The hip abduction machine pushes your knees apart against a pad, training the muscles on the outside of the hip that almost nothing else in a normal routine loads directly. It has a reputation as a toy machine, which is undeserved — it is the only easy way to load the glute medius, and that is the muscle that stops your knee caving in under a heavy squat.
How to do it
- Push the knees outward against the pads and hold briefly at the widest point.
- Sit upright for the glute medius; lean forward to bias it further.
Common mistakes
- Using momentum from the torso rather than the hips.
What it trains
- Abductors
- push the thighs apart against the pads — the prime mover
- Glutes
- the upper and outer fibres take a large share, more so the further forward you lean
- Lower back
- holds the pelvis still so the legs move and the torso does not
Variations and alternatives
Common questions
Does the abduction machine actually do anything?
Yes — it loads the glute medius, which squats, presses and hinges barely touch. It will not build the back of your hips the way a hip thrust does, but for the outer hip it is the most direct option in most gyms.
Should I lean forward or sit back on it?
Leaning forward hits more of the upper glute, sitting back against the pad hits more of the smaller abductors. Both are fine — leaning forward is what most people find they feel more, so try that first.
How many reps for hip abduction?
Fifteen to twenty-five. It is a small muscle through a short range, and low-rep heavy sets tend to turn into your torso rocking side to side rather than your hips doing anything.
In StackUp. Logged as weight and reps per set, and your heaviest working set decides whether the weight goes up next time. Get the app.
Legs
