Muscles worked
Here the side of your hip works on both legs, but in different ways. On the leg that moves out, the work falls mainly on your gluteus medius and minimus, with a smaller muscle at the front of the hip assisting. On the standing leg the same muscles keep your pelvis level while you balance on one foot. A band around your ankles feels heavier than one above your knees, because it acts further from the hip.
Common mistakes
- Your toes turn out. When the leg rotates outward, the muscles at the front of the hip tend to take over and the side of your glutes gets less to do. Keep your toes pointing straight ahead all the way out and back.
- Your foot drifts forward. It then becomes partly a forward leg raise. Aim to move your foot straight out to the side, or very slightly behind you.
- The hip on your standing leg sags out to the side. Stand firmly on that leg with a slight bend in the knee and keep your hips at the same height.
Variations and alternatives
- Cable hip abduction is the gym equivalent, one leg at a time against a cable you can load in small steps.
- The fire hydrant is done on all fours and removes the balance element, useful when you want to focus fully on the moving leg.
- The monster walk works the same muscles on the move and makes a good warm-up before a leg session.
Sets and reps
Two to three sets of 12 to 20 reps per leg suit most people. Do all the reps on one leg before switching, and start with the side that feels weaker. Take a couple of seconds out and the same back, and the exercise gets harder than it looks. The guide to sets and reps explains how reps, sets and rest fit together.
Make it harder by moving the band down from your knees to your ankles, switching to a stronger band, or letting go of the support so your standing leg has to balance on its own. Each of those steps is progressive overload. Leave one or two reps in the tank on each set, as the guide to reps in reserve explains.