The Best Adductor Exercises: New Study Ranks Them by Muscle Force
To go along with today's episode I have a nice infographic to share...
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In today's video we go over The Best Adductor Exercises: New Study Ranks Them by Muscle Force:
In this video, we dive into a brand-new 2026 computational modeling study by Collings et al. that ranks 8 popular adductor exercises by peak muscle and tendon forces. Discover how different movements target specific muscles like the adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus, and gracilis, and learn how to build an evidence-based rehab progression that minimizes reinjury rates.
What You Will Learn:
Why traditional EMG data isn't enough and how 3D motion capture reveals actual peak forces.
How compound lifts (squats, deadlifts, step-ups) and isolation work compare to Copenhagen planks.
Clear tier-based exercise classifications for specific adductor strains.
Clinical takeaways for structuring a seamless progression from low-tier to high-tier loading.
TIMELINE
- 0:00 - Why adductor exercise selection matters for rehab
- 2:37 - The 2026 Collings et al. study overview & methodology
- 3:34 - Exercise breakdown (Compound movements, Copenhagen planks, & more)
- 6:21 - Adductor exercises ranked by muscle group (Brevis, Longus, Magnus, Gracilis)
- 8:24 - Clinical takeaways & progressive overload strategies for physical therapists
Super Groins!
- Dan Pope DPT,OCS,CSCS
Show Notes / Relevant Articles:
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Thank you!
Dan Pope DPT, OCS, CSCS
References:
- Collings TJ, Horsman A, Hams AH, McGill A, Watts D, Hambly MJ, Barrett RS, Diamond LE, Bourne MN. Hip Adductor Muscle Forces during Strength Training and Rehabilitation Exercises. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2026 Aug 1;58(8):1751-1763. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000004002. Epub 2026 Apr 3. PMID: 41931009.
