Core Strengthening Part 2 of 3

I am repeating the opening paragraph from last weeks post on Core Strengthening Part 1, in case there are those who didn’t get a chance to read it. Core strengthening is not just limited to working your abdominal muscles by doing crunches. It also includes exercising other muscles that help stabilize and strengthen your back, trunk, pelvis and hips. In this three part series I will be writing about three different muscles that I like to encourage my Seattle Treatment Massage clients to strengthen if I find they are weak. Strengthening these muscles is a great addition to any core workout program.

In the second part of this series on core strengthening we are going to look at the adductors. The adductors are another set of muscles that stabilize the core of the body. They are commonly weak amongst clients in my Seattle Treatment Massage practice. Adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, pectineus, and gracilis make up this important muscle group. The adductors are responsible for bringing your thighs together from an open position.

I often find people with low back pain or the side of their hips and/or legs are tight and/or painful, have weak adductors. The latter of these symptoms seem to be prevalent in bicycle riders. Strengthening the adductors can bring greater stability to your hips, trunk and low back. This in turn can provide more power and stability with walking, bending, and sitting for long periods.

VERSION ONE - Adductor exercise

SIDE ADDUCTION: Remember to do both sides. To add a challange to this excersise, put a weight on the inner part of the lower leg above the knee.

VERSION TWO- Adductor exercise

 

SEATED ADUCTION: Don’t let the title of this adductor exercise with a ball fool you, its not just for seniors. Everyone can benefit from having strong adductors.

One must be very careful when strengthening your adductors for it is easy to overdue and strain them. Start off slow and steady, increasing only when you are sure you are ready.

Stay tuned for next week and the third and final part in this three part series. We will learn about the PC muscles. Thank you for reading, PJ Harris, LMP.  http://www.pjharris.com/