Leg Abductor Machine

[MMAJason]

Is this machine worth it for putting any size or hitting a different targeted area on your legs? I typically do leg extensions, standing leg curls, leg press, hack squats and calf raises for legs. I'm looking to add an accessory exercise to mix it up a bit. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

[DJAuto]

I'm not a fan.

[brighamw]

I'm not a fan.

^ I am, but only of really hot womenz doing them

[F1eld]

if you got the machine i dont see anything wrong with doing a set or 2 during a given workout

[kurty8]

Better off doing some stiff leg deadlifts or some single leg deadlifts!! far better for the hams

[RawAggression]

^ I am, but only of really hot womenz doing them

+1 talk about a distraction!

[Tyciol]

This is a fine movement for working the muscles on the outside of the leg.

While kurty is correct about deadlifts being an excellent hamstring movement, the abductor machine focuses on the hip abductors, not the knee flexors, so it's not like we're saying do leg curls or whatever.

Obviously someone should be prioritizing compound lifts and the like, but I don't see the arm in adding in a machine movement like this at the end. It would focus on muscles you might neglect, especially if you're doing the wide-stance variations of deadlifting (sumo) which will hit a lot of adductors.

The one-legged variations tend to be more balanced in this regard and you get some abductor work (keep in mind, glute medius/minimus are abductors) but not necessarily as much or in the same consistent RoM as you would get from using the machine.

I've never liked the adductor machine because it pumps up the inner thighs and makes walk-chafing, but pumping out the outside won't make chafe so it's magic. It's like delts for your hips.

[ecuz3]

I'm not sure about the abductor machine, but as far as the adductor machine goes it will definitely strengthen your hip flexors, which should help you squat more. It does feel a little awkward though, opening and closing your legs like that hahah.

[Azrairc]

Is this machine worth it for putting any size or hitting a different targeted area on your legs? I typically do leg extensions, standing leg curls, leg press, hack squats and calf raises for legs. I'm looking to add an accessory exercise to mix it up a bit. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

They only go up to 200lbs at my gym and there are usually a fat women sitting on them doing 50 reps of the lowest setting so I don't even bother..

[k9pit]

Don't sweat what other people say about it being a girls machine blah blah blah. It is good for isolating the outer thigh muscles.

These get hit pretty hard when I do stiff leg deadlifts and squats since what squats I tend to push out (not visibly). Whenever I make good gains on either sldl/squats typically my abductors are sore as s*** for the next 3 days.

I do SLDL and Squats on the same day (Wed-legs) so occasionally like every 3 weeks or so I'll do some adbuctor work on a random day (i.e., Saturday -chest day). Far enough away from my previous core leg day, but close enough to make an impact for the next one.

They are not a "staple" in my routing but I do think there is some benefit (not so much for mass, but for helping squat/sldl endurance which correlates to mass).

[joebrosef]

do squats. Stop using the pussinator machine.

[Tyciol]

I'm not sure about the abductor machine, but as far as the adductor machine goes it will definitely strengthen your hip flexors, which should help you squat more. It does feel a little awkward though, opening and closing your legs like that hahah.

It strengthens SOME adductors, as some muscles are both adductors and hip flexors, but some are not. I don't think it's right to say it strengthens hip flexors when some are neglected.

For example, muscles that both adduct and flex the hip: adductor brevis/longus, gracilis, pectineus

Muscles that both abduct and flex the hip: sartorius, tensor fasciae latae

So actually, you could work your hip flexors in either machine, but only about half of them in either case.

There are also major hip flexors like the rectus femoris, iliacus and psoas which as far as I can tell don't play a major role in either ab or ad duction so they would be neglected by such machines and benefit from hip flexion exercises like leg raises or situps.

I could be wrong though, maybe those three do contribution to medial/lateral movements and I'm just not aware of it yet.

They only go up to 200lbs at my gym and there are usually a fat women sitting on them doing 50 reps of the lowest setting so I don't even bother..

Understandable, while I enjoy the machine it's not something I'm going to spend time waiting around to use. That said, if you're in the mood for BBW, asking if you might be able to work in between her sets would be a great conversation starter.

do squats. Stop using the pussinator machine.

I don't think anyone here promoting the idea of not squatting or prioritizing the side thigh machines over squatting. It's an accessory thing that can be done after squatting, especially if you do 2-legged ones which tend to focus more on the adductors, moreso with wide stances. Using this machine doesn't make you a pussy, it's simply that squatting makes you virtus.