Seated Hip Abduction
What Is Seated Hip Abduction?
The seated hip abduction is an isolation exercise that uses the abductor machine to target the hip and thigh muscles that are responsible for rotating your legs out to the side. These muscles, which include the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae, are recruited when you stand, walk, or do lateral movements in the gym.
Most leg exercises predominantly target the front and back of the legs and glutes, so it's important to directly work the inner and outer thighs.
Strengthening the hip abductors gives your lower body a solid foundation by stabilising your pelvis and supporting lower body alignment when you train. Stronger abductors will play a key role in preventing and rehabilitating common injuries like IT band syndrome, knee pain, and lower back pain.
Strong abductors can also can help you lift more weight in lower body exercises like squats and lunges, and help you perform better in sport, especially games like tennis, football, and squash that require sideways movement.
Machine seated hip abduction are a great way to isolate and strengthen the hip abductors under control, with resistance throughout the movement. Using the seated abductor machine gives easy access to the weight stack so you can reduce or increase the weight during your sets.
Check out some other abductor exercises: Side Lying Hip Abduction, Standing Hip Abduction, Cable Hip Abduction, Banded Clamshells, Side Plank Clamshell
Commonly Asked Questions About Seated Hip Abduction
Seated hip abduction is a good way to isolate the muscles of the outer hips and glutes to perform abduction movements with control. This exercise works the important muscles that stabilise the hips and pelvis, including the glutes.
The hip abduction machine in the gym works the muscles on the outside of the hips, including the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae.
Hip abduction machines are a great way to target the small but important muscles of the outer hip and thigh. Using the seated abduction machine allows you to increase the weight easily over time which is key to developing the muscle.
The hip abduction machine works the outside of your hips and glutes, including the gluteus medius which is the largest muscle of the glutes. This exercise also works the gluteus minimus which will help to give the glutes shape and size. Performing this exercise along with other glute building exercises like hip thrusts can help to grow the glutes.
Seated Hip Abduction Tips
Set up the back pad, knee pads, and foot rest so you are sitting comfortably.
Select a moderate weight that you can do 10-12 reps with.
Press your knees out as far as you can comfortably go on each rep.
To make seated hip abduction more challenging, perform a dropset by reducing the weight every few reps.
How To Do Seated Hip Abduction
Sit in the hip abduction machine with your back against the pad, outer knees against the knee support, and feet on the foot rest.
Use the pin to select your weight.
Adjust the knee pads so that your legs are together to start the movement.
Hold the handles at the side of the machine for support.
Use the muscles at the outside of your hips and thighs to push your knees out as far as you can comfortably go, keeping your upper body still.
Pause at the top of the movement before slowly returning your knees to the closed position.