Why Strong Inner Thighs Matter: The Role of Hip Adductors in Squats, Lunges, and Sports Performance
Why You Should Care About Your Inner Thighs
Most people don’t walk into the gym saying, “Today’s inner thigh day.” But your hip adductors — the group of muscles on the inside of your thigh — are working hard behind the scenes every time you squat, lunge, run, or even just balance on one leg. They’re often the unsung heroes of lower body movement, athletic performance, and injury prevention.
In this blog, we’ll break down what the hip adductors are, what they do, why they matter in everyday movement and sports, and how to train them properly. Whether you’re a beginner trying to build strength or someone getting back into fitness, understanding these muscles can elevate your training and reduce the risk of injury.
What Are the Hip Adductors?
The hip adductors are a group of five muscles:
Adductor Longus
Adductor Brevis
Adductor Magnus
Gracilis
Pectineus
These muscles originate on your pelvis and attach to the femur (your thigh bone). Their main role is to bring your legs inward toward your body’s midline — a movement called hip adduction.
But they also do a lot more:
Help stabilize your pelvis and hips
Assist in hip flexion (lifting your knee)
Support hip extension (especially during squats and deadlifts)
Contribute to internal rotation of the thigh
Think of them as your body’s built-in stabilizers. They keep you aligned, balanced, and strong from the inside out.
Adductor magnus muscle anatomy. Source: Mikael Häggström, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Why They Matter in Exercise and Fitness
1. Stabilization and Balance
Adductors work overtime in single-leg exercises, helping to keep your pelvis level and knees tracking properly.
2. Preventing Injury
Weak or tight adductors can lead to knee valgus (knees caving inward), groin strains, or hip pain. Keeping them strong and mobile improves joint integrity.
3. Improved Lifting Performance
In squats, deadlifts, and lunges, the adductors help control the descent and drive the hips back up. A strong inner thigh = better force transfer and power.
4. Athletic Movements
In sports like soccer, hockey, MMA, and basketball, they’re critical for cutting, pivoting, squeezing, and sprinting.
Hip Adductors in Rehab and Injury Prevention
Groin injuries are common in sports involving rapid direction changes or kicking. Rehab focuses on:
Strengthening these muscles can also help relieve or prevent pain in the hips, knees, and lower back (Weir et al., 2010).
Best Exercises to Strengthen Your Hip Adductors (With How-To)
1. Ball or Foam Roller Squeeze (Isometric Adduction)
How to do it:
Sit on a bench or lie on your back with knees bent.
Place a ball or foam roller between your knees.
Squeeze hard and hold for 10-30 seconds.
Repeat 3-5 times.
Great for activation and early-stage rehab.
2. Side-Lying Leg Lifts (Adduction Focus)
How to do it:
Lie on your side with your bottom leg straight and top leg crossed over in front.
Lift the bottom leg up and down slowly.
Perform 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps.
Targets the adductors directly.
3. Sumo Squats
How to do it:
Stand with feet wide and toes slightly turned out.
Lower into a deep squat, keeping chest upright.
Drive through heels and inner thighs to stand up.
Perform 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
Activates the adductors more than regular squats due to the wider stance (Escamilla et al., 2001).
4. Sliding Lateral Lunges
How to do it:
Stand with one foot on a sliding disc or towel.
Slide that foot out to the side while bending the stationary leg.
Pull the sliding leg back using your inner thigh.
Perform 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps per leg.
Excellent eccentric strengthening and mobility.
5. Copenhagen Planks
How to do it:
Lie on your side with your top leg resting on a bench or box.
Support yourself on your forearm and lift your body off the ground.
Hold for 10-20 seconds. Switch sides.
Progress by adding movement or increasing time.
Highly effective for adductor strength and injury prevention (Ishøi et al., 2016).
Conclusion: Don’t Skip the Inner Thigh Work
Your hip adductors might not be flashy muscles, but they play a vital role in almost everything you do — from lifting and running to staying injury-free. Strengthening and mobilizing them leads to better performance, improved balance, and healthier joints.
Next time you hit the gym, give your inner thighs the attention they deserve. You’ll move better, feel stronger, and stay safer.
References
Escamilla, R. F., Fleisig, G. S., Lowry, T. M., Barrentine, S. W., & Andrews, J. R. (2001). A three-dimensional biomechanical analysis of sumo and conventional style deadlifts. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 33(5), 884-890.
Ishøi, L., Sørensen, C. N., Kaae, N. M., Juhl, C. B., Thorborg, K., & Holmich, P. (2016). Large eccentric strength increase using the Copenhagen Adduction exercise in football: A randomized controlled trial. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 26(11), 1334-1342.
Weir, A., Brukner, P., Delahunt, E., Ekstrand, J., Griffin, D., Khan, K. M., … & Guermazi, A. (2015). Doha agreement meeting on terminology and definitions in groin pain in athletes. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(12), 768-774.
