Yoga Glossary · Joint Actions
Adduction
Moving a limb toward the body's midline — thighs hugging together, arms crossing in front.
Adduction is the return trip from abduction: the limb moves toward, or across, the body's midline. Squeezing the legs together is hip adduction; bringing the arms from a wide T to cross in front of the chest is horizontal adduction at the shoulder.
In yoga, adduction is often about stability rather than travel: the inner thighs engage toward the midline to steady Chair and Bridge, the arms adduct in Eagle and Cow Face binds, and the pectorals power horizontal adduction whenever the hands press together or the arms wrap. Teachers cue it as 'hug in' — the midline is the reference.
In practice
- A block between the thighs makes adduction impossible to fake — the squeeze is the adductors.
- Eagle arms are shoulder adduction plus flexion; the stretch lands in the outer shoulder and upper back.
- Hugging toward the midline is a general stability strategy in almost every balance.
Poses built on this action
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The Yoga Glossary is an educational study reference. Definitions are standard yoga and anatomy knowledge in plain language; nothing here is medical advice.