Better Adductors for Better Squatting

The hip adductors are a group of muscles that people usually associate with a thigh master, but not with squatting depth. But don't let that lead you astray! The adductors can have  HUGE effect on your squatting depth. How?

The hip adductors primarily attach to the pubic bone on one end and into your inner thigh or the inside of your knee on the other end. So what? Well, it just so happens that when you squat down and keep your knees tracking over your feet and prevent your lumbar spine from rounding, your adductors need to be able to lengthen well to accommodate that position and stress on both sides of the muscle. What happens if they can't/don't/won't? The knees can collapse in (adductors tugging on the leg side), the low back can round aka butt wink (adductors pull on spine side), or both!

Active "stretching" vs Passive "stretching"

Active stretching is light years ahead of passive stretching. There are so many benefits to actively holding a position vs hanging off your muscles and tendons passively. In the video, I show a "passive" stretch where I throw my leg up on my squat rack to "stretch" my adductors. If you hold this type of stretch for 30 seconds, you are probably doing nothing more than wasting your time suffering through a stretch sensation. If instead you teach your brain and body how to control and actively hold your joints while in a "stretched" position (the other thing I show), your brain actually learns how to create muscle tension while there. You want this, you want this badly. I will have a more detailed article about this topic coming up in a few weeks, so stay tuned for that! But until then, stop renting your range of motion and start owning it (I am sure I am quoting someone, so props to whoever said it first).