Hip Abduction/Adduction Exercises (How Many Sets?)

[robertscott]

even if you are trying to strengthen those muscles for the sake of a sport, something like lateral lunges would be a much better choice.

The good girl/bad girl machines are only for advanced bodybuilders who need to bring up lagging parts of their legs, or for girls who don't know what they're doing to feel like they are "toning their thighs"

[Brak]

The reason I want to do them is for the sake of completeness, as that is a main articulation of the hip joint.

[robertscott]

The reason I want to do them is for the sake of completeness, as that is a main articulation of the hip joint.

it's pointless, trust me.

[Brak]

If its pointless, then why do doctors have you do them when they examine you?

[robertscott]

If its pointless, then why do doctors have you do them when they examine you?

don't know, don't care.

Im just trying to help. There will never be a time in your life when you need to perform those movements under load. It's a waste of time training them unless you have some sort of imbalance, which you won't.

If you're dead set on doing them, go ahead. Just be aware there are much more productive uses of your gym time.

[Dub]

even if you are trying to strengthen those muscles for the sake of a sport, something like lateral lunges would be a much better choice.

Sure thing! Having said, I have never used those silly machines to train the adductors and abductors. I've found that single-leg side planks are one of the best exercises for more isolated adductor work. Especially if you elevate the supporting foot. For abduction I'm a fan of side-lying abductions with sligth variations. Lateral exercises and for example lateral lunges with a cable hold (like in pallof press) are awesome as well.

To say that the main articulation of the hip is adduction/abduction is silly. When do you need specific adduction/abductor strength in real life? Very rarely. I admit some people migth benefit from working those movements, but then there is usually found weakness or dysfunction or something similar. Consider adductors and abductors more like stabilizers. They prevent unnecessary movements when doing bigger exercises. So they work on almost every exercise making sure your knees won't collapse or go too wide.

[Jungledoc]

If its pointless, then why do doctors have you do them when they examine you?

Whether or not doing isolation exercises for these movements is worthwhile has nothing whatever to do with the reasons a doctor might test the movement in physical exam. That's silly. Doctors usually would test the movement to check for tendonitis or to test neurological integrity.

You use your adductors and abductors when you squat or DL. There is no added value in isolating them. For what do you ever use those muscles in isolation.

[Proper Knob]

The good girl/bad girl machines are only for advanced bodybuilders who need to bring up lagging parts of their legs, or for girls who don't know what they're doing to feel like they are "toning their thighs"

Interestingly the adductor machine was a staple of Ed Coan's training, ie. the greatest power lifter ever, 3 sets of 8-12 reps. Paul Carter of Lift Run Bang also swears by them. I've also added them into my training, just a few sets of really light high reps at the end of a squat session. My troublesome groin feels loads better.

[robertscott]

The good girl/bad girl machines are only for advanced bodybuilders who need to bring up lagging parts of their legs, or for girls who don't know what they're doing to feel like they are "toning their thighs"

Interestingly the adductor machine was a staple of Ed Coan's training, ie. the greatest power lifter ever, 3 sets of 8-12 reps. Paul Carter of Lift Run Bang also swears by them. I've also added them into my training, just a few sets of really light high reps at the end of a squat session. My troublesome groin feels loads better.

yeah I could see the value for fixing imbalances, but I stand by the idea that for a rank beginner there's no need

[robertscott]

To say that the main articulation of the hip is adduction/abduction is silly. When do you need specific adduction/abductor strength in real life? Very rarely. I admit some people migth benefit from working those movements, but then there is usually found weakness or dysfunction or something similar. Consider adductors and abductors more like stabilizers. They prevent unnecessary movements when doing bigger exercises. So they work on almost every exercise making sure your knees won't collapse or go too wide.

my thoughts exactly

[Proper Knob]

The good girl/bad girl machines are only for advanced bodybuilders who need to bring up lagging parts of their legs, or for girls who don't know what they're doing to feel like they are "toning their thighs"

Interestingly the adductor machine was a staple of Ed Coan's training, ie. the greatest power lifter ever, 3 sets of 8-12 reps. Paul Carter of Lift Run Bang also swears by them. I've also added them into my training, just a few sets of really light high reps at the end of a squat session. My troublesome groin feels loads better.

yeah I could see the value for fixing imbalances, but I stand by the idea that for a rank beginner there's no need

Agree with that.