Your abductors or outer thighs move your leg away from the center of your body. The adductors or inner thighs move your leg toward your body's center. These muscles stabilize your hips and pelvis, as well as the inner and outer parts of your knees. Exercising these muscles adds shape and definition to your legs.
Fitness Circle Exercises
Voluntarily contracting your inner and outer thigh muscles makes your abductor/adductor exercises more effective. The fitness circle, used is a flexible metal ring with padding on the inside and outside. Squeezing the ring with your inner thighs, or pressing out against the ring with your outer thighs gets you in touch with your abductor and adductor muscles, enabling you to use them more effectively during other exercises. Lie supine with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place the ring between your inner thighs, and draw your legs toward each other, as if you were trying to break the ring. Relax and repeat. Perform 20 repetitions, then place the ring around your outer thighs, just above your knee. Press outward with both legs, then relax. Perform 20 repetitions.
Abductor/Adductor Machine
Most fitness centers have an abductor/adductor machine. The starting position of the machine determines the muscles worked. To exercise your inner thighs, use the lever on the side to adjust the machine so that the leg supports are in an open position. Swivel the knee support pads so that they are facing each other, and sit, with your spine against the back support, and your legs outside the vertical support pads. Contract your inner thighs and draw your legs together. Then, open to a full stretch. After 12 repetitions, use the lever to draw the leg supports together, and swivel the knee pads so that they face the outside of the machine. Sit with your legs inside the vertical knee support pads, and press your legs apart. Close with control, and perform 12 repetitions.
Side Lying Exercises
Lie on your left side with your left knee bent at a 45-degree angle, and your right leg extended at 180 degrees. Bend your left elbow and rest your head on your hand. Keeping your knee facing directly ahead, lift your right leg a few inches from the floor. Then, move it forward to a 45-degree angle, placing it on top of your left knee. Lift it again and return to the starting position. After performing 15 repetitions, roll on to your right side. Straighten your right leg and bend your left knee, placing your left foot on the floor in front of your right leg. Contract your right adductor and lift your leg. Lower with control, and perform 15 repetitions. Hold the leg lifted on the last repetition, and make 10 clockwise and 10 counter clockwise circles. Repeat the entire sequence with your left leg.
Cable Exercise
To work your abductors, stand with your left hip facing the weight stack. Using the lower cable pulleys, attach the ankle cuff to your right ankle. Keep your spine in an upright position and lift your right leg, bringing it out to the side. Return with control. perform 12 repetitions, then switch sides. To work your adductors, lie supine, and attach the ankle cuffs to each ankle. Lift your legs to a 90-degree angle, and open them, as much as your flexibility allows. Contract your inner thighs and bring your legs together.
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