How to Do Adductor

Adductor — start position demonstration photo
Start
Adductor — end position demonstration photo
End

Start and end of one clean rep of Adductor.

Quick facts

Primary muscleQuads
Secondary muscles—
EquipmentBodyweight
CategoryStretching

How to perform Adductor

  1. Lie face down with one leg on a foam roll.
  2. Rotate the leg so that the foam roll contacts against your inner thigh. Shift as much weight onto the foam roll as can be tolerated.
  3. While trying to relax the muscles if the inner thigh, roll over the foam between your hip and knee, holding points of tension for 10-30 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.

Muscles worked

  • Quads (primary): extends the knee to drive squats, lunges and jumps.

Sets & reps by goal

GoalSets × repsLoadRest
Strength3–5 × 3–5Heavy (~85%+)2–3 min
Hypertrophy3–4 × 8–12Moderate (~65–75%)60–90 s
Endurance2–3 × 15–20Lighter (~50–60%)30–45 s

As a mobility drill, hold each position for 20–40 seconds (or move slowly for reps) rather than training it to a heavy load.

Form tips

  • Keep the knees tracking in line with the toes and push the whole foot into the floor.
  • Own the largest range you can control with clean form before you chase extra reps.
  • Ease in until you feel mild tension, never pain, and breathe out as you sink a little deeper.
  • Breathe out on the effort and in on the return, keeping one steady rhythm across the set.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the knees cave inward as you push out of the bottom.
  • Cutting the range short to squeeze out extra reps instead of owning each full one.
  • Bouncing into the stretch instead of holding it steadily.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does Adductor work?

Adductor is a focused movement that primarily works the quads.

What equipment do I need for Adductor?

None — Adductor is a bodyweight movement, so you only need your bodyweight and a little space.

How many sets and reps should I do for Adductor?

It depends on your goal: about 3–5 sets of 3–5 heavy reps for strength, 3–4 sets of 8–12 for muscle growth, or 2–3 sets of 15–20 for endurance. As a mobility drill, hold each position for 20–40 seconds (or move slowly for reps) rather than training it to a heavy load.

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