Abstract: Many runners overlook the importance of their adductors, but these inner thigh muscles play a critical role in stability, pelvic alignment, and running efficiency. In this email, we explore why adductor strength is essential for injury prevention and better performance, introducing the versatile Copenhagen plank as a must-have exercise. With detailed progressions to meet your body where you are, you’ll learn how to build strength and enhance your stride.

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Hey Reader,

Are you skipping over your Adductors in your training? Don’t! They are working throughout your entire stride! Here I’ll talk about one exercise (and some progressions of it), the Copenhagen plank, that really works the adductors for a strong, stable stride.

Before all that thought I want to share an analogy of sorts that parents especially will understand.

You know how when a young child is overtired, they get wired. They will do anything but admit they are tired. They refuse to rest, fight you on everything, cry at the drop of a hat. The best you can do is hold and comfort them. As soon as they calm down, they give in and immediately fall asleep.

Now imagine you are that young child, ignoring the signals your body is giving you that you need rest, constantly telling yourself you are fine when everything else is screaming that you need rest?

I am that young child right now. I think many of us are in this holiday season. This is your (and my) reminder to stop ignoring those screams to rest and actually give in.

AND I completely recognize that it is scary to give in. What if I admit that I’m tired, allow that rest and sink deeper into it? What if everything I have to do doesn't get done? I had a mini panic attack this morning thinking about all the things I need to get done before school is out for my kids next Friday. I can do it all and be miserable and overstimulated. But do I have to?

I did a little Grey’s Anatomy style dance it out before jumping into work this morning. I had to get that anxious energy out of my body. I don’t have an answer, I still don’t know how or if it will all get done, but I do know that if I ignore the signs to rest and continue to try and do it all, my body will likely tell me I’m done whether I truly am or not.

At some point I am (you are) going to have to trust that rest now will make tomorrow easier and that slowing down doesn’t always equal falling behind.

I know there’s a running lesson in that last line too 😉

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Ok, now onto the adductors!

It never fails that whenever one of my non-runner colleagues, who regularly strength train, go for a first time run, they come back and say “wow, I’m more sore than I expected.”

I say, “let me guess adductors.”

And I’m always right!

Why Adductor Strength is Important:

Adductor strength plays a key role in running, contributing to both stability and efficiency with every step. The adductors, your inner thigh muscles, help control lateral movement of the leg and stabilize the pelvis. They are workout throughout all of the stance phase of running to do so. When these muscles are strong, they create a solid foundation for the hips to move efficiently, reducing unnecessary side-to-side pelvis tilting, supporting rotation and improving overall running economy.

Incorporating adductor-focused exercises into your strength training routine not only supports injury prevention but also enhances your ability to maintain proper alignment and power during both long runs and speedwork.

Adductors are often neglected in direct strength training but are an essential part of the muscles you use in your stride. They are quietly working to keep you moving smoothly and efficiently with every single step.

The Copenhagen Plank:

The Copenhagen plank uses the inner thigh of the top leg and your core to support your body weight and stabilize your hips pelvis, mimicking the demands placed on the adductors during running. Unlike isolated adductor strengthening exercises, the Copenhagen plank trains the adductors in a way that integrates your internal obliques, another super important muscle in stance phase that works together with that adductors for strong and efficient stride.

The Copenhagen plank is also super versatile. It can be easily modified to meet your body where it is and progressed from there, making it a go-to exercise for everyone to use for building adductor strength, improving pelvic stability, and enhancing overall running performance.

You better believe these progressions are included in Strong & Stable: The Ultimate Hip Strengthening Program for Female Runners!

Copenhagen Progressions:

The Copenhagen plank can be a very humbling exercise. It’s important to meet yourself where you are with these and then slowly build over time. It took me MONTHS to go from the first one to the last!

In all of the exercises you will have the top leg elevated on a surface like a bench or chair. You will be pushing down into that surface with your inner leg, so you may want to add a cushion if the surface is hard.

Active Copenhagen Plank with Bottom Leg Support
​In this first progression, you will keep the bottom leg on the ground for support. I do not look at this is cheating, but more of a two-for-one exercise. You will be getting adductors on the top leg and glute med on the bottom leg at the same time. For the sake of progressing to the other variations, slowly work on unweighting the lower leg over time.

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90-90 Copenhagen Plank Hold
​When you are ready, lift that bottom leg fully off the ground, bent up to 90 degrees of hip flexion. Progress to being about to hold this for 30 seconds over time.

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​Copenhagen with Adductor Lifts
​This variation works the adductors of both legs at the same time! You can try this with the lower leg straight or bent. Holding the Copenhagen plank, lift and lower that bottom leg.

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Copenhagen Crunch
​When you are ready you can add in a cross body crunch for a bit more oblique engagement.

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DNS Copenhagen
​DNS stands for Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization. This variation has you rotating over that “stance leg” just like in your running stride.

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Then, go through all the progressions again with the top leg straight out with only the lower leg/ankle/foot on the bench.

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Meet yourself where you are and progress over time from there. Don’t rush the process!

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Your Coach,
Alison

Alison Marie Helms, PhD Certified Personal Trainer and Running Coach Unlock your full running potential through physics and physiology. ​Work with me.​