Barbell back squat
Quads · Glutes · Adductors
Barbell
Exercises by muscle
Adductor exercises
Compare bringing the legs together against a machine or cable with holding a supported side-plank position. These load the inner thighs with different support and balance demands.
The front view shows the adductors as a surface group. It does not distinguish every inner-thigh muscle.
Meet the adductor
The hip adductors help bring the thigh inward. A machine or cable can resist that movement, while a Copenhagen plank asks the upper leg to support the body. Squats can also involve adductors, but do not reproduce the same setup.
Choose your starting point
Move the thighs together
Compare a seated bilateral machine with one leg working against a low cable.
Hip adduction
A seated machine places each leg outside a pad. Bring the thighs together and return through a comfortable range; learn its starting-position adjustment.
Cable hip adduction
An ankle cuff and low pulley resist one leg moving inward. You also manage balance while the standing leg supports you.
Support the body sideways
This is a demanding hold rather than the same movement as a machine repetition.
How to choose
Do not equate bodyweight with an easy start
The Copenhagen plank loads the supporting leg with part of your bodyweight. A machine offers a different way to adjust resistance and support; pick according to the task you can control.
Distinguish inward from outward movement
Adduction brings the thigh inward. Abduction moves it outward. The machines can look similar, so check which side of the legs contacts the pads.
Explore the exercises
Guides: 12
Bodyweight squat
Quads · Glutes · Adductors
BodyweightCable hip adduction
Adductors
Cable
Conventional deadlift
Back · Quads · Hamstrings · Glutes · Adductors
Barbell
Copenhagen plank
Adductors
BodyweightBench
Front squat
Quads · Glutes · Adductors
BarbellHip adduction
Adductors
Machine
Leg press
Quads · Glutes · Adductors
MachineVariations
Smith machine squat
Quads · Glutes · Adductors
Machine
Sumo deadlift
Quads · Hamstrings · Glutes · Adductors
Barbell
Keep exploring
How many sets per muscle group per week should you do?
Most people should train each muscle with 10 to 20 hard sets a week. The number is the easy part. Counting your sets honestly is where it usually goes wrong.
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Frequently asked questions
Is hip adduction the same as hip abduction?
No. Adduction brings the thighs toward each other; abduction moves them apart. Check the machine pads and intended movement before loading it.
Can a Copenhagen plank replace a machine rep exactly?
No. The plank is a body-support hold with additional trunk demands. The machine moves the thighs against an adjustable load from a seated position.