Abductors exercise
Standing Cable Hip AbductionHow to do it, with form in numbers
- Equipment
- Cable
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
How do you do the Standing Cable Hip Abduction?
- Strap a cuff to your outside ankle on a low pulley.
- Stand side-on, holding the machine, outside foot just across the other.
- Sweep your leg out to the side with your knee straight.
- Pause, then let it return slowly.
- Finish your set, then turn round for the other leg.
Cues
- Stand tall, hips level.
- Toes point forward the whole time.
- Slow on the way back.
Common mistakes
- Leaning away to lift the leg higher.
- Turning your toes out.
- Swinging the leg with momentum.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
Set a cable pulley at its lowest point with an ankle cuff. Strap the cuff just above the ankle of the working leg. Stand side-on to the machine, about 1 m from the pulley (two short steps), so the weight stays lifted at the start. Stand tall on the left leg, knee soft, toes forward. At the start the right foot hovers just off the floor, a little across in front of the left foot, with the cable taut. Pelvis level, trunk upright, stomach braced.
The movement
Keeping the right knee straight and the toes pointing forward, sweep the right leg out to the side in a smooth arc, led by the outside of the ankle. The leg moves straight sideways, not forwards or backwards. The trunk stays upright and the pelvis stays level: no leaning away from the leg and no hitching the hip. Stop at about 30°, pause briefly, then let the cable draw the leg back slowly until the right foot is just across the left again. The stance leg stays still throughout.
End position
Out: right thigh about 30° from vertical, foot about 45–50 cm out to the side, toes forward, pelvis level.
Tempo
1 s out, 0.5 s pause, 2 s back in, a short pause at the start.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulley height | lowest setting | floor to ankle height | [1][2] |
| Cuff position | just above the working ankle | lower shin | [2] |
| Stance knee | 5° (soft) | 0–15° | [2] |
| Hip abduction at the end | 30° | 20–40° | [3] |
| Hip adduction at the start | 10° (foot across) | 5–15° | [1] |
| Working knee | 0° (straight) | 0–10° | [3] |
| Working hip flexion | 0° | 0–10° (leg moves straight sideways) | [4] |
| Toe angle (working foot) | forward | 0–10° out | [3] |
| Trunk side lean | 0° | under 5° | [3] |
| Pelvis tilt (hip hitch) | 0° | under 5° | [3] |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Standing Cable Hip Abduction is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
Sources
