The seated hip adductor machine is the classic way to train the inner thigh. You sit down, pad your knees against the pads, and squeeze your legs together against a weight stack. It isolates the adductor group, which includes the adductor magnus, longus, and brevis, plus the gracilis and pectineus. Those muscles help your squat out of the bottom, keep your knees stable, and protect your groin.
There are plenty of reasons to skip it. Maybe your gym doesn’t have one, or the line for it is always long. Maybe you train at home. Maybe the seated, hips-open position bothers your hips, or you simply want to train the adductors in a way that carries over to the barbell. I’ll be direct about it: the machine is fine, but it’s not the best way to train the adductors, and a few of the options below are better.
These are the 8 alternatives I’d actually use. I picked them for how well they load the inner thigh, how easy they are to progress, and what gear they need. I’ll tell you when each one earns its spot and how to do it.
Table of Contents
- 1 The 8 Best Hip Adductor Machine Alternatives
- 2 How to Program Adductor Work Without the Machine
- 3 Reasons to Choose a Hip Adductor Machine Alternative
- 4 Muscles Worked by the Hip Adductor Machine
- 5 FAQs
- 6 Key Takeaways
- 7 Other Alternative Exercises
- 7.1 The 9 Best Lunge Alternatives
- 7.2 The 10 Best Lat Pulldown Alternatives
- 7.3 The 10 Best Bench Press Alternatives
- 7.4 The 8 Best Incline Bench Press Alternatives
- 7.5 The 7 Best Deadlift Alternatives
- 7.6 The 9 Best Pendlay Row Alternatives
- 7.7 The 10 Best Hack Squat Alternatives
- 7.8 The 10 Best Glute Bridge Alternatives
- 7.9 The 10 Best Lying Leg Curl Alternatives
- 7.10 The 10 Best Dumbbell Pullover Alternatives
- 7.11 The 9 Best Seated Cable Row Alternatives (2026)
- 7.12 The 8 Best Ab Rollout Alternatives
- 7.13 The 8 Best Decline Bench Press Alternatives
- 7.14 The 10 Best Bulgarian Split Squat Alternatives
- 7.15 The 9 Best Leg Press Alternatives
The 8 Best Hip Adductor Machine Alternatives
- Copenhagen Plank
- Cable Hip Adduction
- Side-Lying Hip Adduction
- Sumo Squat
- Cossack Squat
- Ball Squeeze
- Band Hip Adduction
- Sliding Lateral Lunge
1. Copenhagen Plank
When to Perform the Copenhagen Plank
This is my top pick, and it isn’t close. The Copenhagen plank loads the adductors with your own bodyweight, in a position where they work hard to hold your top leg up. Research on groin injury prevention in field sports keeps pointing back to it, and it asks for nothing but a bench. If I could only keep one adductor exercise, this is the one.
It’s also the right swap when the machine’s seated, hips-open position bothers your hips or groin. Do it at the start or end of a lower day, 2 or 3 times a week. Start with the short-lever version (knee on the bench) and move to the long lever when you can hold it for 30 seconds clean.
How to Perform the Copenhagen Plank
- Place a bench or sturdy box next to you and lie on your side, with your forearm on the floor under your shoulder.
- Place the top leg on the bench, either with the knee (short lever) or the whole leg with the ankle on the bench (long lever). Leave the bottom leg hanging beneath it.
- Push your forearm into the floor and lift your hips until your body makes a straight line from head to foot.
- Lift the bottom leg up to meet the bench or hover it just under, and hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
- Lower with control, then switch sides.
This video from E3 Rehab shows how to perform the Copenhagen plank.
Tips for the Copenhagen Plank
- Stack your hips. If they sag or roll forward, the adductors are off the hook.
- Start with 3 holds of 15 seconds per side and add time before you add anything else.
- Keep the bench edge under your knee or ankle, not your thigh, so you aren’t bruising yourself.
2. Cable Hip Adduction
When to Perform the Cable Hip Adduction
This is the closest direct swap for the machine. You’re still moving the leg across your body against a load, just standing up with one leg at a time. If your gym has a cable stack but no adductor machine (it happens more than you’d think), do this and you’ve lost almost nothing.
I like that it trains one side at a time, so you can see which leg is weaker and fix it. Use it as your main isolation exercise for the inner thigh and take sets close to failure with controlled reps.
How to Perform the Cable Hip Adduction
- Attach an ankle strap to a low pulley and buckle it around the ankle closest to the stack.
- Stand side-on to the machine and hold the frame for balance, with a slight bend in your standing knee.
- Start with the working leg out to the side, a few inches off the floor.
- Pull the leg across your body in front of the standing leg, as far as you can without leaning.
- Return slowly to the start and repeat, then turn around and train the other leg.
This video from ThriveTraining shows how to perform the cable hip adduction.
Tips for the Cable Hip Adduction
- Hold the frame or a rack. Balance isn’t the point here.
- Keep your torso upright. Leaning away from the stack to make the rep easier steals the work from the adductors.
- Pause for a second when the leg crosses the midline, then take 2 or 3 seconds coming back out.
3. Side-Lying Hip Adduction
When to Perform the Side-Lying Hip Adduction
This is the no-equipment, joint-friendly option. It’s the exercise physical therapists reach for first, and it’s why it earns a spot here even though it looks easy. It lets you train the adductors without any load on your knees or back, so it works well when you’re coming back from a groin tweak or just starting out.
It’s low on raw difficulty, so I’d treat it as a warm-up or a high-rep finisher, and add an ankle weight once bodyweight stops being a challenge.
How to Perform the Side-Lying Hip Adduction
- Lie on your side with your bottom leg straight and your head resting on your arm.
- Bend your top knee and plant that foot on the floor in front of your bottom leg, or rest it on a bench or chair.
- Squeeze your bottom thigh and lift the straight leg a few inches off the floor.
- Pause at the top for a second, then lower slowly without letting the leg touch down.
- Finish all reps on one side, then switch.
This video from ENDURANCEWORKS shows how to perform the side-lying hip adduction.
Tips for the Side-Lying Hip Adduction
- Keep your hips stacked and your toes pointing forward, not up at the ceiling.
- Lift with the inner thigh. If your hip hikes, you’ve gone too high.
- Work up to 15 to 20 reps per side, then add an ankle weight.
4. Sumo Squat
When to Perform the Sumo Squat
The sumo squat, a squat with a wide stance and toes turned out, is the best option here when you want to train the adductors while also hitting your quads and glutes. The adductors work hard as hip extensors in a deep, wide squat, so you get real inner thigh work from a lift you already know how to load.
Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest (a goblet hold) and you can push it for real sets. If you’ve read our goblet squat alternatives, this is a close cousin. And if you pull sumo, it carries over nicely, which is why it also shows up in our sumo deadlift alternatives.
How to Perform the Sumo Squat
- Stand with your feet about 1.5 times shoulder width apart and turn your toes out 30 to 45 degrees.
- Hold a dumbbell vertically at your chest, or a kettlebell by the horns.
- Brace your core and sit straight down between your legs, pushing your knees out over your toes.
- Go as deep as you can with a tall chest, ideally to parallel or below.
- Drive through your whole foot and squeeze your glutes at the top.
This video from Well+Good shows how to perform the sumo squat.
Tips for the Sumo Squat
- Push your knees out in the same direction as your toes. If they cave in, the adductors aren’t doing their job.
- A short pause in the bottom adds real adductor work for very little extra load. Two seconds down, two seconds paused, and you’ll feel it in your inner thighs the next day.
- If your hips round under at the bottom, shorten your range of motion until your mobility catches up.
5. Cossack Squat
When to Perform the Cossack Squat
The Cossack squat is a deep side-to-side squat where one leg stays straight and the other bends. The straight leg gets a big stretch on the adductors, and the bent leg works them hard to stand back up. I like it because it trains the inner thigh in a long, loaded position, which is where the machine is weakest.
It’s a mobility drill and a strength exercise in one. Expect it to feel awkward at first. Start with a bodyweight version, holding on to a rack for balance if you need to, and add a goblet hold when it feels smooth.
How to Perform the Cossack Squat
- Stand with your feet about twice shoulder width apart and your toes angled slightly out.
- Shift your weight to your right leg and sit your hips back and down, bending that knee.
- Keep your left leg straight with the toes pointing up or the heel planted, whichever your mobility allows.
- Drop as low as you can while keeping your chest up and your right heel down.
- Push through your right foot to come back up, then shift to the other side.
This video from The Sustainable Training Method shows how to perform the Cossack squat.
Tips for the Cossack Squat
- Keep your bent-leg heel on the floor. If it lifts, narrow your stance or shorten the depth.
- Start shallow and go deeper each week. This one rewards patience.
- Hold a light plate or dumbbell at your chest as a counterweight.
6. Ball Squeeze
When to Perform the Ball Squeeze
It sounds too simple to matter. It does matter. The ball squeeze is an isometric exercise, so it lets you contract the adductors hard without moving a joint. That makes it useful for rehab, for warm-ups before squats or deadlifts, and for anyone who can’t do the other options yet.
A soccer ball, a pillow, or a foam roller works just as well as a Swiss ball. It’s the lowest-effort swap on this list, and I’d pair it with a stronger one like the Copenhagen plank, not use it alone.
How to Perform the Ball Squeeze
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Place a ball between your knees.
- Squeeze the ball with your inner thighs as hard as you comfortably can.
- Hold for 5 to 10 seconds while you keep breathing.
- Relax and repeat for 10 reps.
This video from Elite Performance Institute shows how to perform the ball squeeze.
Tips for the Ball Squeeze
- Squeeze at about 70% effort for the first few reps and build up, so you don’t cramp.
- Try it with your feet up and your knees at 90 degrees for a different angle.
- Use it as a warm-up before squats, not as your main adductor work.
7. Band Hip Adduction
When to Perform the Band Hip Adduction
A resistance band turns any doorframe or rack into a cable stack. The band gets harder as you pull the leg across, which means the top of the rep is the hardest part. That’s the opposite of how a cable works, and I think it’s a nice change for the adductors.
It’s my pick for travel and home gyms. It won’t match the loading you can get from the machine, but it does let you train each leg separately with a very small piece of gear.
How to Perform the Band Hip Adduction
- Loop a resistance band around a post or the base of a rack at ankle height.
- Put the other end around the ankle closest to the post and stand side-on, holding the rack.
- Start with your working leg out to the side, with the band slightly tight.
- Pull the leg across your body in front of the standing leg.
- Return slowly under control and repeat, then switch legs.
This video from Live Lean TV Daily Exercises shows how to perform the band hip adduction.
Tips for the Band Hip Adduction
- Step farther from the anchor to add tension, or double up bands.
- Keep your hips square. If your pelvis twists, shorten the range.
- Pause with the band tight at the midline for a second on every rep.
8. Sliding Lateral Lunge
When to Perform the Sliding Lateral Lunge
This one’s a favorite of mine. One foot slides out on a slider, towel, or paper plate while the other leg does the squatting. The sliding leg’s adductors have to control the whole descent and drag the foot back in, so they work eccentrically and concentrically, with real tension.
It’s tougher than it looks, and it asks for balance, so go slow. If you already like our lunge alternatives, this is a good side-to-side addition to that menu.
How to Perform the Sliding Lateral Lunge
- Stand on a smooth floor with a slider, towel, or paper plate under your right foot.
- Shift your weight onto your left leg and slide your right foot out to the side, keeping that leg straight.
- Sit your hips back and down over your left leg, keeping your chest tall.
- Pause at the bottom, then drag your right foot back in using your inner thigh.
- Finish your reps, then switch legs.
This video from Live Lean TV Daily Exercises shows how to perform the sliding lateral lunge.
Tips for the Sliding Lateral Lunge
- Slide only as far as you can control. A short slide with good form is better than a long one that collapses.
- Hold a dumbbell at your chest or keep a hand on a rack for balance.
- Use a carpet and a towel if you don’t have sliders, or a smooth floor with a sock.
How to Program Adductor Work Without the Machine
Here’s how I’d fit these into a normal week. The adductors recover fast, so you can hit them more often than most muscles, as long as you keep most of the work easy on your joints.
- Strength days: pick one heavy exercise, like the sumo squat or Cossack squat, for 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps after your main squat or deadlift.
- Isolation work: pick the cable hip adduction or the band hip adduction for 2 or 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps per leg at the end of the session.
- Durability work: add the Copenhagen plank twice a week, 2 or 3 holds of 15 to 30 seconds per side. Build the time before you build the lever.
- Warm-ups: use the ball squeeze or the side-lying hip adduction for a quick activation before squats, 2 sets of 10 reps.
If you’ve never trained the inner thigh directly, start with half the volume above for the first two weeks. The adductors get sore in a way that surprises people, and it’s easy to overdo it on day one. After that, add a rep or a few seconds each week and you’ll progress for a long time.
One more thing worth saying. Don’t expect the inner thigh to shrink from any of this. Spot reduction isn’t real, so if fat loss is the goal, train for strength and keep your diet in order. What these exercises give you is stronger hips and a healthier groin.
Reasons to Choose a Hip Adductor Machine Alternative
A few good reasons to swap the machine for something on this list:
- You don’t have the machine. Plenty of commercial gyms and almost every home gym lack one. Bands, a bench, and a cable cover you.
- You want better carryover. The Copenhagen plank and the squat variations train the adductors the way they work in real lifts, as stabilizers and hip extensors.
- The seated position bothers you. Forcing your legs apart in a seat can irritate some hips and groins. Standing or side-lying options let you control the range.
- You want to train one side at a time. Cable, band, and side-lying work show you which leg is weaker.
- You want a lower injury risk. Loaded adductor work, especially eccentric work like the Copenhagen plank, is the best-supported way to build resilient groins.
Muscles Worked by the Hip Adductor Machine
The machine and its alternatives train the inner thigh and the muscles around it:
- Adductor magnus: the largest adductor, and a big hip extensor in deep squats and deadlifts.
- Adductor longus and brevis: pull the thigh toward the midline and help stabilize the pelvis.
- Gracilis and pectineus: smaller inner thigh muscles that assist adduction.
- Glutes, quads, and obliques: help in the squat, lunge, and plank variations, depending on the exercise.
If you want more leg training ideas, check out our leg machine exercises, our leg press alternatives, and our leg extension alternatives.
FAQs
Is the hip adductor machine worth using?
It’s fine if your gym has one. It isolates the inner thigh and is easy to load and progress. But it isn’t required, and the Copenhagen plank, the squat, and the lunge variations do the same job and carry over better to your lifts.
What is the best hip adductor machine alternative?
For most people, the Copenhagen plank. It needs only a bench, it loads the adductors hard, and it’s the best-supported exercise for protecting the groin. If you want a straight swap with weight stack feel, use the cable hip adduction.
Can squats replace the adductor machine?
Mostly, yes. A deep squat with a wide stance puts the adductor magnus to work as a hip extender, so heavy sumo squats and Cossack squats build the inner thigh well. Add one isolation exercise if you want extra volume there.
How often should I train my adductors?
Two to three times per week works for most lifters. They’re a small muscle group that recovers quickly. Keep sets stopping a rep or two short of failure on isometric and bodyweight work, and take cable and weighted sets close to failure.
Do inner thigh exercises help my squat?
Yes. Strong adductors help you drive out of the bottom and keep your knees tracking over your toes. That’s especially true if you squat with a wide stance or pull sumo.
Key Takeaways
If I had to pick one, I’d do the Copenhagen plank. It’s free, it’s hard, and it keeps your groin healthy. With a cable stack, the cable hip adduction is the closest straight swap for the machine. Training at home, bands and the sliding lateral lunge cover you. And if you want your inner thighs to get bigger as a side effect of heavy leg work, put in the sumo squats and Cossack squats. Pick the one that fits your gear, and train it consistently.
Other Alternative Exercises
If you enjoyed this post, check out our other roundups of the best alternatives for other exercises.
