Abduction machines

OrdinaryDude300
OrdinaryDude300 Posts: 51 Member
edited December 2 in Fitness and Exercise
Do those abduction machine help weak hip flexors Many gyms seem to have them. Rarely see men using them

Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Not in any meaningful way. Why do you think your hip flexors are weak?
  • OrdinaryDude300
    OrdinaryDude300 Posts: 51 Member
    Why. I was told inpast by a physiotherapist my hip flexsors were weak and contribute to my knee tracking issues. Also because i never trained lower body properly or enough and I am in my opinion very weak at the squat or lunges involving for compound exercises. I really drop off once my squat gets to near parallel and below but not bad at all in something like a leg extention.
  • AlyssaAnne03
    AlyssaAnne03 Posts: 79 Member
    Start with light squats, knee highs, and maybe jumps
  • AlyssaAnne03
    AlyssaAnne03 Posts: 79 Member
    Leg extension can help, keep it moderate
  • OrdinaryDude300
    OrdinaryDude300 Posts: 51 Member
    Great article Amy. Thanks.
  • cecsav1
    cecsav1 Posts: 714 Member
    If you know you'd like to improve your squats, and lunges, I'd say do more squats and lunges. Personally (and I'm female), I'd do lunges or box steps before I'd use that machine :) good luck!
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Why. I was told inpast by a physiotherapist my hip flexsors were weak and contribute to my knee tracking issues.

    Maybe they meant quadriceps? It's rare for the hip flexors to be weak like that, and it's also rare for them to cause squat & lunge issues. Usually the best way to improve squatting & lunging is to practice them, and to have your form checked by a pro. If you can't work with a good trainer or a physiotherapist, you can upload videos of you doing the exercises for the trainers here to critique. :+1:
  • tri_bob
    tri_bob Posts: 121 Member
    On a different note: If you see a machine advertising abductions, don't get in it. #strangerdanger
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Weak hips? Good mornings will help with that.

    And I agree with cherimoose in that weak hip flexors are unlikely to be your problem with knee tracking.
  • OrdinaryDude300
    OrdinaryDude300 Posts: 51 Member
    The therapist got me to do these lateral leg raises that need to be in perfect form coming from the hip. Both from lying on my side and standing using rubber bands. The machines require both legs while the therapists exercises were isolated one side at a time. Are they not both hip flexor focused?
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    The therapist got me to do these lateral leg raises that need to be in perfect form coming from the hip. Both from lying on my side and standing using rubber bands. The machines require both legs while the therapists exercises were isolated one side at a time. Are they not both hip flexor focused?

    Those exercises work your glutes and to some extent tensor fascia latae. Weak glutes are more involved in knee tracking, not hip flexors. Easy to get the terms mixed up.

    In any case, the exercises that the therapist gave you will be more effective than using a hip abduction machine.
    If you want more exercises, try here: https://runnersconnect.net/hip-strengthening-for-runners/
  • MaxT370
    MaxT370 Posts: 274 Member
    I'm not sure about the machines but my therapist has me using a resistance band and isolating one leg at a time while standing.
This discussion has been closed.