Lying Hip Adduction

A beginner-friendly isolation exercise for the inner thigh and adductors, performed lying on your side without equipment.

Instructions

1. Lie on your side on a mat with your body in a straight line from head to feet.
2. Rest your head on your lower arm or hand, and place your upper hand in front of your chest for stability.
3. Bend your upper leg and place your foot flat on the floor in front of your lower leg for balance.
4. Your lower leg should remain extended and aligned with your torso.
5. Slowly raise your lower leg upward toward your upper leg, leading with your heel.
6. Continue the movement until your lower leg reaches the highest point, squeezing the inner thigh muscles.
7. Hold the top position for a second, maintaining tension in the adductors.
8. Slowly lower your leg back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
9. Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other side.

Tips

• Keep your torso stable and avoid rolling forward or backward; maintain proper side-lying alignment throughout.
• Move slowly and with control; jerky or bouncing movements reduce effectiveness and increase injury risk.
• As you progress, add ankle weights or resistance bands to increase the challenge and stimulus to the adductors.
• Keep your core engaged to prevent spinal rotation and to protect your lower back during the exercise.
• This exercise helps improve hip stability, balance, and inner thigh strength for better functional movement.
• Perform 2-3 times per week for optimal adductor strength and hip mobility development.