Guest guest Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 I have this snippet that I saved on isolating inner/outer thigh. I have absolutely no idea who wrote it. I wish I knew so I could properly credit it. These are not my words, but they explain when adductor/abductor machines are appropriate and when they're a waste of time. ____________________________________________________________________ waste of time ............................. Of course your going to feel it. If I sit there with one of those hand grip exercisers, after a few minutes " i'm going to feel it " but that doesn't mean it's doing any good in the bigger picture. Know one thing....commit it to memory forever....weight training increases the strength, and subsequently the size of your muscles. Most of us girls don't want our legs to get WIDER. Adductor/Abductor machines isolate those specific muscles. Your time is better spent doing squats, lunges, and leg press which will initiate those inner/outer thigh muscles as stabilizer muscles....which is technically what they are and nothing more. Now if you were a soccer player, hockey player, even a football player, I would say yes, do those exercises because in a " sports specific " mentality those muscles are crucial. Soccer players dribble and kick with the in-step and therefore need a lot of power when turning the foot out and just railing on the ball. Hockey players skate by turning the foot outward and pushing. So as you can guess hockey players have great outer thighs and glutes ;-) And football players need to jockey side-to-side and change directions and have explosive speed at a moment's notice (as do soccer players too), so if you ever notice the SIZE of a football player's legs, not counting the quarterback who is usually a stick figure with great arms, they are usually huge. Get the picture? Not exactly what a girl would want when trying to achieve a svelt V-taper from shoulder to waist, hip to toe, and overall from shoulder to toe. Those muscles will naturally strengthen and grow from training legs, especially squats, lunges, and leg press. So don't worry about isolating them. Think of them more as nothing more than " feel good " exercises. When those muscles are worked women feel that somehow it's the fat that's being " worked off " . But as true fitness athletes we know that spot reduction is a myth and fat is burned off our entire bodies by burning more calories than we consume. And yes, YOU are a fitness athlete too when I say the word " we " . __________________________________________________________________ On 4/11/06, cwcari <cwcari@...> wrote: > The lower body workout doesn't include these muscles. I know they are > used when performing squats and lunges. But does anyone ever add on > exercises for them specifically? The gym has a couple of machines for > them. Any opinions on whether it would be worth it/not helpful? I am > a pear body shape, btw. I understand that what I need to do to narrow > my tush is to remove the fat, but I could use all the muscle I can get > too, right? (wrong?). I'm also thinking it might add some variety. > > Also, thanks to everyone who responded to my earlier question about > recording workouts. I did a test card (3x5 size), and think i'll > probably stay w/a larger format. It was too hard to write on w/out a > clipboard, which is full size anyway. > > Candace > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 I have this snippet that I saved on isolating inner/outer thigh. I have absolutely no idea who wrote it. I wish I knew so I could properly credit it. These are not my words, but they explain when adductor/abductor machines are appropriate and when they're a waste of time. ____________________________________________________________________ waste of time ............................. Of course your going to feel it. If I sit there with one of those hand grip exercisers, after a few minutes " i'm going to feel it " but that doesn't mean it's doing any good in the bigger picture. Know one thing....commit it to memory forever....weight training increases the strength, and subsequently the size of your muscles. Most of us girls don't want our legs to get WIDER. Adductor/Abductor machines isolate those specific muscles. Your time is better spent doing squats, lunges, and leg press which will initiate those inner/outer thigh muscles as stabilizer muscles....which is technically what they are and nothing more. Now if you were a soccer player, hockey player, even a football player, I would say yes, do those exercises because in a " sports specific " mentality those muscles are crucial. Soccer players dribble and kick with the in-step and therefore need a lot of power when turning the foot out and just railing on the ball. Hockey players skate by turning the foot outward and pushing. So as you can guess hockey players have great outer thighs and glutes ;-) And football players need to jockey side-to-side and change directions and have explosive speed at a moment's notice (as do soccer players too), so if you ever notice the SIZE of a football player's legs, not counting the quarterback who is usually a stick figure with great arms, they are usually huge. Get the picture? Not exactly what a girl would want when trying to achieve a svelt V-taper from shoulder to waist, hip to toe, and overall from shoulder to toe. Those muscles will naturally strengthen and grow from training legs, especially squats, lunges, and leg press. So don't worry about isolating them. Think of them more as nothing more than " feel good " exercises. When those muscles are worked women feel that somehow it's the fat that's being " worked off " . But as true fitness athletes we know that spot reduction is a myth and fat is burned off our entire bodies by burning more calories than we consume. And yes, YOU are a fitness athlete too when I say the word " we " . __________________________________________________________________ On 4/11/06, cwcari <cwcari@...> wrote: > The lower body workout doesn't include these muscles. I know they are > used when performing squats and lunges. But does anyone ever add on > exercises for them specifically? The gym has a couple of machines for > them. Any opinions on whether it would be worth it/not helpful? I am > a pear body shape, btw. I understand that what I need to do to narrow > my tush is to remove the fat, but I could use all the muscle I can get > too, right? (wrong?). I'm also thinking it might add some variety. > > Also, thanks to everyone who responded to my earlier question about > recording workouts. I did a test card (3x5 size), and think i'll > probably stay w/a larger format. It was too hard to write on w/out a > clipboard, which is full size anyway. > > Candace > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 Thanks, . I don't really like using those machines anyway! Candace > > I have this snippet that I saved on isolating inner/outer thigh. I > have absolutely no idea who wrote it. I wish I knew so I could > properly credit it. These are not my words, but they explain when > adductor/abductor machines are appropriate and when they're a waste of > time. > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > waste of time > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 I love the abductor machine!! This post makes me cry , especially since I was going to the gym to do cardio then work on inner and outer thighs! LOL I am planning on some glute focus too. Re: glutes/hip abductors & adductors I have this snippet that I saved on isolating inner/outer thigh. I have absolutely no idea who wrote it. I wish I knew so I could properly credit it. These are not my words, but they explain when adductor/abductor machines are appropriate and when they're a waste of time. ____________________________________________________________________ waste of time ............................ Of course your going to feel it. If I sit there with one of those hand grip exercisers, after a few minutes " i'm going to feel it " but that doesn't mean it's doing any good in the bigger picture. Know one thing....commit it to memory forever....weight training increases the strength, and subsequently the size of your muscles. Most of us girls don't want our legs to get WIDER. Adductor/Abductor machines isolate those specific muscles. Your time is better spent doing squats, lunges, and leg press which will initiate those inner/outer thigh muscles as stabilizer muscles....which is technically what they are and nothing more. Now if you were a soccer player, hockey player, even a football player, I would say yes, do those exercises because in a " sports specific " mentality those muscles are crucial. Soccer players dribble and kick with the in-step and therefore need a lot of power when turning the foot out and just railing on the ball. Hockey players skate by turning the foot outward and pushing. So as you can guess hockey players have great outer thighs and glutes ;-) And football players need to jockey side-to-side and change directions and have explosive speed at a moment's notice (as do soccer players too), so if you ever notice the SIZE of a football player's legs, not counting the quarterback who is usually a stick figure with great arms, they are usually huge. Get the picture? Not exactly what a girl would want when trying to achieve a svelt V-taper from shoulder to waist, hip to toe, and overall from shoulder to toe. Those muscles will naturally strengthen and grow from training legs, especially squats, lunges, and leg press. So don't worry about isolating them. Think of them more as nothing more than " feel good " exercises. When those muscles are worked women feel that somehow it's the fat that's being " worked off " . But as true fitness athletes we know that spot reduction is a myth and fat is burned off our entire bodies by burning more calories than we consume. And yes, YOU are a fitness athlete too when I say the word " we " . __________________________________________________________________ > The lower body workout doesn't include these muscles. I know they are > used when performing squats and lunges. But does anyone ever add on > exercises for them specifically? The gym has a couple of machines for > them. Any opinions on whether it would be worth it/not helpful? I am > a pear body shape, btw. I understand that what I need to do to narrow > my tush is to remove the fat, but I could use all the muscle I can get > too, right? (wrong?). I'm also thinking it might add some variety. > > Also, thanks to everyone who responded to my earlier question about > recording workouts. I did a test card (3x5 size), and think i'll > probably stay w/a larger format. It was too hard to write on w/out a > clipboard, which is full size anyway. > > Candace > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 I love the abductor machine!! This post makes me cry , especially since I was going to the gym to do cardio then work on inner and outer thighs! LOL I am planning on some glute focus too. Re: glutes/hip abductors & adductors I have this snippet that I saved on isolating inner/outer thigh. I have absolutely no idea who wrote it. I wish I knew so I could properly credit it. These are not my words, but they explain when adductor/abductor machines are appropriate and when they're a waste of time. ____________________________________________________________________ waste of time ............................ Of course your going to feel it. If I sit there with one of those hand grip exercisers, after a few minutes " i'm going to feel it " but that doesn't mean it's doing any good in the bigger picture. Know one thing....commit it to memory forever....weight training increases the strength, and subsequently the size of your muscles. Most of us girls don't want our legs to get WIDER. Adductor/Abductor machines isolate those specific muscles. Your time is better spent doing squats, lunges, and leg press which will initiate those inner/outer thigh muscles as stabilizer muscles....which is technically what they are and nothing more. Now if you were a soccer player, hockey player, even a football player, I would say yes, do those exercises because in a " sports specific " mentality those muscles are crucial. Soccer players dribble and kick with the in-step and therefore need a lot of power when turning the foot out and just railing on the ball. Hockey players skate by turning the foot outward and pushing. So as you can guess hockey players have great outer thighs and glutes ;-) And football players need to jockey side-to-side and change directions and have explosive speed at a moment's notice (as do soccer players too), so if you ever notice the SIZE of a football player's legs, not counting the quarterback who is usually a stick figure with great arms, they are usually huge. Get the picture? Not exactly what a girl would want when trying to achieve a svelt V-taper from shoulder to waist, hip to toe, and overall from shoulder to toe. Those muscles will naturally strengthen and grow from training legs, especially squats, lunges, and leg press. So don't worry about isolating them. Think of them more as nothing more than " feel good " exercises. When those muscles are worked women feel that somehow it's the fat that's being " worked off " . But as true fitness athletes we know that spot reduction is a myth and fat is burned off our entire bodies by burning more calories than we consume. And yes, YOU are a fitness athlete too when I say the word " we " . __________________________________________________________________ > The lower body workout doesn't include these muscles. I know they are > used when performing squats and lunges. But does anyone ever add on > exercises for them specifically? The gym has a couple of machines for > them. Any opinions on whether it would be worth it/not helpful? I am > a pear body shape, btw. I understand that what I need to do to narrow > my tush is to remove the fat, but I could use all the muscle I can get > too, right? (wrong?). I'm also thinking it might add some variety. > > Also, thanks to everyone who responded to my earlier question about > recording workouts. I did a test card (3x5 size), and think i'll > probably stay w/a larger format. It was too hard to write on w/out a > clipboard, which is full size anyway. > > Candace > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 I love the abductor machine!! This post makes me cry , especially since I was going to the gym to do cardio then work on inner and outer thighs! LOL I am planning on some glute focus too. Re: glutes/hip abductors & adductors I have this snippet that I saved on isolating inner/outer thigh. I have absolutely no idea who wrote it. I wish I knew so I could properly credit it. These are not my words, but they explain when adductor/abductor machines are appropriate and when they're a waste of time. ____________________________________________________________________ waste of time ............................ Of course your going to feel it. If I sit there with one of those hand grip exercisers, after a few minutes " i'm going to feel it " but that doesn't mean it's doing any good in the bigger picture. Know one thing....commit it to memory forever....weight training increases the strength, and subsequently the size of your muscles. Most of us girls don't want our legs to get WIDER. Adductor/Abductor machines isolate those specific muscles. Your time is better spent doing squats, lunges, and leg press which will initiate those inner/outer thigh muscles as stabilizer muscles....which is technically what they are and nothing more. Now if you were a soccer player, hockey player, even a football player, I would say yes, do those exercises because in a " sports specific " mentality those muscles are crucial. Soccer players dribble and kick with the in-step and therefore need a lot of power when turning the foot out and just railing on the ball. Hockey players skate by turning the foot outward and pushing. So as you can guess hockey players have great outer thighs and glutes ;-) And football players need to jockey side-to-side and change directions and have explosive speed at a moment's notice (as do soccer players too), so if you ever notice the SIZE of a football player's legs, not counting the quarterback who is usually a stick figure with great arms, they are usually huge. Get the picture? Not exactly what a girl would want when trying to achieve a svelt V-taper from shoulder to waist, hip to toe, and overall from shoulder to toe. Those muscles will naturally strengthen and grow from training legs, especially squats, lunges, and leg press. So don't worry about isolating them. Think of them more as nothing more than " feel good " exercises. When those muscles are worked women feel that somehow it's the fat that's being " worked off " . But as true fitness athletes we know that spot reduction is a myth and fat is burned off our entire bodies by burning more calories than we consume. And yes, YOU are a fitness athlete too when I say the word " we " . __________________________________________________________________ > The lower body workout doesn't include these muscles. I know they are > used when performing squats and lunges. But does anyone ever add on > exercises for them specifically? The gym has a couple of machines for > them. Any opinions on whether it would be worth it/not helpful? I am > a pear body shape, btw. I understand that what I need to do to narrow > my tush is to remove the fat, but I could use all the muscle I can get > too, right? (wrong?). I'm also thinking it might add some variety. > > Also, thanks to everyone who responded to my earlier question about > recording workouts. I did a test card (3x5 size), and think i'll > probably stay w/a larger format. It was too hard to write on w/out a > clipboard, which is full size anyway. > > Candace > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 can probably better answer this question. But I think that those muscles get plenty of work if you are doing compound movements like squats and lunges. I do my abs after my HIIT and not with my lower body workout - So I added in glute exercises... I do bent knee good mornings and the glute machine at the gym. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 can probably better answer this question. But I think that those muscles get plenty of work if you are doing compound movements like squats and lunges. I do my abs after my HIIT and not with my lower body workout - So I added in glute exercises... I do bent knee good mornings and the glute machine at the gym. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 can probably better answer this question. But I think that those muscles get plenty of work if you are doing compound movements like squats and lunges. I do my abs after my HIIT and not with my lower body workout - So I added in glute exercises... I do bent knee good mornings and the glute machine at the gym. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 This was posted at just the right time.... I learned a bunch of new exercises this past Monday, including focus on the abductor and adductor. As my inner thighs are STILL sore today, I'm fascinated to read this post and see that it may not even be all that effective! The trainer wants me to stay away from lots of reps of lunges and squats, until my muscles are stronger - because of how much noise my knees were making.... So I'll focus on press and leg curls (? extensions?) and stay away from lunges, squats, adbductors and adductors. So many opinions! So much to learn! How can we think this gets boring? Thanks for sharing the info - n At 01:03 PM 4/12/2006, you wrote: >I have this snippet that I saved on isolating inner/outer thigh. I >have absolutely no idea who wrote it. I wish I knew so I could >properly credit it. These are not my words, but they explain when >adductor/abductor machines are appropriate and when they're a waste of >time. ><SNIP> >Know one thing....commit it to memory forever....weight training >increases the strength, and subsequently the size of your muscles. >Most of us girls don't want our legs to get WIDER. Adductor/Abductor >machines isolate those specific muscles. Your time is better spent >doing squats, lunges, and leg press which will initiate those >inner/outer thigh muscles as stabilizer muscles....which is >technically what they are and nothing more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 On the other hand.... I have different thoughts about this too. When my arm was giving me trouble, and I went to PT, she had me do exercises for my rotator cuff. She said that the little muscles in the shoulder weren't getting enuf exercise to keep up with the exercises I was doing which focused on the bigger, surrounding muscles. We're not sure if that was the cause, but I'm fine now for the time being. When I take that logic to the legs, I think the same thing may be true. The fact that I'm still sore tells me that these muscles were being used in a way recently that is different than previously; that altho they were being utilized with lunges & squats, it wasn't the same way. While I agree that I don't want my thighs to get WIDER (certainly not!), we're always telling newbies that they shouldn't be afraid of weights for fear that they'll " bulk up " - that it would take an awful lot to look that way. I think the same may be true about this conversation. That it may very well be good to add in some alternative exercises, to strengthen the smaller, surrounding muscles. And that it would take an awful lot of time/work before the size of the muscles was adversely affected. Am I thinking wrong? Perhaps it's all a matter of degrees; ie, do some abductor/adductor work, just not as much as quad/hams/glutes Feedback? n At 10:12 AM 4/13/2006, n wrote: >This was posted at just the right time.... I learned a bunch of new >exercises this past Monday, including focus on the abductor and >adductor. As my inner thighs are STILL sore today, I'm fascinated to read >this post and see that it may not even be all that effective! > >The trainer wants me to stay away from lots of reps of lunges and squats, >until my muscles are stronger - because of how much noise my knees were >making.... So I'll focus on press and leg curls (? extensions?) and stay >away from lunges, squats, adbductors and adductors. > >So many opinions! So much to learn! How can we think this gets boring? >Thanks for sharing the info - >n > >At 01:03 PM 4/12/2006, you wrote: >>I have this snippet that I saved on isolating inner/outer thigh. I >>have absolutely no idea who wrote it. I wish I knew so I could >>properly credit it. These are not my words, but they explain when >>adductor/abductor machines are appropriate and when they're a waste of >>time. >><SNIP> >>Know one thing....commit it to memory forever....weight training >>increases the strength, and subsequently the size of your muscles. >>Most of us girls don't want our legs to get WIDER. Adductor/Abductor >>machines isolate those specific muscles. Your time is better spent >>doing squats, lunges, and leg press which will initiate those >>inner/outer thigh muscles as stabilizer muscles....which is >>technically what they are and nothing more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 There's nothing wrong with your thinking. It's fine to do some abductor/adductor work. You just don't want to make that a foundation move on leg day. You wouldn't want to spend six sets on that silly machine isolating your inner thigh. Ideally, you'd want to work your inner/outer thigh muscles just like they were meant to be worked, as stabilizers. Look at how nicely you can hit them with something like a side lunge: http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBSideLunge.html It's a quad move, but you're including your adductors in a natural way. Or a very wide-stance sumo squat will increase the involvement of your inner thigh. Or throwing side kicks at a heavy bag will work your outer thigh. Or for plyometrics I do fast side shuffles between traffic cones... not in the street. LOL It's not that you have to totally avoid training your inner/outer thigh. It's that you don't want to waste oodles of time isolating and enlarging a muscle group that was always meant to be a stabilizer and not a prime mover. Kinda like it's important to have forearm strength, but you don't do a bazillion heavy forearm sets because it's a waste of time. You don't need forearms the size of hams. You just need them functionally strong enough that you can control and support a 30 pound dumbbell without clunking yourself in the face. Same thing with adductors. There's no reason to do heavy, multi-set, isolation moves for your inner thigh. You don't need them wider and more developed, you just need them functionally strong enough that you can do a set of side lunge or sumo squats without falling down. > While I agree that I don't want my thighs to get WIDER (certainly not!), > we're always telling newbies that they shouldn't be afraid of weights for > fear that they'll " bulk up " - that it would take an awful lot to look that > way. I think the same may be true about this conversation. That it may > very well be good to add in some alternative exercises, to strengthen the > smaller, surrounding muscles. And that it would take an awful lot of > time/work before the size of the muscles was adversely affected. > > Am I thinking wrong? > Perhaps it's all a matter of degrees; ie, do some abductor/adductor work, > just not as much as quad/hams/glutes > > Feedback? > n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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