- EquipmentMachine
- PatternIsolation
- Reps12 to 25 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Sit in the hip abduction machine with the pads against the outside of your knees and your back against the pad.
First cueKeep your back on the pad.
How to do the Hip Abduction
Set up. Sit in the hip abduction machine with the pads against the outside of your knees and your back against the pad.
- Push your knees outward against the pads.
- Pause at the widest point.
- Return under control.
Form cues
- Keep your back on the pad.
- Move slowly.
- Keep tension at the start.
Common mistakes
- Letting the weight slam back.
- Rocking the body.
Muscles worked
Main target: Abductors. The hip abductors sit on the outside of the hip. They move the leg out to the side and keep the knee over the foot under a load.
On the way: Glutes.
Its other side: Adductors, in the inner and outer hip pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Hip Abduction, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Adductor Machine Superset partner: it trains the other side of the inner and outer hip pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Hack Squat Same legs session: it trains the quads.
- Cable Romanian Deadlift Same legs session: it trains the hamstrings.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Hip Abduction first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 to 25 reps
- Adductor Machine 3 × 12 to 25 reps
- Hack Squat 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Cable Romanian Deadlift 3 × 8 to 15 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Banded Lateral Walk
Band
Gym or cable swap
Cable Hip Abduction
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Banded Lateral Walk, Clamshell, Side-Lying Leg Raise and Cable Hip Abduction.
Do before it: Clamshell (glutes switched on) and Banded Lateral Walk (glutes switched on).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Hip Abduction is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Hip Abduction?
Set up: Sit in the hip abduction machine with the pads against the outside of your knees and your back against the pad. Steps: 1. Push your knees outward against the pads. 2. Pause at the widest point. 3. Return under control. Form cues: Keep your back on the pad. Move slowly. Keep tension at the start. Common mistakes: Letting the weight slam back. Rocking the body.
What muscles does the Hip Abduction work?
It trains the abductors as its main target and works the glutes on the way.
What can I do instead of the Hip Abduction?
At home: Banded Lateral Walk. In a gym: Cable Hip Abduction. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Hip Abduction with?
Good partners in the same workout are Adductor Machine, Hack Squat and Cable Romanian Deadlift.
How heavy should the Hip Abduction be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.