Recently Meghan Callaway and I teamed up to share eight innovative exercises for the hip flexors and adductors. Here are the moves, along with coaching tips to help you perform them safely and effectively.
1) Isometric Copenhagen Side Plank + Band-Resisted Psoas Marches
This drill strengthens the adductors and hip flexors, while improving lumbo-pelvic stability and shoulder/scapular control.
– Coaching tips:
– Place a resistance band around your feet.
– Fully extend the top leg and rest the ankle and foot on an elevated surface.
– If this irritates your knee or another area, switch to the bent-knee version (knee at 90 degrees) and place the band above the knees.
– Get into a side plank on your forearm, keeping your body in a straight line from head to toe, with your shoulder over your elbow.
– Press away from the surface using your adductors and lift toward the ceiling.
– Do a set of psoas marches on the other side.
– Keep your supporting arm stable; protract the shoulder blade (move it away from the spine).
– Avoid hyperextending the lower back, rounding, lateral flexion, rib flare, spinal or hip rotation, or hips piking/collapsing.
– Keep the rest of your body still and brace your core a full 360 degrees.
– Breathe in a way that feels natural for you.
– Aim for 8–12 marches per side.
2) Copenhagen Side Plank Tempos
This move strengthens the adductors, supports lumbo-pelvic stability, and enhances shoulder and scapular control.
– Coaching tips:
– Fully extend the top leg and place the ankle/foot on an elevated surface.
– If needed, use the bent-knee variation with the band above the knees.
– Align your side plank with the elbow directly under the shoulder; push away from the floor so you’re not resting on the upper traps.
– Think about pressing the top foot into the elevated surface and pulling the lower leg up from the floor with the top leg.
– Keep a straight body line throughout; don’t let the lower back sag or the shoulders round.
– The key is tempo: three seconds up, three seconds down for every rep.
– This tempo helps ensure the adductors do the work and keeps the movement challenging.
3) Towel Adductor Slides aka “Thighmaster”
This exercise strengthens the adductors and improves hip-controlled mobility.
– Coaching tips:
– Kneel on two towels (a pillow under each towel can help).
– Keep your head, torso, and hips stacked.
– Slowly slide your knees apart to a comfortable end range while maintaining form.
– At the end range, squeeze your inner thighs hard, then return to the start.
– Do not let your lower back hyperextend, round, or let your ribcage flare; keep the torso and hips steady.
– Maintain a full 360-degree brace.
– Breathe in a way that feels right for you.
– Do 3 sets of 10–15 reps.
4) Lateral Lunges with Plate Slides
This move targets the adductors across both sides.
– Coaching tips:
– Place a light plate inside your left foot.
– Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in your left hand.
– Step laterally to the right, sitting back into the right hip.
– Return to standing by guiding the plate with your left foot.
– Perform 5–8 repetitions in each direction.
5) Prone Band-Resisted Psoas Marches with Feet Elevated
This exercise strengthens hip flexors, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and enhances shoulder/scapular control.
– Coaching tips:
– Place a resistance band around your feet.
– Start in a plank position with your feet elevated on a wall or bench; your body should be roughly parallel to the floor.
– Position your hands well forward of your shoulders.
– While in the plank, lift one knee toward your chest, then return to the start and repeat on the other side.
– Throughout, press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blades; press your body back toward the wall to keep your feet from sliding.
– Engage your glutes on the leg(s) in contact with the surface.
– Avoid lumbar hyperextension, rounding, lateral flexion, rib flare, spinal or hip rotation, or hips piking/collapse.
– Maintain a full 360-degree brace and breathe naturally.
– Do 3 sets of 6–10 marches per side.
6) Core Engaged Ludicrous Deadbug
This move targets the hip flexors, abs, glutes, and overall stability.
– Coaching tips:
– Loop a band around an immovable object and place a small mini-band around both feet.
– Sit with your shoulders supported on a bench and your heels on another bench or box, with the band overhead.
– Do a glute bridge, grab the band overhead, and pull tight with your arms to create tension in the abdominals.
– With the glute bridge held, press one heel into the bench and bring a knee toward your chest against the band, then return.
– Exhale fully as you move, maintaining tension in the band.
– Lower and repeat with the other leg; perform 5 reps per side.
– If needed, this can be done on the floor instead.
7) Straight Leg Lifts (Lateral and Medial)
These lifts strengthen the hip flexors, improve hip mobility, and enhance lumbo-pelvic stability.
– Coaching tips:
– Sit on the floor with a stacked alignment of head, torso, and hips.
– Fully extend both knees and point your feet.
– Keeping the knees straight and feet plantarflexed, lift your legs laterally and then back to the start.
– Avoid letting your legs or feet strike objects or the floor.
– Do not allow the lower back to hyperextend or flex sideways; minimize torso/hip rotation.
– A small amount of spinal flexion is acceptable.
– Maintain a full 360-degree brace and breathe as feels natural.
8) Seated Core Engaged Hip Flexor Lifts
This move strengthens the hip flexors and abs and “locks” you into place to prevent cheating with the lower back.
– Coaching tips:
– Credit for the idea goes to a colleague; gather a foam roller, a light to moderate band, and a tennis ball.
– Sit under the band with your legs in a V shape and an upright torso; place the tennis ball near your ankle.
– Position the foam roller just in front of you and press it up into the band to create tension.
– Lift one foot off the floor and perform a controlled “lift off” over the tennis ball, alternating sides for 8–10 reps per direction.
– Keep the band in tension throughout the movement.
– If needed, you can regress this to a floor version.
