I'm wondering if anyone adds abductor/adductor exercises to the BFL lower-body workouts? I did that today, but I'm not sure if it is a good idea to do this each time. I'm thinking of adding them every other LBWO.

Also, I already have very large calf muscles...partially genetics, partially from being a dancer when I was younger, and partially from carrying around so much extra weight all the time!! I'm not at all afraid of building muscle, but if my calves get much bigger, they will look rather out-of-proportion. I'm thinking of only doing calves every other LBWO, and alternating them with doing the abductor/adductor exercises.

Anyone have any experience/opinions/advice about either of these issues? All input greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Rachel

But curious about the response to this one. I have also thought about adding abductor exercises. Maybe not in the pyramid style to failure, but giving them a bit of work to do. Is the reason this muscle group not included because of danger of overworking? Seems like another good place to work out.

To me, Rachel, your concept of tailoring your workouts to work for you looks fine to me. If your calves are already strong, seems reasonable to try to work the abductors a bit while laying off the calves a bit. Perhaps try it and see if it works for you.

What exercises work the abductors and adductors specifically? Depending on the way you do squats, wide vs straight, do squats work them both or one ? And also lunges?



red

Um. Abductor/adductor are not muscle groups. They are joint movements explaining the rotation of the joint during specific exercises. Abductor/adductor (both nouns) explain which major/minor muscle is doing the pulling/pushing during an exercise.


Example:
Barbell bench press: Horizontal Shoulder Adduction
Cable Seated Row: Scapula Adduction, Horizontal Shoulder Abduction


Main Entry: ab·duct
1 : to carry off (as a person) by force
2 : to draw or spread away (as a limb or the fingers) from a position near or parallel to the median axis of the body or from the axis of a limb
- ab·duc·tor /-'d&k-t&r/ noun

Main Entry: ad·duc·tor
1 : a muscle that draws a part toward the median line of the body or toward the axis of an extremity

Muscle groups in case anyone is interested. The inside thigh area is sometimes referred to the Adductor Thigh Musculature, however the actual names of the muscles are Adductor Longus, Adductor Brevis, Adductor Magnus, Gracilis and the Obturator Oxternus.

Again Adductor meaning to draw towards the mid-line, so the inner thigh muscles are sometimes referred to as such. These muscles do get worked out during leg presses, leg curls and leg extensions to stabilize the movement of the hamstrings and quadriceps.

Agonycat, thanks for the clarification. I'm still wondering, however, if the machines labeled "abductor" (working outer thigh) and "adductor" (working inner thigh) in the gym are worth doing, on an occasional basis. What do you think?

It wouldn't hurt on occassion, however I wouldn't make that my main focus. Your main muscle groups are the ones that can and will change how your metabolism works. The minor muscle groups do not.

The inner/outer thigh area do get worked, during the major muscle glut/hams (leg press, leg curls, lunges, leg extensions), so it's not like they are going to stay "flabby" while the rest of your legs tones up. They are used mostly as stabilizers for the major groups.

If you were into body building/training for competitions then by all means you would need the focus training on those specific areas in order to define them. From a fitness/conditioning stand point, I think your time would be better spent in working the hams/glutes and calf muscles.

Thanks Agonycat..............

Thanks agonycat. Hey agony, besides the deadlift and the leg curl what other exercises work the back of legs?

red

Believe it or not lunges also work the Hamstring area. (Freehand Front Lunges, Alternated Freehand Front Lunges, Dumbbell Front Lunges)

Word of caution though, if you have bad knees, start with zero hand weights and only do a few a day, increasing reps slowly to help condition the knee joint and stabilizer muscles. Lunges are great for legs, but a tad rough on an unconditioned knee joint

Leg Press work the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, gastrocnemius and the soleus.

Squats work the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, gastrocnemius and the soleus.

Lunges work the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, gastronemius and the soleus.

Leg curls work the hamstrings, biceps femoris, semitendinosus and the semimembranosus.

All the above are assisted with the Adductor Magnus, Adductor Longus, Adductor Brevis, Pectineus and the Gracilis.

That should give you a few various exercises to mix up, that work the same areas. I know I get tired of doing leg curls all the time.

__________
Oh and very welcome. Glad I could offer some assistance

Lost of great info here..thanks for taking the time to post it.

I have been trying to do BFL at home, and jsut didn't have to motavation to stick with it.
Today was my first day at the gym and it felt great being in a gym sweating and pumping the weights.

Thanks Agony... great info! And for anybody who hasn't discovered this great resource yet, I'm in LOVE with www.exrx.net. You can just click on a muscle group and it will give you a ton of targeting exercises along with videos for form.

Lunges are a KILLER workout, too.

Angela, is that the correct address for that site? When I slicked on it, it didn't work for me. Anyone else having problems with the site?

try this www.exrx.net

My punctuation in the sentence spoiled the link... sorry. Thanks for looking after me, precious Lotus.