Category Archives: leg exercises

Why single-leg strength matters more than you think

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If you’ve ever noticed that one side of your body feels stronger than the other—whether you’re skiing, running, or lifting —you’re not alone. Uneven hip strength is extremely common and can unfortunately affect performance, balance and long-term joint health. Fortunately, targeted exercises can help correct these imbalances and improve how your body moves as a whole.

One of the most effective exercises for addressing side-to-side differences is the single-leg Romanian deadlift (RDL). This movement strengthens the glutes while also acting as a corrective tool, revealing weaknesses that may go unnoticed during traditional two-legged exercises. Because many daily activities and sports require you to stabilize on one leg at a time, training this pattern is key.

The single-leg RDL works from the ground up. It begins with creating a stable base through the foot while the glutes and hips work to keep the pelvis level as the opposite leg reaches back. When the pelvis stays even, movement becomes more efficient. When it doesn’t, the body compensates—often leading to reduced performance or discomfort in the lower back, hips or knees.

Before loading this movement, here’s a way to prepare the muscles and joints with mobility work and a simple progression.

Foam roll the glutes

Tight or shortened glute muscles can limit hip motion and disrupt pelvic alignment, especially for people who sit frequently or tend to overarch the lower back.

Foam rolling the gluteus maximus and piriformis, a deep hip rotator, helps rejuvenate tissue and circulation, allowing the pelvis and hips to move more freely.

  • Lie (or sit) on a foam roller and shift your weight slightly to one side. Place your arm or hands on the floor for support. Roll slowly back and forth over the muscle. Roll for 30 seconds to two minutes per side at least once per day.

TRX single-leg reaching Romanian deadlift

This upright, supported variation reinforces proper hip hinging while developing balance and control. Pressing into the handles engages the anterior core and encourages proper glute activation. The gluteus medius, a key stabilizer of the pelvis, works alongside deep core muscles to maintain alignment, playing a critical role in efficient movement.

  • Hold the straps, set at mid-length, with arms extended at chest height. Stand on one leg with a slight bend in the knee and hinge forward at the hips while extending the free leg back. Keep the pelvis level and return to standing. Perform eight slow repetitions per side.

Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Single -leg Romanian deadlift

🔹Flex at hip while maintaining slightly bent kneeo of the targeted leg;
keep straight torso.
🔹Reach the free leg back as the chest moves forward, keeping the movement long and horizontal.
🔹Return to start.
🔹Touch the ground between reps to regain balance.

.

The single-leg Romanian deadlift is one of the most effective exercises for strengthening the glutes. Training one side at a time improves balance and pelvic stability, helping the body move more efficiently and confidently in both daily activities and athletic pursuit.

Published in The Idaho Mountain Express February 13, 2026

https://www.mtexpress.com/wood_river_journal/features/fitness-guru-why-single-leg-strength-matters-more-than-you-think/article_bb49a02e-426e-4053-80ba-9e50cf590a31.html

Move better, feel better: the power of myofascial release

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Our bodies are built to handle incredible forces thanks to bones, muscles, tendons and fascia working in harmony. But when pain or recurring injuries strike, we often overlook one key player: fascia. This dense, connective tissue weaves throughout the body like an intricate network, influencing how we move and feel.

Ever peeled the skin off a chicken before cooking it? That slippery, white film you see is fascia—it’s the same tissue that wraps around your muscles, organs and bones. In fact, the fascia that lines your bones is what gives structure and support to the entire body.

Justin Price, a leading corrective exercise specialist, compares fascia to a spider’s web: When a fly gets caught in one part of the web, the spider senses the change in tension throughout the entire structure. Similarly, when something’s off in your body, the entire system feels it. A tight calf, for example, might affect not only your ankle but your knee’s alignment and even the way you walk.

When fascia becomes restricted due to injury, repetitive stress or tension, it forms adhesions. These adhesions can limit range of motion and cause compensations in other muscles and joints, explains Price. Learning effective self-myofascial release techniques can help you target these adhesions, rejuvenating the soft tissue and restoring your body’s natural movement patterns.

So how do you keep your fascia healthy and flexible? Self-myofascial release. These simple techniques help relieve tension, break up adhesions and restore mobility—no fancy gear required. A few basic tools, like tennis balls, a baseball, a golf ball or a foam roller can work wonders to release tension in restricted areas. Combined with specific stretches right after rolling, you’ll effectively target tight spots.

Tennis or golf ball foot roll

Tennis or golf ball foot roll

Target: Plantar fascia and lower leg

Tools: Tennis ball, golf ball or any small ball

How to:

  • Place the ball under your foot.
  • Roll back and forth to find tender spots.
  • Pause and apply pressure on sore areas.
  • Roll for 30 seconds to 1 minute per foot.

Pro tip: Keep a ball near your desk or couch as a reminder to roll daily.

Foot and toe wall stretch

Target: Foot and ankle flexibility

Foot and toe wall stretch

How to:

  • Keep the ball of your foot and base of your toes on the floor.
  • Press your toes and knee gently against a wall.
  • Slowly roll your foot and ankle inward toward the wall.
  • Hold for 15-20 seconds.
  • Repeat twice daily.

Target: Psoas and hip flexors

nis ball hip flexor release
Tennis ball hip flexor release

Target: Psoas and hip flexors

How to:

  • Lie face-down.
  • Place the tennis ball just to the side of your belly button.

Gently roll to find tender spots between your belly button and hip.

  • Pause on sore spots for 20-30 seconds.
  • Total time: 2-3 minutes per side

Pro tip: Internally rotate your leg to deepen the stretch.

Follow with a hip flexor stretch

Target: Hip flexors

Kneeling hip flexor stretch

How to:

  • Kneel down, with one foot forward. Pad your knee if needed.
  • Keep your hips tucked in and under.
  • Tighten the glutes and abs isometrically during the stretch.
  • Gently change arm angles to further target hip flexors.
  • Hold for 15-20 seconds, 2-3 cycles.

Taking just a few minutes a day to release and stretch tight fascia can dramatically improve your mobility, reduce pain and even boost performance. Small, consistent actions lead to big changes—so grab a tennis ball and start rolling your way to better movement. 

Published in the Idaho Mountain Express September 26, 2025 https://www.mtexpress.com/wood_river_journal/features/fitness-guru-move-better-feel-better/article_0b114c31-3afd-47c9-bacc-1f9ec9ec9b6f.html

Target your glutes like a pro

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The gluteal muscles are large, powerful muscles that cross the hip joint and play a critical role in nearly all lower-body movement. The gluteus maximus is the largest of these muscles and is responsible for extending and laterally rotating the hip joint, enabling movements like standing up, climbing and running.

The gluteus medius and gluteus minimus sit on the side and back of the hips and function primarily as hip abductors. These muscles are essential for stabilizing the pelvis, particularly during single-leg activities such as walking or running.

Gluteal strength is crucial for efficient movement, especially in the gait cycle. Strong glutes help carry the weight of the leg during swing phases and contribute to balance and propulsion. Increasing gluteal strength can lead to:

  • Improved running speed
  • Reduced knee pain
  • Decreased risk of hip osteoarthritis
  • Enhanced pelvic stability during movement

Weak gluteal muscles can lead to improper alignment, such as the knee collapsing inward (valgus), which places undue stress on the joint and increases injury risk.

A practical example of glute strength in action is something as routine as getting out of a car. In this movement, the gluteus maximus works to stabilize the knee and extend the hips, helping you rise from a seated position smoothly and safely.

When selecting the most effective exercises to target the gluteal muscles, it’s important to choose movements that provide sufficient stimulus and mechanical tension. These are key factors in promoting muscle strength and hypertrophy.

A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise evaluated eight commonly used hip-focused exercises aimed at strengthening the glutes, whether for injury prevention or rehabilitation purposes. The researchers examined several variables related to muscle function, including:

  • Muscle force
  • Fiber length
  • Fiber velocity
  • Muscle activation

By analyzing these elements, the study was able to rank the exercises based on how effectively they engaged the gluteal muscles. This type of research helps inform smarter exercise selection—ensuring you’re not just working hard, but working effectively.

The exercises were single-leg squat, split squat, single-leg Romanian deadlift, single-leg hip thrust, banded side step, hip hike, side plank and side-lying leg raise. A 12-repetition intensity was selected as it is based on a typical training range used in rehab and injury prevention programs.

Research shows that the split squat, single-leg Romanian deadlift (RDL) and single-leg hip thrust produce the highest gluteal muscle forces, making them top-tier choices for overall glute development.

When it comes to targeting the gluteus medius and minimus—key muscles for hip stability—the side plank and single-leg RDL come out on top.

As expected, weighted variations of these exercises are significantly more effective than bodyweight alone.

Takeaway: Now you’ve got the tools to train smarter—hit those glutes with purpose and specificity!

The single leg squat is one of the best exercises to target the gluteals

As seen in The Idaho Mountain Express May 4, 2025 https://www.mtexpress.com/wood_river_journal/features/fitness-guru-target-your-glutes-like-a-pro/article_367a235a-4a2b-4956-8847-2e7c0448ea7f.html

Get flexible with the TRX deep squat

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Deep squats can improve hip mobility and leg strength.
Photo courtesy of Connie Aronson

How easy is it for you to sit in a deep, bodyweight squat? Deep squats are a natural human movement. Knees fully bent, buttocks low to the ground and heels down, it’s a posture still used by people young and old, whether while eating, playing games, socializing or doing household chores. I’m not suggesting giving up chairs, but practicing deep squats on a regular basis is great for your hip mobility and leg strength.

Called the “primal†or “Asian†squat, the position requires hamstring, glute, ankle and hip mobility. Also, the front shin and spine need to be strong enough to hold you in position. For most people with healthy knees, a deep squat can improve the strength of the stabilizing ligaments and soft tissues. If you have problems with your squat depth and range of motion, specific calf and ankle stretches can also be helpful.

In a deep squat, you have to flex your ankles. The front shin needs to move forward over your toes. A limited range of motion in your ankles can affect not only good squatting form, but sports performance and balance. Two big muscles on the back of the leg, the gastrocnemius and soleus, provide movement, and are often tight or stiff. Both of these muscles attach to the heel via the Achilles tendon. These muscles play a big role when you flex your ankles.

The ankles have to bend. Dorsiflexion involves being able to bring the lower leg over the foot. It occurs any time your foot hits the ground. And, of course, in a squat. Using a TRX for assistance and stability, as shown, will help you experience a deeper stretch than you thought possible in both the ankles and hips in the deep squat. With daily practice, you’ll be able to get down on the floor and play with your kids or grandkids, impressing them with your youth!

TRX deep squat mobility warm-up

Hold onto a TRX, set a medium length and sink down into a low squat. Sink, sway and move side to side to open up your hips. Pull your hips both forward and back. Keep your heels down. Perform three to four reps of 20 to 30 seconds before standing up.

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

Once you are in a deep squat, sink, sway and move side to side to open up your hips & allow the shins to move forward

Best calf stretch (on a BOSU)

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

Stretching the calf muscle can help the ankle dorsiflex (so the shin comes over the foot)

Photo courtesy of Connie Aronson

Place a BOSU ball against a wall for balance. Stand on the center of the dome with one leg behind you. Push the heel of the back foot down into the BOSU, leg straight, posture erect. Hold for 20 seconds. Move the heel outward 10 degrees and hold the stretch for 20 seconds, then move the heel inward 10 degrees and hold the stretch for 20 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.

Connie Aronson is an exercise physiologist and corrective exercise specialist (TBBM-CES). Visit her at www.conniearonson.com and follow her on Instagram using @conniearon.

Vist link at https://www.mtexpress.com/wood_river_journal/features/get-flexible-with-the-trx-deep-squat/article_9f9abbe6-6018-11ef-a047-b3262712cfd7.html

Can you stand on one leg? Amazingly, it can affect longevity

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If your core is strong, you typically have good balance. Standing on one leg engages the core, and that ability is an indicator of overall well-being.

One-leg balancing involves using all 29 muscles of the core, called the lumbo-pelvic hip complex. But did you know that standing on one leg for 10 seconds can predict longevity? A recent study shows that the link between balance and longevity is an indicator of survival among middle-aged and older adults. Those that couldn’t do this simple task faced a higher mortality risk over seven years, emphasizing the critical role of balance for our health as we age.

Losing your balance as you get older is no joke. Research has shown that the ability to stand on one foot drastically decreases after the age of 60, along with a rapid increase of falls and injury. The ability to stand on one leg is imperative for gait and function.

Practicing the single-leg balance also improves your proprioception, or your body’s awareness of its position in space. Many daily movements involve being on one foot, even briefly, such as climbing stairs, putting pants on and stepping into a tub. Having better balance means daily activities that require coordination don’t have to result in falls or missteps.

You might think standing on one leg is a simple movement, but the ankles, lower leg, thighs, hips and core work together to make it happen. Try the following moves to test your skills!

Single-leg balance

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
Single leg balance
Photo by Connie Aronson
  • Stand tall with your shoulders retracted. Feet are parallel and pointing forward. Hands are on the hips.
  • Brace the core, and flex the hips and knees slightly.
  • Lift one foot off the floor, keeping the toe of the raised foot pointed upward (dorsiflexed) and shift the center of your weight over the foot on the ground.
  • Maintain the slightly squat position for 10 seconds.
  • Return to the start; repeat on the opposite leg.
  • Tip: Keep the chin pushed back, with the head tilted neither forward or backward.

There are countless exercises to train balance. The following variation targets the gluteals and is a total body movement.

Single-leg balance and reach

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

Efficient movement requires appropriate levels of stability (standing on one leg), while simultaneously having appropriate levels of mobility (extending your leg outward). During this move you have to engage the stabilizers for good postural control as you move your leg. Because it is multiplanar (dynamic planes of motion), it correlates to movements in sports and daily activities.

  • Begin in a three-quarter squat, single-leg position as described for single-leg balance.
  • Maintaining balance, reach forward with the up leg and tap the floor with that foot.
  • Return back to neutral position.
  • Maintaining balance, reach out laterally with the same foot as far as possible, without compromising form. Tap the floor.
  • Return back to the start position.
  • Lastly, open your hip and reach to the side and behind you. Tap the floor and return to the starting position.
  • Continue with the same leg for four repetitions.
  • Repeat on the opposite leg.
A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

Single leg balance on an unstable surface ( BOSU )

*Tip-try to keep the flat side of the BOSU level. This means that your weight is distributed throughout your whole foot

https://www.mtexpress.com/wood_river_journal/features/can-you-stand-on-one-leg-amazingly-it-can-affect-longevity/article_e1ed9822-083b-11ef-a7f2-278d85a49540.html

Train like an athlete with the landmine single-leg deadlift

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A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

You know you could always use a little extra strength. Strong legs, in particular, will help you excel in activities such as running, hiking, tennis and skiing.

More importantly, strength is a key component to avoiding injuries. If you are looking to up your game and need a leg and core strengthener, try the landmine single-leg Romanian deadlift. Don’t be intimidated by the name!

If we break it down, the base move—a deadlift—is a bend-and-lift movement. It’s simply picking up a stationary weight off the floor, with no momentum. The landmine single-leg Romanian deadlift will target your posterior chain; the hamstrings, gluteal muscles and the core. It’s a unilateral movement that builds stability, strength and power throughout the posterior chain. Performing it provides you a unique training effect because you combine elements of a free-weight and machine-based exercise. Furthermore, this particular lift will really activate the muscles located through the core to maintain proper form throughout the full range of motion.

Landmine deadlift is a type of deadlift that features a barbell placed in a Landmine attachment. This particular attachment safely anchors the barbell to the floor. If you don’t have access to one, simply wedge the barbell in the corner of two walls.

The biomechanics of so many sports involve the power and strength of one leg, (running, soccer and football) so developing unilateral strength is important. In reality, most time in daily life is spent on one leg or the other, with minimal time on both legs. Any time you perform a single leg exercise, the inherent instability is a wonderful training stimuli. A good coach or trainer uses varieties like this landmine squat not only to prevent staleness or overtraining in a program, but to encourage proper form. Train like an athlete, with proper alignment and stability of the spine in the deadlift and any other exercise you choose.

Starting position

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

Start in an upright position while holding the bar close to your body. Hold the hand opposite your planted foot at hip level.

Maintain a slight bend in the knee, and push through the heel of the standing foot.

Keep your shoulders relaxed, head and eyes up (or in line with your spine), and core engaged.

Lower the bar by flexing at your hips, as one leg lifts back up off the floor.

Tip: Focus on moving the rear leg and torso as one unit, maintaining postural control.

Return to the starting position

Once you reach the bottom of the move, quickly contract the glutes and hamstrings to drive the non-weight-bearing leg back to your starting position.

For newbies:

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

Start by practicing a traditional Romanian deadlift using a free weight. Make sure the hip doesn’t “open up†as the bar gets closer to the floor. 

https://www.mtexpress.com/wood_river_journal/features/train-like-an-athlete-with-the-landmine-single-leg-deadlift/article_166d1696-8f14-11ee-882e-53a650385d63.html

Think twice about skipping the gym

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A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

For muscles to grow and change, the stimulus must be great enough to allow the muscles to grow back stronger than before. Muscle growth happens whenever the rate of protein synthesis is greater than the rate of muscle protein breakdown. Resistance training can profoundly stimulate muscle cell hypertrophy and, as a result, gain strength.

Just a single bout of exercise stimulates protein synthesis within 2-4 hours after a workout and may remain elevated for up to 24 hours.

There’s no exact measurement as to how much muscle you can build in a month, but it’s typically between one-half to two pounds of muscle. Overall, the timeframe generally takes several weeks or months to be apparent. Greater changes in muscle mass will happen in individuals with more muscle mass at the start of a come back. Other variables, such as volume, training intensity, genetic factors, rest, hormone levels and diet, all affect muscle gain outcomes.

Commonly our muscle mass and strength increases steadily and reaches its peak at around 30-35 years of age. After age 40, men lose as much as 3-5 percent of their muscle mass per decade. And, unfortunately, studies from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging found that muscle power declines faster after age 65 for women, and 70 for men. We really can’t “stop the clock.†So, it’s important that we push our muscles as we age. Dr. Len Kravitz, program coordinator of exercise science at the University of New Mexico, happily shares that the ravages of time on muscles have been shown to be restrained or even reversed with regular resistance training.

Of course, life and unwanted stuff happens, and it’s quite all right to take two or three weeks off. Sometimes you just need rest and recovery. Yes, your ability to generate force in the muscles does take a hit. You might notice that the 10 body-weight squats you once did with ease now have you huffing and puffing. Thanks partly to muscle memory, you can get back lost muscle quicker than you thought, reverse muscle loss, and continue to progress.

https://www.mtexpress.com/wood_river_journal/features/fitness-guru-think-twice-about-skipping-the-gym/article_baa3bce2-79c5-11ee-9c1f-6b985a4275e7.html

Learn Hip Airplane for strong hips and stability

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If you’re trying to get the most out of your leg program, you might want to try an exercise called Hip Airplane. I know a lot of us use squats and lunges to stay strong for strength in the sports we enjoy. With ski season right around the corner, you’ll need good hip function. Good hip function keeps you symmetrical on skis, or in a squat, minimizes any hip shifting, and helps mobility. The Airplane is an exercise that targets the posterior hip muscles, the Gluteus Medius and Maximus. Strengthening these muscles is important, as your glutes are key lateral stabilizing muscles of the hip and legs, including the hamstrings.

Along with teaching you good pelvic control, which can eliminate back pain, or excessive motion in your back (not good) the Airplane also targets six muscles in the deep gluteal region known as external rotators of the hip joint. Yes, squats and lunges are fundamental strengthening exercises. Your glutes have to work hard when you lift yourself out of the bottom of a squat. But squats are typically performed in a one plane of motion-up and down. Very few exercises work on the rotational aspect of a move. The Airplane does just that: it helps improve your mobility, especially if you are tighter on one side. For skiers who feel like they are tighter turning one way than the other, this can be a helpful pre-season exercise.

Airplane is also a terrific neuromotor exercise. Performing it throughout the season can improve your motor skills, such as balance, coordination, agility, gait and proprioception. The advantage of practicing most single leg exercise is that any neuromotor exercise helps solidify a connection between the nervous and muscular systems.

Hip Airplane:

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
To begin, ground one foot into the floor.

1. Place your hands on your hips. Ground one foot into the floor, hinge from your hips, and lift the opposite leg back.

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
Hinge from your hips, and lift the opposite leg back. Hold 5 seconds.

2. Open the hip about 2 inches, or as far as you can, squeezing the glute. Hold 5 seconds.

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

Tip- Steer the hip inward around the pelvis.

3. Drop the hip inward: you’ll feel a good stretch. Hold 5 seconds.4. Return to start.

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
Keep pressing into the stance foot, and fully extend your back leg, squeezing the gluteals.

5. To make it easier : Hold onto a bar or wall for support. You can also use your arms for balance.

https://www.mtexpress.com/wood_river_journal/features/fitness-guru-learn-hip-airplane-for-strong-hips-and-stability/article_420951ca-62f5-11ee-b984-5fd4ce48995e.html

Save a fall with strength and balance

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A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

We take our balance for granted—until we have an embarrassing fall.

For youngsters, they typically shake off a fall. A young person has no problem slipping a sock on standing up. That’s a demonstration of balance and strength. Those past a certain age, however, usually sit down to pull on socks or sneakers. The fear of falling is a real concern. One of three older adults suffer a fall each year. Falls claimed 60,000 lives in 2012 and 2013. Falls are a serious health concern for older adults, alongside the cascade of other debilitating factors and a loss of independence.

Balance training is the mainstay of a fall prevention program, as well as strength and coordination. Lower body weakness increases the odds of falling fourfold. Unfortunately, there are other risk factors that contribute to falls. This includes foot problems, improper footwear like sneakers or slippers without traction and tight ankles. A limited range of motion in your ankles can affect balance and the simple ability to step up. Vision and environmental hazards in the house, like loose rugs or clutter, can contribute to falls as well.

One of the best things you can do as an adult is to make sure your gluteal medius and gluteal maximus muscles are strong. These posterior muscles are prime movers and important for stability. Making sure your glutes are working well, in conjunction with ankle mobility and stability, will help you move around with grace and confidence, and not fall.

Try to the following exercises every day.

Heel rise rocker

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

• Rise upward onto your toes and immediately rock back onto your heels as you lift your toes up towards your shins. Aim for 10-15 reps daily. Use a wall for support if needed.

Alphabet

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

• Stand on your right leg with your opposite foot off the ground close to your right foot.

• Push your hips back slightly, into a quarter squat. Keep your torso engaged, and the weight balanced on the whole foot.

• With your foot in the air, write the letters of the alphabet with your foot using small movements.

• Repeat on the left leg.

Bridging—single leg

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

• Lie face-up with your arms by your side, knees bent and feet flat on the ground.

• Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and shoulders are in a straight line.

• Extend one leg, foot flexed, and keep it extended.

• Lower and lift your hips 12 times. Repeat on the other side.

Clam Shell

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

• In a side-lying position, hips slightly flexed and the knees bent, raise your top knee off the bottom knee by contracting the hip muscles. This exercise mimics the opening of a clamshell.

• Avoid rolling or rotating your torso as you lift your knee.

Tree Pose

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

Tree pose develops balance, stability  and poise. It strengthens the muscles of the supporting leg and foot.

• Stand firm on the right leg. Use a wall for support if needed.

• Bend the left leg out to the side, hold the foot and press the sole of your right foot into the top of your right inner thigh.

• Straighten the right knee and press the left knee back, in line with the left hip.

• Try to balance for 20 seconds before repeating on the left leg.

Published in the Idaho Mountain Express June 16, 2023

https://www.mtexpress.com/wood_river_journal/features/fitness-guru-save-a-fall-with-balance-and-strength/article_dfa2b6ea-0afa-11ee-a111-974c9f3b63a9.html

Why you need inner leg work

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A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

All movement at the hip joint involves powerful muscles in the thighs. The hips are a ball and socket joint that allow us to flex and extend our legs in the forward swing of walking. Most of us train the quads, the most powerful of the thigh muscles, and the massive hamstrings muscles of the back of the thigh But the muscles of the inner thigh, the hip adductors, are often overlooked in training, or at best, managed at a machine like the Thigh Master or Pilates Ring. To develop strong muscles that function well, the adductors need exercises that are even better than ones done on a machine. That means performing exercises that lengthen the muscle, in the way that happens when lunging or with side-to-side moves.

The longest muscle in the human body runs across the front thigh and crosses both hip and knee joints. This long, slim muscle is called the sartorius. It originates in the upper leg at the iliac spine, and wraps like a sash across the front of the thigh, attaching below the knee. The name originates from the Latin word sartor, meaning tailor, and is often referred to as the way in which early tailor’s sat. If you sit in a cross-legged position, it’s easy to see or feel the muscle. If the muscle is tight, you probably are unable to lateral rotate the thigh properly to sit comfortably cross-legged. Though not part of the inner thigh group, it flexes and outwardly rotates the leg and flexes the knee.

Just inside the sartorius is a group of inner thigh, or adductor muscles. These muscles all work together to bring the hip and leg towards the midline, outwardly rotate the leg and also help to flex the hip and leg. The adductors also play an important role in preventing a tendency towards being knock-knee.

Inner thigh anatomy

The adductor group includes a small flat muscle called pectineus, the important adductor magnus , adductor brevis and longus, and the gracilis that crosses the knee joint and attaches just below the knee. Straining or overstretching this muscle group is called a “pulled groinâ€.

To avoid straining the adductors, here is a great daily hip adductor stretch.

Kneeling Side Lunge stretch

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.

Kneel on the floor with one hip externally rotated so that the foot is pointed toward the side. Lean your body weight toward the supporting foot.

Here are 5 examples and variations of lunges and squats that strengthen the adductors:

Side-to-side lunge

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
Side-to-side lunge

Side lunge with weight

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
Side lunge with weight

Side lunge with arm swing

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
Side Lunge with arm swing

Four o’clock sumo lunge

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
4 -o’clock sumo lunge

Stand at 12 o’clock, with or without a weight.

Rotate into a sumo squat at Four o’clock. Keep both knees directly over second toes in your landing squat.

Skater bounds

A woman is stretching on the floor with another person.
Skater bounds

https://www.mtexpress.com/wood_river_journal/features/fitness-guru-why-you-need-inner-leg-work/article_146723f0-c8db-11ed-b14d-7feb425581b3.html