Hip Adductor Machine

Execution

1. Keep your back firmly against the pad, holding the sides of the seat so your upper body does not rock with the legs.
2. Exhale and squeeze the legs together against the resistance, contracting the inner thighs.
3. Hold for a beat as the legs come close together, without banging the pads into each other.
4. Inhale and let the legs open back to the start slowly, without bouncing off the stretched position to build momentum.
5. If you run out of strength mid-set, keep squeezing and let the legs open slowly against the resistance; never just release, because having the groin pulled open suddenly is the most common injury on this machine. To end the set: hold the legs together, wait until the stack settles fully on the pins, then take your legs off the pads and stand up.

Quick cues

• Back stays still, don't rock with the legs.
• Squeeze in and contract the inner thighs.
• Don't bounce at the stretched position.
• Open back slow and controlled.

Common faults

• Fault: Bouncing at the widest open point to build momentum

  Fix: Pause instead of bouncing at the stretched end, and reduce the starting open range if it feels overly tight.

• Fault: Setting the starting range too wide, causing an uncomfortable groin stretch

  Fix: Reset the range to a light, comfortable stretch before adding weight.

• Fault: Rocking the upper body with each squeeze

  Fix: Hold both sides of the seat and press the back into the pad for the whole set.

• Fault: Letting the pads clap together hard when squeezing in

  Fix: Squeeze the legs together over about 2 seconds and ease into the finish.