Abduction vs. Adduction Exercises: Differences, Benefits, and More Explained
Key takeaways:
Abduction refers to moving a limb away from the midline of your body. Adduction refers to moving a limb toward the midline of your body.
Many abduction and adduction exercises work the shoulders and hips. They may increase range of motion, stabilize the joints, and prevent injuries.
You can strengthen your abductor and adductor muscles with targeted exercises. Both muscle groups work together with pushing, pulling, squatting, and lunging.
You might not think about abduction and adduction exercises when you work out. But chances are, you do these two different types of movements at the gym and in your daily life. Because they allow for more range of motion in your joints, they mainly occur at the shoulders and hips.
Abduction and adduction exercises offer unique benefits for strengthening your muscles. Including both in your workouts can help you create a more well-rounded fitness routine.
What is the difference between abduction and adduction?
Abduction and adduction are terms that refer to different movement patterns. They occur along the midline of the body. Imagine a line down the center of your body that separates your right and left sides. That's the midline. And it can help you understand the difference between abduction and adduction.
Abduction: moving a limb away from the midline of the body
Adduction: moving a limb toward the midline of the body
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It's easy to confuse these two similar-sounding words. Try to remember that during abduction, you take your limbs away from your body. And during adduction, you add them back toward your body.
Abductor and adductor muscles in your shoulders and hips allow you to make upper and lower-body functional movements. They also help keep your joints stable. For example, hip adductors in the inner thigh power leg movements like side lunges. And hip abductors like the gluteus medius stabilize your legs with movement.
What are the benefits of abduction vs. adduction?
Key benefits of abduction and adduction exercises help illustrate why you need both in your workout routine.
Build muscle strength
Abduction and adduction exercises can keep the muscles that control these movements strong. For example, a small study found that targeted exercises strengthen shoulder abductors. Stronger shoulder abductors and adductors help stabilize your joints during athletic and everyday movements like pushing, pulling, or reaching across your body.
Similarly, stronger hip abductors stabilize the pelvis, hips, and knees. The adductors can assist other hip muscles needed for walking, running, and rotating your legs to the side. They also help power your legs when you jump, squat, and shift your weight in different directions. And they allow you to move your legs across your body.
Support balance and functional mobility
Practicing hip abduction and adduction exercises may also help you maintain or improve your balance and mobility as you age. In one study, older women did a training program that included hip abductor and adductor exercises. After 12 weeks, they had better balance, strength, and functional performance.
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These hip exercises have also been shown to help older adults improve balance recovery after a trip or temporary loss of balance. This could help prevent falls among older adults.
May help treat or prevent musculoskeletal problems
Many hip and knee injuries have been linked to weak hip abductors. So strengthening the abductor and adductor muscles may help treat or prevent conditions such as:
Knee osteoarthritis pain
Groin or adductor strain
Abduction movements for beginners
Strengthening your hip and shoulder abductors is important for joint alignment, stability, and injury prevention. Here are some exercises you can try if you’re just starting out.
Lateral arm raises
The lateral arm raise works the supraspinatus, which is the most commonly torn rotator cuff muscle. It helps the deltoid muscle with arm abduction. You can use small dumbbells for this move.
Step 1: Stand tall with your arms at your sides, a small dumbbell in each hand, and your feet hip-distance apart.
Step 2: Engage your core and slowly lift your arms out to your sides at shoulder height. Keep your elbows straight, and do not let your shoulders hike up.
Step 3: Pause for a moment and lower your arms to your sides. Perform the motion slowly and with control.
Step 4: Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Side-lying leg lifts
Side-lying leg lifts activate the main hip abductor: the gluteus medius. It's difficult to stay balanced without this stabilizing muscle.
Step 1: Lie on your right side with your legs straight and your hips, knees, and ankles aligned.
Step 2: Put your right forearm on the floor or bend your arm and rest your head in your hand.
Step 3: Squeeze your abdominals to engage your core.
Step 4: Keep your toes pointed as you lift your left leg toward the ceiling. Do not rotate your hips during this movement.
Step 5: Slowly lower your leg to the starting position.
Step 6: Do 20 reps on each side.
Side-steps with resistance band
Doing side-steps with a resistance band is a great way to engage the gluteus medius at the side of the hip. The added resistance can help increase muscle strength.
Step 1: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Loop a resistance band around your thighs directly above your knees.
Step 2: Shift your hips back and slightly down to maintain a small bend in your knees.
Step 3: Keep the bend in your knees as you step your right foot to the right.
Step 4: Step with your left foot in the same direction to bring your feet closer together. Make sure your feet stay hip-width apart each time you bring them closer together.
Step 5: Repeat 10 steps with each foot toward the right.
Step 6: Then, reverse the direction and perform 10 steps with each leg toward the left.
Step 7: Repeat 2 to 3 sets in each direction.
Adduction exercises for beginners
Exercises that work the hip and shoulder adductors help power forceful movements for your workouts and everyday life.
Chest press
The chest press is a pushing exercise. This powerful movement adducts your shoulders to push weight up and away from your body. You can do a chest press on an exercise bench with a barbell. You can also do it on the floor with a small dumbbell in each hand.
Step 1: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing away from you. Keep your elbows bent at 90 degrees with your arms close to your sides.
Step 2: Squeeze your shoulder blades together to align your shoulders properly.
Step 3: Push your arms up toward the ceiling.
Step 4: Squeeze your chest by hugging your arms in toward your sides and bringing the dumbbells closer together.
Step 5: Slowly lower your arms back down to the starting position.
Step 6: Complete 2 to 3 sets of 10 reps.
Chest flys
A dumbbell chest fly engages the pectoralis major (pecs), one of many muscles that help adduct the shoulder. It also stretches the chest.
Step 1: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat. Hold a light dumbbell in each hand with your arms straight above your chest. Keep your elbows extended but not fully locked to keep a slight bend. Your palms should be facing each other.
Step 2: Squeeze your shoulder blades together to align your shoulders properly.
Step 3: Slowly open your arms out to the sides as you lower them toward the floor. Maintain a slight elbow bend without fully bending or extending them.
Step 4: Once your arms are lowered, squeeze your chest by hugging your arms in toward your sides. Bring the dumbbells closer together to return to the starting position.
Step 5: Complete 2 to 3 sets of 10 reps.
Hip adductor squeezes
The hip adductor muscles are used during sports and athletic activities that involve jumping, running, and kicking. So they are prone to injury. Strengthening moves may keep those injuries at bay.
Step 1: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
Step 2: Place a pillow, soft ball, or rolled-up towel in between your knees.
Step 3: Squeeze your thighs together, pushing your knees in toward each other.
Step 4: Hold for 5 seconds. Then relax.
Step 5: Do 20 repetitions.
The bottom line
Abduction is movement away from the body, while adduction is movement toward the body. And you need both for everyday motions. Including abduction and adduction exercises in your routine can help support functional mobility, stabilize joints, and prevent injuries. Focus on moves that engage the abductor and adductor muscles in the hips and shoulders to get started.
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References
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