Adductor Exercises Vs. Lunges

Strong legs create a solid foundation for your body. Several exercises, including adductor exercises and lunges, have the potential to improve strength and stamina in the muscles of your legs. Both exercises can tone and shape your legs using only your body weight for resistance or with additional weight. Aside from this commonality, there are few similarities between adductor exercises and lunges.

  1. Adductor Exercise Execution

    • To perform an adductor exercise, stand with your right side facing a low-cable machine or resistance band secured to a sturdy object. Secure the cable or band to your right ankle and take a step away from the machine so your right leg is pulled out to the side. Balance on your left leg, straighten your back, stabilize your core then pull your right leg toward and past your left leg. Pause at the end of the movement then slowly return to the starting position. Complete the desired number of repetitions, then repeat the exercise with your left leg. You can also perform adductor exercises while lying on your side and lifting your bottom leg upward.

    Lunge Execution

    • To execute a lunge, begin by standing with your legs slightly apart. Place your hands on your hips, stabilize your core, straighten your back and look straight ahead. Maintaining this position, take a large step forward with your right leg. Flex your hip and bend your knee to lower down until your right thigh becomes parallel with the floor. Press through your right heel to return to the standing position. Repeat the movement with your left leg.

    Muscles Worked

    • Adduction exercises primarily target only one muscle group -- the adductors. A few secondary muscles are used to stabilize the supporting leg and keep the torso upright. In contrast, lunges work nearly every muscle in the lower body including the adductors, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves.

    Exercise Variations

    • There is not much variation with adductor exercises. The movement is the same with every exercise -- bring your leg toward the mid-line of your body. In contrast, there are several variations of the lunge, including the standard lunge, walking lunge, rear lunge, side lunge and plyometric lunge.

    Workout Tips

    • When first beginning adductor exercises or lunges, use only your body weight for resistance until you become comfortable with the exercise. You can then gradually increase your resistance to continually challenge your muscles. Using extremely heavy weights for lunges can lead to injury of your supporting knee and should be avoided.