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December 21, 2023 by Andreas Abelsson
Hip abductor exercises target those often-neglected side glutes and hip muscles for well-rounded lower body strength and a visually appealing rear end. They are also like a free health insurance policy, helping keep common issues like knee pain, hip pain, lower back discomfort, and other pesky injuries at bay.
Strong hip abductors also amp up your performance, helping you run, sprint, jump, and lift heavy things in the gym.
This article explains how to keep them strong with the best abductor exercises. Your abductors will repay you with stability, injury prevention, better posture, improved athletic performance, and top-notch balance.
These are the best abductor exercises you can do:
Belt Squat
Front Squat
Bulgarian Split Squat
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
Side Lunge
Hip Abduction Against Band
Lateral Walk with Band
Banded Side Kick
One-Legged Glute Bridge
Clamshells
Fire Hydrants
Read on to discover the benefits of each and why it belongs on this list of the best abductor exercises, as backed by science.
Click here to jump directly to the abductor exercises.
They can be divided into two categories: primary and secondary.1
Their main job is to help you move your leg away from the center of your body, a move known in anatomy and fitness circles as abduction (no involved.) They also help keep your pelvis steady when you walk or stand on one leg.
Weak hip abductor muscles are also connected to chronic lower back pain.2 Chances are that if you strengthen your abductors, you help protect your lumbar spine and prevent or relieve this common ailment.
Also, you can’t talk about your abductors without mentioning your hip adductors, the muscles on the inside of your thigh. Their main job is to pull your legs together, like when you’re crushing a watermelon between your knees.
Together, they are like the Batman and Robin of your hips, working together to keep Gotham City (aka your body) stable, safe, and sound.
However, it also has a side gig as a stabilizer muscle. When you’re standing on one leg trying to put on your pants in the morning, your gluteus medius keeps your pelvis level and prevents you from toppling over.
This little guy is a hip stabilizer whose main action is to abduct your hip joint. It is particularly active when you’re standing on one leg – which happens more often than you think, like when you’re walking or running – and works together with the gluteus medius and the tensor fasciae latae.
The TFL might be small, but it’s a natural multitasker. It works with your gluteus medius and minimus muscles to internally rotate and abduct your hip, and along with the quadriceps muscle rectus femoris, it helps flex your hip.
It is a relatively weak hip abductor compared to the gluteus medius, but you wouldn’t want to be without it.
Its main function is external rotation of the hip: turning your thigh outwards, like standing and pointing your toes out like a ballet dancer. It also helps with hip abduction when your hip is flexed.
The sartorius muscle is also unique in that it is both a knee and flexor as well as an abductor. It can both externally rotate the hip and flex it. In everyday life, you use your sartorius when you’re sitting cross-legged or getting into a car. In the gym, it assists in many lower-body exercises, like squats and lunges, even though it’s not the main player.
The main functions of the old gluteus maximus are to extend (straighten) your thigh and externally rotate it. It also helps you kick your leg back, moving it away from the midline of your body, and stabilizes and protects your pelvis and spine. It’s like a built-in power hub in your rear, essential for standing, squatting, walking, running, and jumping.
Weak hip abductor muscles and glutes can be an issue and cause your knees to buckle inward during a squat (knee valgus.) The fix is to strengthen those muscles, either directly with targeted hip abduction exercises that isolate the weak points or by incorporating squat variants that work the abductors to a greater degree.
The two best common types of squats for the hip abductors are the belt squat and the front squat.
Belt Squat
The belt squat, introduced to fitness enthusiasts around 1970, is an alternative to barbell squats, where you stand on a platform with a belt around your waist attached to weights. It can be safer than the regular squat because it places less stress on your lower back and spine.
According to research, belt squats have a significantly greater hip abductor-to-hip adductor ratio.3 That means that doing belt squats takes the load off your adductors and makes your abductors do more of the work.
Not every gym has the equipment for belt squats, but if yours does, you have an excellent exercise for building strong hip abductors in addition to all the other benefits squats bring to the table.
Front Squat
Many lifters choose the front squat over standard barbell squats to focus more on the quads. While it is true that fronts squats are your go-to for quad dominance, especially the vastus medialis part of the muscle, they are also at least twice as effective for your hip abductors.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jan; 18(2): 772
Research shows that front squats activate both the main hip abductors (gluteus medius) and secondary (gluteus maximus) significantly better than any other type of squat variation.4
When you want to maximize the focus on your quads and build strong abductors at the same time, the front squat can be your best friend.
Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
The Bulgarian split squat is a fantastic exercise for your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. In addition, because it is a single-leg exercise, the Bulgarian Split Squat forces each of your legs to work independently.
That means the hip abductors on your working leg have to put in extra effort to maintain balance and coordination. They kick into gear to keep your pelvis stable and prevent your hips from dropping or wobbling side to side.
With Bulgarian split squats, you get the complete package: you build muscle and strength in your entire lower body, including your hip abductors, and you improve your balance, coordination, and body control while doing it.
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
The standard Romanian deadlift is a great exercise for your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles. Adopting a single-leg stand turns it into one of the best abductor exercises you can do.
The single-leg Romanian deadlift forces your hamstrings and glutes to work together to lift and lower the weight while your trunk stabilizes the movement. You can do it with a barbell, a dumbbell, a kettlebell, or without any added weight at all to practice the movement.
Both conventional deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts already work your gluteal muscles in a functional way, but the single-leg deadlift activates your abductors, the gluteus medius in particular, even more.5
Single-leg Romanian deadlifts require a lot of balance and coordination because they are one of few genuinely unilateral (you work one side of the body at a time) exercises. When you’re doing split squats or lunges, for example, the “non-working” leg still contributes to your stability, which makes a significant difference.
If you’re struggling to balance the single-leg Romanian deadlift, try the landmine variant as demonstrated below:
Landmine Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
Placing the weight in a fixed position like this helps with balance throughout the entire range of motion without significantly taking away from abductor involvement.
Single-leg Romanian deadlifts are, without a doubt, an advanced movement. However, once you master it, you have one of the best hip abductor exercises and a fantastic exercise for all your posterior chain muscles.
Side Lunge
The side lunge is a variation of the standard lunge (which your can do with a barbell, a pair of dumbbells, or your bodyweight), only you lunge to the side instead of forwards or backwards.
Side lunges work many of the same muscles as traditional lunges: your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. They also hit both your hip adductors – inner thigh muscles – and your abductors. While regular lunges work wonders for your gluteus maximus, side lunges attack the gluteus medius muscle more. If you haven’t done them before, you’ll be sore in a new spot the next day, in a good way.
Squats and lunges are great lower body compound exericses. Add in side lunges and you cover the smaller muscles of your hip abductors as well. That’s why they are one of the best abductor exercises you can do: they complement your basic heavy strength work perfectly.
Hip Abduction Machine
The hip abduction machine has a specific mission: to increase the muscle strength of your hip abductors – namely, the gluteus medius and minimus in particular.
It does not work your tensor fascia latae much, but on the other hand, research shows that it is one of the best exercises, even better than free weights, for the glutes medius muscle.6
Because you’re removing the stability requirements that free-weight abductor exercises offer when you sit down in a machine, you might think of the hip abduction machine as less “functional.” However, you can use the strength you gain from machine training in daily life and sports.7 Stronger abductors mean better performance, whether you’re sprinting, jumping, or keeping your balance on an icy street, and whether you’ve gained that strength with free weights or in an exercise machine.
Hip Abduction Against Band
Banded hip abductions use an elastic band to add resistance and strengthen your abductor muscles. It is one of the easiest hip-strengthening exercises to learn and master and suitable for anyone, including beginners.
Regularly including banded hip abductions in your workout routine is a great way to prevent weak hip abductors and the risk of injury without the need for cumbersome equipment. All you need is a resistance band and a bench to sit on.
Lateral Walk With Band
The lateral band walk is an effective hip exercise for stronger glutes, particularly your gluteus medius, a muscle that can be hard to target using traditional, heavy squat-type movements where the larger and stronger gluteus maximus often takes over.
It also improves hip and knee stability by strengthening the muscles around the joints, making it an important weapon in your arsenal of hip-strengthening abductor exercises, whether you’re a beginner looking to build up weak hip muscles, a professional athlete, or anywhere in between.
The fact that you look like a colossal crab doing the hip abduction walk is just a bonus.
Banded Side Kick
The banded side kick is one of the most isolating abductor exercises, working all three glute muscles as well as the tensor fascia latae. It requires no fancy or expensive equipment, suits all experience and fitness levels, and helps improve your balance and stability while doing serious hip abductor strengthening.
You can also perform this exercise lying on your side and raising your leg upwards, although you remove the stability part the standing position brings by doing so. That makes the side kick the perfect abductor isolation movement; even if you have balance issues or can’t do them standing up for rehab reasons, side-lying leg lifts are a great alternative.
One-Legged Glute Bridge
The single-leg glute bridge is a unilateral (you work one side of the body at a time) variation of the hip thrust that helps build strength and power in several muscle groups in the lower body. It activates all three gluteal muscles while the tensor fascia latae stabilizes your body during the movement by counterbalancing the hip’s lateral rotators.
One-legged glute bridges isolate the hip extension movement while recruiting your hip abductors and abdominal muscles for stabilization. That makes it a very effective accessory exercise for any movement that requires strength and power through hip extension, like the squat and deadlift, and weightlifting exercises like the snatch or clean.
In addition, the single-leg glute bridge might be the best way to learn how to activate your glutes maximally, improve posture, and prevent patellofemoral syndrome or pain around your kneecap.
Clamshell
The clamshell might seem like a low-key move, but it’s a powerhouse at keeping your hips in tip-top shape. It primarily works your abductor muscles at the outside of your hip along with your gluteus maximus, core muscles, and inner thighs to a lesser extent.
Regularly doing clamshells can translate to better performance in running and jumping, like a sure-footed mountain goat.
The beauty of the clamshell is its simplicity and accessibility. You can do it anywhere, no equipment necessary, although you can increase the challenge and effectiveness of the movement with a resistance band around your thighs.
Fire Hydrant
The fire hydrant exercise might sound like your dog’s favorite pastime, but it is actually one of the best hip abductor exercises to get those muscles firing. It primarily works your gluteus medius and minimus – those side butt muscles that can be tough to target and many compound movements miss.
When you do fire hydrants, you move your hips in a different plane of motion than in many other exercises. They improve hip mobility, help you avoid injuries, and boost performance in many other exercises.
It’s also a great warm-up move to activate your glute muscles before a workout.
Fire hydrants are a simple yet effective exercise for building a foundation of strength, stability, and mobility. Plus, you get to mark your territory on every rep.
StrengthLog’s Leg Day Workout is a good example:
This workout is free in our workout log app, where you can see demonstrations of and track your reps and weights for each exercise. You can also read more about it here:
>> The Best Leg Day Workout Routine For Muscle & Strength
However, if you want to really target your abductors, you can hit them with more focused hip abduction workouts like StrengthLog’s Abductor Workout:
You can find it in our workout log, where it is 100% free, and you can read more about it here:
>> How to Train Your Hip Abductor Muscles
In addition to providing workouts and training programs, our workout log is the best way to keep track of where you’ve been in your training, your current progress, and your future goals.
Download StrengthLog to start tracking your workouts and your progress:
It’s like a personal trainer in your pocket!
Training your hip abductors isn’t just a good idea; it’s a great one! They make your body stable, injury-resistant, agile, and upright. Your abductors are like the backstage crew of a rock concert: often overlooked, but without them, the show can’t go on.
Good luck with your training!December 21, 2023 by Andreas Abelsson
Hip abductor exercises target those often-neglected side glutes and hip muscles for well-rounded lower body strength and a visually appealing rear end. They are also like a free health insurance policy, helping keep common issues like knee pain, hip pain, lower back discomfort, and other pesky injuries at bay.
Strong hip abductors also amp up your performance, helping you run, sprint, jump, and lift heavy things in the gym.
This article explains how to keep them strong with the best abductor exercises. Your abductors will repay you with stability, injury prevention, better posture, improved athletic performance, and top-notch balance.
These are the best abductor exercises you can do:
Belt Squat
Front Squat
Bulgarian Split Squat
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
Side Lunge
Hip Abduction Against Band
Lateral Walk with Band
Banded Side Kick
One-Legged Glute Bridge
Clamshells
Fire Hydrants
Read on to discover the benefits of each and why it belongs on this list of the best abductor exercises, as backed by science.
Click here to jump directly to the abductor exercises.
What Are the Hip Abductors?
The hip abductors are a group of muscles located on the outside of the hips and thighs.They can be divided into two categories: primary and secondary.1
- The primary hip abductors are the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and the tensor fasciae latae.
- The secondary are the piriformis, sartorius, and the gluteus maximus.
Their main job is to help you move your leg away from the center of your body, a move known in anatomy and fitness circles as abduction (no involved.) They also help keep your pelvis steady when you walk or stand on one leg.
Weak hip abductor muscles are also connected to chronic lower back pain.2 Chances are that if you strengthen your abductors, you help protect your lumbar spine and prevent or relieve this common ailment.
Also, you can’t talk about your abductors without mentioning your hip adductors, the muscles on the inside of your thigh. Their main job is to pull your legs together, like when you’re crushing a watermelon between your knees.
Together, they are like the Batman and Robin of your hips, working together to keep Gotham City (aka your body) stable, safe, and sound.
Primary Hip Abductors
Key players in the hip abductor group are the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and the tensor fasciae latae (TFL). These muscles are super important for athletes, dancers, and anyone who wants to walk, run, or move without wobbling or toppling over.Gluteus Medius
The gluteus medius is one of the three gluteal muscles and lies nestled between the gluteus maximius and minimus. It is your primary hip abductor and helps move your leg away from the midline of the body.However, it also has a side gig as a stabilizer muscle. When you’re standing on one leg trying to put on your pants in the morning, your gluteus medius keeps your pelvis level and prevents you from toppling over.
Gluteus Minimus
The gluteus minimus, the smallest of the gluteal muscles, hides just beneath the gluteus medius. It’s small (hence the “minimus”) and fan-shaped, attaching from the outer surface of your ilium (that’s part of your hip bone) and extending down to connect with your femur (thigh bone).This little guy is a hip stabilizer whose main action is to abduct your hip joint. It is particularly active when you’re standing on one leg – which happens more often than you think, like when you’re walking or running – and works together with the gluteus medius and the tensor fasciae latae.
Tensor Fasciae Latae
The tensor fasciae latae, or TFL if you prefer a less tongue-twisting name, is a small muscle chilling on the outer side of your hip, between the superficial and deep fibers of the iliotibial (IT) band, a thick band of fibrous tissue that runs down the outside of your thigh.The TFL might be small, but it’s a natural multitasker. It works with your gluteus medius and minimus muscles to internally rotate and abduct your hip, and along with the quadriceps muscle rectus femoris, it helps flex your hip.
It is a relatively weak hip abductor compared to the gluteus medius, but you wouldn’t want to be without it.
Secondary Hip Abductors
In addition to the primary muscles, you also have a few secondary hip abductors, including the piriformis, sartorius, and superificial fibers of the gluteus maximus. These muscles contribute to hip abduction but are not as crucial for this function as the primary abductors.Piriformis
The piriformis is a flat muscle that looks like a little pear, located deep in the gluteal region.Its main function is external rotation of the hip: turning your thigh outwards, like standing and pointing your toes out like a ballet dancer. It also helps with hip abduction when your hip is flexed.
Sartorius
Unknown to many, the sartorius is the longest muscle in the human body, shaped like a long, thin strap crossing the hip and knee joint. It starts at your pelvis, runs diagonally across the front of your thigh, and hooks around to the inside of your knee.The sartorius muscle is also unique in that it is both a knee and flexor as well as an abductor. It can both externally rotate the hip and flex it. In everyday life, you use your sartorius when you’re sitting cross-legged or getting into a car. In the gym, it assists in many lower-body exercises, like squats and lunges, even though it’s not the main player.
Gluteus Maximus
The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in your body, forming the shape of your buttocks.The main functions of the old gluteus maximus are to extend (straighten) your thigh and externally rotate it. It also helps you kick your leg back, moving it away from the midline of your body, and stabilizes and protects your pelvis and spine. It’s like a built-in power hub in your rear, essential for standing, squatting, walking, running, and jumping.
The 11 Best Hip Abductor Exercises
Here are the best hip abductor exercises, starting with free weight exercises that also work many other muscle groups before moving to isolation movements that specifically target the hip abductors using machines, resistance bands, and your own body weight.1. Squat
The squat is likely the best overall exercise for lower body muscle growth, strength, sports performance, and general fitness.Weak hip abductor muscles and glutes can be an issue and cause your knees to buckle inward during a squat (knee valgus.) The fix is to strengthen those muscles, either directly with targeted hip abduction exercises that isolate the weak points or by incorporating squat variants that work the abductors to a greater degree.
The two best common types of squats for the hip abductors are the belt squat and the front squat.
Belt Squat
The belt squat, introduced to fitness enthusiasts around 1970, is an alternative to barbell squats, where you stand on a platform with a belt around your waist attached to weights. It can be safer than the regular squat because it places less stress on your lower back and spine.
According to research, belt squats have a significantly greater hip abductor-to-hip adductor ratio.3 That means that doing belt squats takes the load off your adductors and makes your abductors do more of the work.
Not every gym has the equipment for belt squats, but if yours does, you have an excellent exercise for building strong hip abductors in addition to all the other benefits squats bring to the table.
How to Perform Belt Squats
- Place the belt around your waist properly, and attach it to the machine.
- Make sure that you’re standing accordingly to your normal squat stance. Inhale and brace your core slightly, and unrack the weight.
- Squat as deep as possible with good technique.
- At the deepest squat position, stop and reverse the movement, extending your hips and legs again.
- Exhale on the way up or exchange air in the top position.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.
Front Squat
Many lifters choose the front squat over standard barbell squats to focus more on the quads. While it is true that fronts squats are your go-to for quad dominance, especially the vastus medialis part of the muscle, they are also at least twice as effective for your hip abductors.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jan; 18(2): 772
Research shows that front squats activate both the main hip abductors (gluteus medius) and secondary (gluteus maximus) significantly better than any other type of squat variation.4
When you want to maximize the focus on your quads and build strong abductors at the same time, the front squat can be your best friend.
How to Front Squat
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width. Step forward and place the bar on the front of your shoulders: on top of your clavicles, and tight against your throat.
- Inhale and brace your core slightly, and unrack the bar.
- Take two steps back, and adjust your foot position.
- Squat as deep as possible with good technique.
- With control, stop and reverse the movement, extending your hips and legs again.
- Exhale on the way up or exchange air in the top position.
- Breathe in and repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
The Bulgarian split squat is a fantastic exercise for your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. In addition, because it is a single-leg exercise, the Bulgarian Split Squat forces each of your legs to work independently.
That means the hip abductors on your working leg have to put in extra effort to maintain balance and coordination. They kick into gear to keep your pelvis stable and prevent your hips from dropping or wobbling side to side.
With Bulgarian split squats, you get the complete package: you build muscle and strength in your entire lower body, including your hip abductors, and you improve your balance, coordination, and body control while doing it.
How to Perform Bulgarian Split Squats
- Place a bar on your upper back or hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands.
- Stand with your back turned against a bench, which should be about knee height. Stand about one long step in front of the bench.
- Place your right foot on the bench behind you.
- Inhale, look forward, and squat down with control until right before your right knee touches the floor.
- Reverse the movement and extend your front leg again, while exhaling. Your back foot should only act as support.
- Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions, then switch side and repeat with your right leg forward and your left foot on the bench.
3. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
The standard Romanian deadlift is a great exercise for your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles. Adopting a single-leg stand turns it into one of the best abductor exercises you can do.
The single-leg Romanian deadlift forces your hamstrings and glutes to work together to lift and lower the weight while your trunk stabilizes the movement. You can do it with a barbell, a dumbbell, a kettlebell, or without any added weight at all to practice the movement.
Both conventional deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts already work your gluteal muscles in a functional way, but the single-leg deadlift activates your abductors, the gluteus medius in particular, even more.5
Single-leg Romanian deadlifts require a lot of balance and coordination because they are one of few genuinely unilateral (you work one side of the body at a time) exercises. When you’re doing split squats or lunges, for example, the “non-working” leg still contributes to your stability, which makes a significant difference.
If you’re struggling to balance the single-leg Romanian deadlift, try the landmine variant as demonstrated below:
Placing the weight in a fixed position like this helps with balance throughout the entire range of motion without significantly taking away from abductor involvement.
Single-leg Romanian deadlifts are, without a doubt, an advanced movement. However, once you master it, you have one of the best hip abductor exercises and a fantastic exercise for all your posterior chain muscles.
How to Perform Single Leg Romanian Deadlifts
- Stand upright and hold a bar with your hands about shoulder-width apart. You can also use a dumbbell or kettlebell.
- Brace your core, and lift one leg off the ground.
- Keep the back straight and start to lean forward by hinging at the hips. Lower until you feel a stretch in the standing leg’s hamstring. Make sure to keep your hips still, you don’t want the side with your lifted leg to start rotating upwards.
- Return to the starting position. Finish all your reps on one side first, and then repeat on the other leg.
4. Side Lunge
The side lunge is a variation of the standard lunge (which your can do with a barbell, a pair of dumbbells, or your bodyweight), only you lunge to the side instead of forwards or backwards.
Side lunges work many of the same muscles as traditional lunges: your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. They also hit both your hip adductors – inner thigh muscles – and your abductors. While regular lunges work wonders for your gluteus maximus, side lunges attack the gluteus medius muscle more. If you haven’t done them before, you’ll be sore in a new spot the next day, in a good way.
Squats and lunges are great lower body compound exericses. Add in side lunges and you cover the smaller muscles of your hip abductors as well. That’s why they are one of the best abductor exercises you can do: they complement your basic heavy strength work perfectly.
How to Perform Side Lunges
- Stand with your feet together. Hold a dumbbell, kettlebell, or weight plate to your chest for added resistance if needed. Keep your arms at your sides or with your hands clasped in front of you if using your body weight only. Keep your back straight, and your shoulders relaxed.
- Take a large step to the side with your right foot. Keep your left foot firmly planted and your toes facing forward as you step out.
- Bend your right knee and push your hips back as you lower into the lunge. Keep your left leg straight but not completely locked out, with the left foot still flat on the ground. Both feet should be pointing forward.
- Push off with your right foot to return to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement, this time stepping out to the left side with your left foot.
- Alternate sides for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Hip Abduction Machine
The hip abduction machine has a specific mission: to increase the muscle strength of your hip abductors – namely, the gluteus medius and minimus in particular.
It does not work your tensor fascia latae much, but on the other hand, research shows that it is one of the best exercises, even better than free weights, for the glutes medius muscle.6
Because you’re removing the stability requirements that free-weight abductor exercises offer when you sit down in a machine, you might think of the hip abduction machine as less “functional.” However, you can use the strength you gain from machine training in daily life and sports.7 Stronger abductors mean better performance, whether you’re sprinting, jumping, or keeping your balance on an icy street, and whether you’ve gained that strength with free weights or in an exercise machine.
How to Perform Machine Hip Abductions
- Adjust the machine to the appropriate settings, and sit down with your back flat against the backrest. Place your legs inside the thigh pads, and hold onto the handles on each side of the machine. Your feet should be flat on the floor, and your legs should form a 90-degree angle at the knees.
- Press your thighs outward against the resistance of the pads while exhalin g. Extend your legs as far as you can comfortably go without straining.
- Once you’ve reached the maximum extension, squeeze your glutes to maximize the engagement of your hip abductor muscles.
- Bring your legs back together to the starting position while inhaling. Make sure to control the movement rather than letting the weight control you.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.
6. Hip Abduction Against Band
Banded hip abductions use an elastic band to add resistance and strengthen your abductor muscles. It is one of the easiest hip-strengthening exercises to learn and master and suitable for anyone, including beginners.
Regularly including banded hip abductions in your workout routine is a great way to prevent weak hip abductors and the risk of injury without the need for cumbersome equipment. All you need is a resistance band and a bench to sit on.
How to Perform Hip Abductions Against a Band
- Sit on a sturdy chair or bench with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Place a resistance band around both legs, just below your knees. Ensure that the band is flat against your legs and not twisted.
- Keep your feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Maintain a straight back and engage your core muscles to provide stability.
- Push your knees outward against the resistance of the band. Keep the movement controlled, focusing on using your glute and hip strength. Move your knees out as far as you can while maintaining proper form and without shifting your upper body.
- Hold the position for a moment when your knees are at their widest point., then bring your knees back together, resisting the pull of the band.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.
7. Lateral Walk with Band
The lateral band walk is an effective hip exercise for stronger glutes, particularly your gluteus medius, a muscle that can be hard to target using traditional, heavy squat-type movements where the larger and stronger gluteus maximus often takes over.
It also improves hip and knee stability by strengthening the muscles around the joints, making it an important weapon in your arsenal of hip-strengthening abductor exercises, whether you’re a beginner looking to build up weak hip muscles, a professional athlete, or anywhere in between.
The fact that you look like a colossal crab doing the hip abduction walk is just a bonus.
How to Do Lateral Walks With Band
- Place an elastic band providing enough tension for your fitness level around your ankles. It shouldn’t be too easy or too difficult to stretch.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips as if you are a spy about to sneak into a villain’s lair.
- Walk sideways so that you have to bring your leg out against the band’s resistance.
- You can change direction after every step or walk all steps (repetitions) in one direction followed by the same number of steps in the other.
8. Banded Side Kick
The banded side kick is one of the most isolating abductor exercises, working all three glute muscles as well as the tensor fascia latae. It requires no fancy or expensive equipment, suits all experience and fitness levels, and helps improve your balance and stability while doing serious hip abductor strengthening.
You can also perform this exercise lying on your side and raising your leg upwards, although you remove the stability part the standing position brings by doing so. That makes the side kick the perfect abductor isolation movement; even if you have balance issues or can’t do them standing up for rehab reasons, side-lying leg lifts are a great alternative.
How to Perform Banded Side Kicks
- Place an elastic band around your ankles. You can hold on to something with your hands for balance if necessary.
- Stand on one leg while bringing your other leg as far out to the side as possible.
- Bring the leg back in while resisting the band.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions, switch legs, and repeat.
9. One-Legged Glute Bridge
The single-leg glute bridge is a unilateral (you work one side of the body at a time) variation of the hip thrust that helps build strength and power in several muscle groups in the lower body. It activates all three gluteal muscles while the tensor fascia latae stabilizes your body during the movement by counterbalancing the hip’s lateral rotators.
One-legged glute bridges isolate the hip extension movement while recruiting your hip abductors and abdominal muscles for stabilization. That makes it a very effective accessory exercise for any movement that requires strength and power through hip extension, like the squat and deadlift, and weightlifting exercises like the snatch or clean.
In addition, the single-leg glute bridge might be the best way to learn how to activate your glutes maximally, improve posture, and prevent patellofemoral syndrome or pain around your kneecap.
How to Perform One-Legged Glute Bridges
- Lie down with one foot on the floor, one leg extended.
- Tuck the pelvis in to properly activate the glutes.
- Push your hips towards the ceiling by using the glute muscle in the bent leg, until your body forms a straight line from head to foot.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement, then reverse the movement and bring the top leg back to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions, switch legs, and repeat.
10. Clamshells
The clamshell might seem like a low-key move, but it’s a powerhouse at keeping your hips in tip-top shape. It primarily works your abductor muscles at the outside of your hip along with your gluteus maximus, core muscles, and inner thighs to a lesser extent.
Regularly doing clamshells can translate to better performance in running and jumping, like a sure-footed mountain goat.
The beauty of the clamshell is its simplicity and accessibility. You can do it anywhere, no equipment necessary, although you can increase the challenge and effectiveness of the movement with a resistance band around your thighs.
How to Perform Clamshells
- Lie on your side, with your legs bent at about a 90-degree angle.
- Tuck your pelvis in to properly activate your glutes.
- Lightly brace your core and lift the upper leg by using your glutes. Lift your top knee as high as you can while maintaining contact with the glute muscles.
- Lower the leg back to the starting position in a slow and controlled motion.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions, switch legs, and repeat.
11. Fire Hydrants
The fire hydrant exercise might sound like your dog’s favorite pastime, but it is actually one of the best hip abductor exercises to get those muscles firing. It primarily works your gluteus medius and minimus – those side butt muscles that can be tough to target and many compound movements miss.
When you do fire hydrants, you move your hips in a different plane of motion than in many other exercises. They improve hip mobility, help you avoid injuries, and boost performance in many other exercises.
It’s also a great warm-up move to activate your glute muscles before a workout.
Fire hydrants are a simple yet effective exercise for building a foundation of strength, stability, and mobility. Plus, you get to mark your territory on every rep.
How to Perform Fire Hydrants
- Stand on all fours, with your gaze on the floor.
- Lightly brace your core and lift your leg to the side by using your glute muscles. Lift your leg as high as possible while maintaining contact with your glutes.
- Slowly lower your leg back to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions, switch legs, and repeat.
The Best Abductor Workouts for Strength and Muscle Growth
For most people without any specific abductor weaknesses or imbalances, the abductors get enough training from regular leg workouts, especially if they include some form of unilateral training like lunges or split squats.StrengthLog’s Leg Day Workout is a good example:
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 3 | 6 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8 |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 10 |
| Seated Leg Curl | 3 | 12 |
| Leg Extension | 2 | 12 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 15 |
>> The Best Leg Day Workout Routine For Muscle & Strength
However, if you want to really target your abductors, you can hit them with more focused hip abduction workouts like StrengthLog’s Abductor Workout:
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 8 |
| Lateral Walk With Band | 3 | 20 steps |
| Hip Abduction Machine | 3 | 12 |
>> How to Train Your Hip Abductor Muscles
Track Your Workouts and Progress with StrengthLog
All these workouts and 80+ other strength training workouts and programs are available in the StrengthLog workout app. Regardless of your fitness level or goals, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for.In addition to providing workouts and training programs, our workout log is the best way to keep track of where you’ve been in your training, your current progress, and your future goals.
Download StrengthLog to start tracking your workouts and your progress:
It’s like a personal trainer in your pocket!
Final Words
You have reached the end of this guide to the best hip abductor exercises. Thank you for reading!Training your hip abductors isn’t just a good idea; it’s a great one! They make your body stable, injury-resistant, agile, and upright. Your abductors are like the backstage crew of a rock concert: often overlooked, but without them, the show can’t go on.
Good luck with your training!December 21, 2023 by Andreas Abelsson
