I have been struggling with a muscular imbalance. Apparently my adductors are weak relative to my quads and hamstrings.
I have a bunch of exercises I can do with rubber bands, weights etc.
But I’m wondering if tacking on some kicking may help. Maybe breastroke kicking ?
Anyone have success strengthening adductors ? What worked ?
When i had some knee tendonitis i had to strengthen my adductors as well.
The pool was OK. I’d often hang on the edge and open/close legs in rapid manner for adductors/abductors.
What seemed to work best was
Ankle weights. Cheapo, from walmart. mine were 10 lbs
http://ewf.sm/img/body-solid-tools-ankle-weights-pair_6803_500.jpg
then smile and try to look like this guy doing this exercise
I’m curious as to how your adductor weakness was diagnosed. These are the only muscles I ever have cramp. I have a some side to side asymmetry and my stronger right side will sometimes cramp when my left doesn’t. I’ve learned to meter things well enough during races to keep it from happening, but standing up from a sitting position after a race or long training day can floor me with an adductor cramp on one or both sides.
I’m curious as to how your adductor weakness was diagnosed. These are the only muscles I ever have cramp. I have a some side to side asymmetry and my stronger right side will sometimes cramp when my left doesn’t. I’ve learned to meter things well enough during races to keep it from happening, but standing up from a sitting position after a race or long training day can floor me with an adductor cramp on one or both sides.
Way back when I saw a physio for an achilles problem. During the assessment, he told me I had weak adductors but it was not related to my achilles problem. I kind of blew it off thinking he was trying to get me in for physio sessions I did not need. He assessed it by making me pull, press…in all directions.
It has been maybe 6 or 7 races I cramp up in the adductors. Sometimes I can shake it off, but 3 times now I couldn’t.
I went to another physio (different city) and he did a similar test. No machines or anything, just how hard to I push, press…against a force he exerted. He told me I had the adductors of a 12 year old girl.
So 2 physios said the same thing, so it’s one thing I want to work on.
Last year in March I strained an adductor while running and could barely walk. I was surprised that this had happened because I used the Nautilus abductor/adductor machine at the gym regularly for years and I thought I was pretty strong in that area.
My chiropractor told me that I needed to develop more functional strength, so I started adding some breaststroke kicking at the end of my swims. At first I could barely do 50 yards because it really hurt, but as the muscle healed I worked up to 500 yards. I believe it really helped to strengthen my adductors and I’ve had no problems since.
Now I usually just do about 300 yards of breaststroke kick a couple of times a week at the end of my swims as maintenance.
This is the exercise that works best for me. I don’t even use weights and can get really sore from it. Also I’ve noticed when I do weighted squats my adductors get really sore. I feel like weighted squats really balance out my leg strength in terms of muscle imbalances.
