Walker, Brad. Ultimate Guide to Stretching & Flexibility. 3rd ed. 2011. Print.
The adductors are a large group of muscles located on the medial (inner) side
of the thigh. They originate at the bottom of the hip bone and extend down
the inside of the thigh attaching to the medial side of the femur. The
primary action of the adductors is to adduct (draw towards the midline) the
hip joint.
Sports that benefit from these adductor stretches include: Basketball and
Netball; Cycling; Hiking, Backpacking, Mountaineering and Orienteering;
Ice Hockey and Field Hockey; Ice Skating, Roller Skating and Inline
Skating; Martial Arts; Running, Track and Cross Country; running sports
like Football, Soccer, Gridiron and Rugby; Snow Skiing and Water Skiing;
Surfing; Walking and Race Walking; and Wrestling.
The major muscles being stretched.
Adductor brevis
Adductor longus
Adductor magnus
Pectineus
Gracilis
H01 – Sitting Feet-together Adductor Stretch: Sit with the soles of your feet together
and bring your feet towards your groin. Hold onto your ankles and push your
knees toward the ground with your elbows. Keep your back straight.
H02 – Standing Wide Knees Adductor Stretch: Stand with your feet wide apart and
your toes pointing diagonally outwards, then bend your knees, lean forward
and use your hands to push your knees outwards.
H03 – Standing Leg-up Adductor Stretch: Stand upright and place one leg out to
the side and your foot up on a raised object. Keep your toes facing forward
and slowly move your other leg away from the object.
H04 – Kneeling Leg-out Adductor Stretch: Kneel on one knee and place your other
leg out to the side with your toes pointing forward. Rest your hands on the
ground and slowly move your foot further out to the side.
H05 – Squatting Leg-out Adductor Stretch: Stand with your feet wide apart. Keep
one leg straight and your toes pointing forward while bending the other leg
and turning your toes out to the side. Lower your groin towards the ground
and rest your hands on your bent knee or the ground.
H06 – Kneeling Face-down Adductor Stretch: Kneel face down with your knees and
toes facing out. Lean forward and let your knees move outwards.
H07 – Sitting Wide-leg Adductor Stretch: Sit on the ground with your legs straight
out and as wide apart as possible and then reach forward while keeping your
back straight.
H08 – Standing Wide-leg Adductor Stretch: Start by standing with your feet wide
apart and your toes pointing forward. Then lean forward and reach towards
the ground.