My adductors are twice as strong as my abductors! Is this a problem?

[p0lish_sausage]

Hello,

To all the physiotherapists out there: what are the ideal strength ratios for hip adductor/abductors? I found this paper online (Search google for: "The Association of Hip Strength and Flexibility With the Incidence of Adductor Muscle Strains in Professional Ice Hockey Players") that suggests when the inner hips (adductors) are weaker than the outers (abductors) (78/100 or less) you are more prone to adductor injury, at least in hockey. My strength ratios are more like 180/100, which doesn't surprise me, since I used to be an avid long distance runner.

Since my goal is bodybuilding and power lifting (deads, squats, benches, presses, etc) is this an issue? Should I be concerned in getting my abductors up to par?

Thanks.

[chazzy1864]

You are the first person I've ever seen that has worried about an adductor/abductor strength ratio.

[p0lish_sausage]

You are the first person I've ever seen that has worried about an adductor/abductor strength ratio.

There is plenty of literature is out there discussing it, but just not in the extreme ratio that I possess. Mind you, if you saw me at the gym, you'd probably say the same thing about someone my size trying to do a proper deep power squat.

[jgreystoke]

That is good.

Ever ride a horse. It will help prevent you falling off.

There is a much more serious issue you may not have considered. What you should really worry about is the ratio of your anterior tibialis strength vs gastrocnemius. If it isn't exactly 1:3.141592653589 then your ankles are just itching to subluxate.

Trying to balance things like that must be really difficult compared to trivial stuff like slapping another 5lbs on the bar and having at it.

[jdmalm123]

Hello,

To all the physiotherapists out there: what are the ideal strength ratios for hip adductor/abductors? I found this paper online (Search google for: "The Association of Hip Strength and Flexibility With the Incidence of Adductor Muscle Strains in Professional Ice Hockey Players") that suggests when the inner hips (adductors) are weaker than the outers (abductors) (78/100 or less) you are more prone to adductor injury, at least in hockey. My strength ratios are more like 180/100, which doesn't surprise me, since I used to be an avid long distance runner.

Since my goal is bodybuilding and power lifting (deads, squats, benches, presses, etc) is this an issue? Should I be concerned in getting my abductors up to par?

Thanks.

Everything should be trained and, in my experience, adductors should be stronger than abductors considering leverage, total mass potential, etc...now, i can't say that I'd worry about a ratio there... Think about this...what's stronger, your crush grip or your strength when opening fingers? Probably your crush, but i doubt you're losing sleep over it.

You are the first person I've ever seen that has worried about an adductor/abductor strength ratio.

x2

Trying to balance things like that must be really difficult compared to trivial stuff like slapping another 5lbs on the bar and having at it.

What are you trying to say?

[p0lish_sausage]

Everything should be trained and, in my experience, adductors should be stronger than abductors considering leverage, total mass potential, etc...now, i can't say that I'd worry about a ratio there... Think about this...what's stronger, your crush grip or your strength when opening fingers? Probably your crush, but i doubt you're losing sleep over it.

Some background: I'm trying to get down to the bottom of (no pun intended) why I topple over when I squat. I'm sure you're aware of the hamstring/quad strength ratio and how it affects the potential for severe knee injury during squatting. My strength for that is excellent (my hams are stronger than my quads) however I'm forced to go way past the knee to achieve balance and I suspect the reason for that is my abductors. I could be wrong, but mechanically it makes sense.

[jdmalm123]

Some background: I'm trying to get down to the bottom of (no pun intended) why I topple over when I squat. I'm sure you're aware of the hamstring/quad strength ratio and how it affects the potential for severe knee injury during squatting. My strength for that is excellent (my hams are stronger than my quads) however I'm forced to go way past the knee to achieve balance and I suspect the reason for that is my abductors. I could be wrong, but mechanically it makes sense.

maybe...

read my comments in this thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...#post867724871

[p0lish_sausage]

Thanks yep - seen that image before. My knees are fairly wide apart (45 degrees) and I keep the bar really high on the back, at the bottom of the neck. I have no trouble in keeping my feet on the ground.

[chazzy1864]

I doubt the reason for your balance issues is abductors.

[medjen]

Some background: I'm trying to get down to the bottom of (no pun intended) why I topple over when I squat. I'm sure you're aware of the hamstring/quad strength ratio and how it affects the potential for severe knee injury during squatting. My strength for that is excellent (my hams are stronger than my quads) however I'm forced to go way past the knee to achieve balance and I suspect the reason for that is my abductors. I could be wrong, but mechanically it makes sense.

Knees past toes isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as they're tracking out over your toes.
If you're having squat problems and want good input, the easiest way to do that is to film a working set of squats and post it up here.

Can you do a body weight squat (no bar) and maintain your balance?

[jdmalm123]

I doubt the reason for your balance issues is abductors.

Knees past toes isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as they're tracking out over your toes.
If you're having squat problems and want good input, the easiest way to do that is to film a working set of squats and post it up here.

Can you do a body weight squat (no bar) and maintain your balance?

all this was discussed in my other thread, but the OP only scanned it...

[chazzy1864]

Some people (well most on here) are too lazy to help themselves and must be spoon fed any information. Or they are like the OP who has seemingly done a lot of research and that has somehow made him dumber by narrowing the issue down to the abductor/adductor strength imbalance, since it can't possibly be improper form.

[medjen]

all this was discussed in my other thread, but the OP only scanned it...

Yeah. Usually not enough. And it typically takes more than one person saying something for it really to sink in.

[Engineer_Guy]

Since my goal is bodybuilding and power lifting (deads, squats, benches, presses, etc) is this an issue? Should I be concerned in getting my abductors up to par?

No. You are an inexperienced lifter. You don't have imbalances. You are under-trained. Imbalances only start to appear after you've been training for a long period of time.

This is like worrying about a chest imbalance when you can only bench press 100lbs.

[slopecarver]

You say you really need to lean forward at the hip to stay balanced.... I know you didn't mention it but could it be due to poor dorsiflexion in the ankle which doesn't allow you to pivot your cg forward enough at the ankle? My adductors and abductors are capable of maxing out the isolated stack machines for greater than 10 reps each. I don't have access to a proper squat machine so I cant really relate.

[jdmalm123]

You say you really need to lean forward at the hip to stay balanced.... I know you didn't mention it but could it be due to poor dorsiflexion in the ankle which doesn't allow you to pivot your cg forward enough at the ankle? My adductors and abductors are capable of maxing out the isolated stack machines for greater than 10 reps each. I don't have access to a proper squat machine so I cant really relate.

that's one of my points... something like ankle flexibility could be the reason for issues that appear to come from somewhere else. the body compensates, usually at the joint above or joint below the issue...

[Jasonk282]

Some background: I'm trying to get down to the bottom of (no pun intended) why I topple over when I squat. I'm sure you're aware of the hamstring/quad strength ratio and how it affects the potential for severe knee injury during squatting. My strength for that is excellent (my hams are stronger than my quads) however I'm forced to go way past the knee to achieve balance and I suspect the reason for that is my abductors. I could be wrong, but mechanically it makes sense.

You need to fix your squat form...you might be pushing off with your front feet instead of your heel. Is your chest out and head up? That can also cause you to topple over.

As long as you're going parallel or beyond you knees will be just fine. But if you do want to work on your inner thighs more...do sumo deadlifts.