The groin (adductor) muscles often get neglected in training in terms of isolated exercises. Keeping this area healthy and strong will go a long way in terms of helping you perform at high levels in sport and training, in addition to keeping your hips, knees and low back feeling good. Additionally, the groin (adductor) muscles are neighbors of the hamstring muscle group, which is an area that always seems to rear its ugly head.
Phase 1: Body Weight
Here is a sequence of 4 exercises where the focus will be on using a shortened lever to strengthen the groin (adductor) muscles. The contact point in all 4 exercises for the top leg will be the inner thigh just above the knee (proximal contact point = shortened lever = easier)
Progressions:
1. Knees Bent Copenhagen Plank
2. Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Knee Drive Iso (Short Lever)
3. Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Knee Drive (Short Lever)
4. Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Leg Lift (Short Lever)
Phase 2: Body Weight
Here is a sequence of 4 exercises where the focus will be on using a lengthened lever to strengthen the groin (adductor) muscles. The contact point in all 4 exercises for the top leg will be the inside portion of the foot (distal contact point = lengthened lever = harder).
Progressions:
1. Copenhagen Plank
2. Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Knee Drive Iso (Long Lever)
3. Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Knee Drive (Long Lever)
4. Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Leg Lift (Long Lever)
Phase 3: Band Chaos
Here is a sequence of 4 exercises where the focus will be on using a shortened lever to strengthen the groin (adductor) muscles. The band contact point in all 4 exercises for the top leg will be the inner thigh just above the knee (proximal contact point = shortened lever = easier).
Progressions:
1. Band Chaos Knees Bent Copenhagen Plank
2. Band Chaos Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Knee Drive Iso (Short Lever)
3. Band Chaos Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Knee Drive (Short Lever)
4. Band Chaos Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Leg Lift (Short Lever)
Phase 4: Band Chaos
Here is a sequence of 4 exercises where the focus will be on using a lengthened lever to strengthen the groin (adductor) muscles. The band contact point in all 4 exercises for the top leg will be the inside portion of the foot (distal contact point = lengthened lever = harder).
Progressions:
1. Band Chaos Copenhagen Plank
2. Band Chaos Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Knee Drive Iso (Long Lever)
3. Band Chaos Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Knee Drive (Long Lever)
4. Band Chaos Copenhagen Plank w/ Bottom Leg Lift (Long Lever)
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Matthew Ibrahim is the Co-Owner & Lead Performance Coach of TD Athletes Edge and the Co-Founder of the Hip Hinge 101 Workshop. He has been an invited guest speaker nationally in over 10 U.S. states, which was highlighted by his presentations at Google Headquarters and Stanford University, in addition to guest speaking internationally in Milan, Italy. His work has been featured in Men’s Fitness, STACK Media and The PTDC. Currently, he is completing his masters degree with future academic goals of obtaining a PhD in human and sport performance.
He is a big fan of interacting on Instagram and regularly posts about training, performance and recovery. Follow along here:
https://www.instagram.com/matthewibrahim_/
