Side Lying Hip Abduction
What Is Side Lying Hip Abduction?
Side lying hip abduction is a bodyweight abductor exercise to strengthen and stabilise your outer hips, thighs, and glutes. This simple but effective movement targets the same muscles as a seated machine hip abduction, with added core engagement. Side lying hip abduction can be done at the gym, at home, or in the warm up area before your leg day workout. It's a great option for pre-exhausting the adductors or as a finisher on leg day.
It's important to do exercises that focus on the inner and outer thighs and hips, because most of the leg exercises we do in the gym focus on the quads and hamstrings rather than the inner and outer muscle groups. Side lying hip abduction targets the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and TFL (tensor fasciae latae) muscles and will also work your core as your body keeps itself still during the movement.
Strengthening your hip abductor muscles helps to stabilise your pelvis, guarding against back and knee pain, and assisting you when you do those bigger leg day movements like squats and lunges.
You might do side lying hip abduction by itself, or as a superset with other abductor or adductor exercises to strengthen the entire hips. Bodyweight side lying hip abduction is a strong exercise, but you can increase the intensity by adding a resistance band above your knees.
Check out some other abductor exercises: Seated Hip Abduction, Standing Hip Abduction, Cable Hip Abduction, Banded Clamshells, Side Plank Clamshell
Commonly Asked Questions About Side Lying Hip Abduction
Side lying hip abduction isolates the muscles that rotate your legs out to the side, including the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae. These muscles aren’t worked as much as other muscles in many leg exercises, so isolation exercises can be helpful.
Hip abduction is a great way to isolate and work the muscles of the side glutes, including the gluteus medius (the largest glute muscle) and the smaller gluteus minimus. These muscles give the glutes size and shape, but also play a key role in stabilising the pelvis to reduce injury risk.
Side lying hip abduction is a do-anywhere bodyweight exercise that strengthens the important muscles of the outer hips, thighs, and glutes. These muscles stabilise the hips and pelvis, protect the lower back, and help us train the lower body.
Side Lying Hip Abduction Tips
Lie on your side with your hips stacked to prevent your body from rolling forwards or backwards.
Focus on feeling the exercise in the target muscles of the outer hip and outer thigh.
Do side lying hip abduction with bodyweight or increase the resistance with a band.
If using a resistance band, loop it around your thighs just above your knee.
How To Do Side Lying Hip Abduction
Lie on your side on a mat or soft surface.
Rest your head on your lower arm and put the other hand on the floor in front of you to stabilise yourself.
Make sure your hips are stacked to prevent your body from rocking forwards or backwards.
Your legs should be extended out in a straight line, on top of each other.
Raise the top leg towards the ceiling, keeping the leg straight, focusing on the muscles on the outside of the hips.
Pause when the foot is in line with the hip, then lower the leg back to the start.
Complete your reps, then switch sides.