What are Abductor & Adductor Machines?

Abductor & Adductor Machines Explained.

Before jumping into the abductor and adductor machines, it is important to understand what abductor and adductor mean.

Abductor and adductor are muscles located in the thigh and hip region. These muscles work in coordination allowing your legs to move sideways. Abductor muscles allow the legs to move away from the body’s midline. On the other hand, adductor muscles enable the legs to move back towards the body’s midline.

Importance of Strengthening Abductor & Adductor Muscles

The Abductor and adductor muscles allow you to perform many important movements in your day-to-day life. You need not be a professional athlete to reap the benefits of strengthening these muscles. For example, abductor muscles help you to run and walk briskly without pain or discomfort. They reduce the pressure on knees by stabilizing the glutes and the hips. Strengthening adductor muscles reduces groin pain from stretching or any physical activity that involves spreading your legs apart.

Strengthening Abductor & Adductor Muscles using Machines

The abductor machine trains specific abductor muscles (the brevis and longus magnus) located inside the thighs. While the adductor machine builds up the adductor muscles (the gluteus medius, Sartorius, tensor fascia latae). These muscles help turn the thighs outwards.

Before you begin working out on an abductor and adductor machine, it is important to know that this machine only targets a limited muscle group. That means, the abductor and adductor machine is designed to lift only a tiny amount of weight. Please use the guidance of a gym instructor to add the weights cautiously. If you have purchased an abductor and adductor machine at home, follow the instructions carefully. Extra weight can be damaging to the spine and may even cause long term irreversible problems.

To work the abductor and adductor machine, you must sit on it. Now with your legs you must either push your legs up or open your legs apart (depending on the area you are focusing to tone).

Even if you are not a professional sports player, strengthening the abductor and adductor muscles can give you an aesthetically pleasing shape with lean muscles in the lower body. It will also improve your functionality in everyday life. You will be able to lift heavy boxes without much strain and gain more stamina to finish your daily chores. There is no doubt that the abductor and adductor machine will greatly enhance the quality of your life.

Important Points to Remember

Exercise is only one aspect of a healthy life. You must also eat a balanced and nutritious diet to make the most out of your workout. Ensure that you eat sufficient seasonal fruits and vegetables along with complex carbohydrates, lean proteins and healthy fats.

Also, perform abductor-adductor and other muscle training regimens on alternate days. You need at least 48 hours between sessions to recover from the previous workout. This will give you more muscle gains too.

Remember, for a holistic lower body workout you must include other exercises as well. This includes squats, lunges, dead lifts and hip thrusts. Take it slow and be safe.    

Life Fitness Optima Series Hip Abductor Adductor Instructions