# Adductor and Abductor Machines: What They Actually Do

> They will not slim your inner thighs, but they are not useless either. What these machines train, who they suit and the alternatives.

- Source: [Musku](https://musku.app/), free strength training tracker for iPhone and Android
- Canonical URL: https://musku.app/blog/adductor-abductor-machines
- Published: 2026-10-30
- Updated: 2026-10-30
- Level: Beginner, Intermediate
- Language: English
- French version: https://musku.app/fr/blog/adducteurs-abducteurs-machines-musculation
- Author: Musku (Julien Legrand)

_Informational content: this is not a substitute for medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting a training program, especially if you have a health issue or any pain._

They are often the two busiest machines in a gym, and the most misunderstood. People sit down to "tone the inner thighs" or "work the hips" without always knowing what they actually train. They do have real value, just not the one most often credited to them.

## What each machine trains

| Machine | Movement | Main muscles |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adductors | Bringing the legs together | The adductors, on the inner thigh |
| Abductors | Pushing the legs apart | Gluteus medius and minimus, on the side of the hip |

The adductors form a large, often underrated muscle group. One of them, adductor magnus, contributes heavily to hip extension, the movement that brings you up out of a squat. Gluteus medius stabilises the pelvis every time you stand on one leg, whether walking, running or lunging.

## The misconception: slimming one area

Training a muscle does not burn the fat sitting directly over it. This is one of the best established points on the subject: spot reduction through exercise does not work. The body draws on its reserves globally, in a pattern driven mainly by genetics and hormones.

Doing adductor sets to slim your inner thighs is therefore the same as doing crunches to lose belly fat. The muscle gets stronger, but the fat covering it only shrinks if your overall energy balance changes.

That is no reason to abandon these machines. It is a reason to use them for what they do well.

## What they genuinely offer

**More stable hips.** A weak gluteus medius lets the knee drift inwards during a squat or lunge, and the pelvis tip with each stride when running. Strengthening it improves control of those movements.

**Better tolerance for sports with changes of direction.** Football, hockey, racket sports: these place heavy demands on the adductors. Targeted strengthening programmes have shown a reduction in groin injuries among footballers, which makes this work a sensible precaution for anyone playing such sports.

**A complement to the basic lifts.** Squats and lunges already involve these muscles, but rarely to the point of training them fully. A few targeted sets close the gap.

**An easy exercise to dose.** Machines let you train these muscles with a precise load and no particular technical demand, which suits beginners well.

## Using them well

- **Keep a full range of motion.** The most common mistake is loading heavy and moving only a few centimetres. A moderate load through your full comfortable range is better, as with any exercise. Our article on [full range of motion](https://musku.app/blog/full-range-of-motion) explains why.
- **Control the return.** Letting the pads snap back removes much of the work and stresses the joint for nothing.
- **Aim for 12 to 20 reps**, over 2 to 3 sets. These muscles respond well to somewhat longer sets.
- **Put them at the end of the session**, after the main leg exercises, so the stabilisers are not tired before a heavy squat.
- **Ease into adductor work** if you have never trained the area: inner thigh soreness can be pronounced the first few times.

## Alternatives without a machine

| Target | Exercises |
| --- | --- |
| Adductors | Sumo squat, lateral lunges, side plank with the top leg resting on a bench |
| Gluteus medius | Side-lying abduction, banded lateral walks, single-leg glute bridge |
| Both | Deep squats, lunges, step-ups, single-leg work in general |

The squat itself works the adductors hard when performed deep with the feet slightly wide. Sound [squat technique](https://musku.app/blog/squat-technique-mistakes) already does part of the job.

## Should they be in your programme?

They are not essential. A programme with deep squats, lunges and a hip exercise covers the essentials. They become worthwhile in three cases: if you play a sport with changes of direction, if your knee caves inwards during squats or lunges, or if you simply want simple, technique-free extra work at the end of a session.

In every case, two or three sets a week are plenty.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does the adductor machine slim the inner thighs?

No. It strengthens the adductors, but spot reduction does not work. Fat decreases globally, when your energy balance allows it.

### Do abductor machines work the glutes?

Yes, mainly gluteus medius and minimus, on the side of the hip. Gluteus maximus, the one that provides size, is mostly trained by squats, lunges and hip extension exercises.

### Are these machines dangerous?

No, provided you keep the load controlled and the return slow. If you feel groin or hip pain during the exercise, stop, and have it checked if it persists.

### Should you train them every leg session?

There is no need. Two or three sets a week, alongside the basic lifts, are enough for most lifters.

The adductors are often neglected precisely because people assume they are training them without checking. In Musku they are one of the muscle groups tracked by muscle distribution, which shows how many sets they receive each week, with or without counting their secondary work during squats and lunges. You can see whether they are genuinely undertrained before adding a machine to your session.