Cable Hip Adduction

How to do the Cable Hip Adduction

1. 1Set a cable pulley to the lowest position and attach an ankle cuff. Fasten the cuff securely around the ankle of your working leg.
2. 2Stand side-on to the machine so the working leg is closest to the pulley, then step out until there is tension on the cable with the leg pulled slightly out to the side.
3. 3Grip the machine frame or a stable support with your nearest hand for balance, and stand tall with your standing leg slightly bent and your core braced.
4. 4Keeping the working leg mostly straight, pull it across the front of your body toward and past the midline, squeezing the inner thigh.
5. 5Pause briefly at the end range where you feel the adductors fully contract.
6. 6Return the leg under control to the starting position, resisting the cable rather than letting it snap back.
7. 7Complete all reps on one side, then switch the cuff to the other leg and repeat.

Form tips

• Move only at the hip — keep your torso upright and avoid twisting or leaning toward the cable to make the rep easier.
• Use a slow, controlled tempo in both directions; the inner thigh responds best to tension, not momentum.
• Keep a slight bend in your standing leg and a braced core for a stable, balanced base throughout the set.
• Start with a light weight to learn the range of motion, since the adductors are easy to strain when stretched under load.

Common mistakes

• Using too much weight and swinging the leg with momentum, which shifts work off the adductors and risks straining the inner thigh.
• Letting the cable yank the leg back at the end of each rep, which removes tension and stresses the muscle in a stretched position.
• Twisting the hips or leaning the torso toward the machine, which turns it into a whole-body sway instead of an isolated adduction.
• Cutting the range short and not pulling the leg past the midline, which limits the contraction the exercise is meant to train.

Frequently asked questions