Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor
Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor pairs pure bodyweight leverage with control through the whole range — built for your first months of training.
How to do Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor
- Lie on your side with your legs straight and stacked on top of each other.
- Place your bottom arm under your head for support.
- Engage your core and lift your top leg as high as possible without rotating your hips or leaning backward.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your leg back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 6-8 hard reps with 2 minutes of rest. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 20-25 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.
Common Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor Mistakes
Rushing reps so gravity does most of the work
Take two to three counts on the lowering phase of every rep.
Letting a nearby joint take over as the set gets hard
Stop the set as soon as the working joint stops leading the movement.
Skipping warm-up sets and starting at working weight
Run two light build-up sets so the first hard set is not the first rep.
Easier and Harder Than Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor
Swap Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor For
Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor?
Lie on your side with your legs straight and stacked on top of each other. Place your bottom arm under your head for support. Engage your core and lift your top leg as high as possible without rotating your hips or leaning backward. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor work?
The Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor primarily targets the abductors. It is classified as a legs exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor good for beginners?
Yes. The Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Straight Leg Outer Hip Abductor?
Try the Resistance Band Seated Hip Abduction or the Lever Seated Hip Abduction. Each trains the abductors with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
