.

V feet

We have surely done this stretch thousands of times, and it works for both adductors and abductors. Let’s explain it step by step:

• We sit on a mat and spread our legs as wide as we can in a V shape.
• When we think we can’t take it anymore, we hold on for a few seconds and slowly close our legs.
• We have to repeat it at least 2 times and hold between 5 and 10 seconds.
• If when stretching we do not maintain a position slightly inclined forward, we will withstand less pressure.

There are those who take advantage of this exercise to tilt their body towards the center of the legs, but it is not recommended, since this forced curvature could damage our back, especially the lower back.

squat stretch

It is a stretch that requires a lot of balance and some technique, along with some elasticity, so not everyone can do it properly.

• We must squat down and when we have stability, we stretch one leg to the maximum. In this way we manage to stretch the abductor, and when we feel the pressure, we must wait between 5 and 10 seconds.
• We carefully pick up the leg, stand up and bend down again and stretch the opposite leg.

If we don’t get stability, or it hurts to do it, we have an ankle injury or something that prevents us from stretching in this position, then we should skip this step and try our luck with the next one.

adductor stretches

This muscle group is very important and is usually worked together with the abductors to define the legs and have very nice thighs. Stretching the adductors is very easy and we are going to put some stretching exercises that anyone can do at home, in the park or in the gym. It should be said that if we feel pain, we must stop immediately and check the area in case there is an injury.

V-legs

Here we will be able to stretch the adductors quickly and easily.

• We have to sit on the floor and put our legs in a V shape, then, take one of the legs and by means of a slight inclination we try to touch with our hand the toe of the shoe of the leg that is still stretched .

Once we have maintained the tension for about 10 seconds, we return to the original position slowly and repeat, but stretching the leg that was previously bent and bending the one that was previously stretched.

Feet together and knees on the ground

• We lie on a mat with our backs firmly against it and we put our legs stretched out and little by little we bend our knees and join foot to foot so that a kind of diamond is formed between our legs.
• With the help of the elbows, we try to make the legs touch the ground.

In this exercise it is very important not to force our body, since we could damage our hips . Therefore, we only have to go as far as we can and force a little more, but without it hurting, we just have to feel the pressure on the adductor muscles of both thighs.

Squats and lunges

Yes, by doing squats and lunges, we can also stretch the adductors. To do this, we just have to follow a simple step:

• We get into a stride position (without weight) and the back leg instead of touching the ground at 90 degrees, we put it straight and maintain the posture for 20 seconds . We alternate one leg and the other.

In this case, if we have trained the lower body a lot, our body will no longer be able to make those efforts, so it is better to choose other stretches.

frog jump

• We do a squat and now we are going to lower the trunk and put the palms of the hands on the ground. The feet should be in a sumo squat position and as we bend down the elbows should force the legs to open a little more.

In this way we manage to stretch the adductors, yes, but if we have some type of back injury, especially in the lower back, it is not a highly recommended position. This is because the vertebrae are going to be forced and could pinch a nerve and cause sciatica pain.