Hi Kelly! I have a workout question: Whenever I use leg machines, especially the one designed to workout your outer thigh, I get what I would call a “charlie horse” in my hips, both or just one… what is causing this? I assume I am doing something strange, so I am embarrassed to ask the workers at my gym. I don’t know if it is just me, or something I am doing with the weights, it is just becoming so uncomfortable and painful that I forego alot of the leg workouts. Thanks so much for your help! I love your blog! Blaire
Abductor machines (the pads are on the outside of your thighs and you force them open) and Adductor machines (the pads are on the inside of your legs and you have to force them closed) in my opinion are the most overrated, unnecessary machines in the gym. People think they will slim your inner and outter thigh, but these arent the muscles being used to operate the machine. These machines engage your interior stabilizing muscles of you hips- so pretty much the little muscles around the joint. These muscles are just stabilizers, they have to be strong to hold your joint in place while you are performing other movements, but offer no definition, or real contractile force.
These muscles are little and are rarely worked, so you may be trying to lift too much weight. Another possibility (and why I dont like these machines) is that it is so easy to recruit other muscle groups to perform the action- which may cause your back to arch and your hips to wiggle when you try and ab/adduct. This can injure your interior stabilizers, rotators or muscles in your lower back.
These same stabilizing muscles get worked when you perform anything with your lower legs (squats, lunges, jumps, anything) so specifically setting time aside to work them isnt neccessary.
To work the inner and outter thigh, focus on one leg moves, such as one legs squats, or walking lunges. If you want to specifically isolate these muscles with weights, do some resisted abduction and adduction exercises while standing, which a weight cable attached at your ankle. make sure you keep your stabilizing leg soft, and your hips square: dont let the weight rotate your hips.
Machines that focus on one tiny area are fine, but you can make better use of your time. Full body exercises will work those muscles, plus so many more, and usually offer come cardiovascular benefits as well.