Gracilis

The gracilis is a hip adductor muscle that located in the inner thigh region. Gracilis means 'slender', due to its flat thin appearance.

The gracilis will be recruited during hip adduction and transverse adduction, and also flexion of the knee.

Exercises that require these actions for the execution of the movement will stimulate the gracilis.

Exercises that require adduction of the hip can be viewed in the exercise section to the right.

We also know that the gracilis will be stimulated well during knee flexion, so exercises such as leg curls will effectively recruit the gracilis, along with the hamstrings. It should be noted that gracilis shares the abundance of type ii fibres that is observed also in the other knee flexion muscles, the hamstrings. These exercises can be viewed in the exercise section to the right.

6-12 reps will likely provide optimal time under tension for the Gracilis muscle, providing adequate stimulation for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy for its type ii fibre majority make up.