# Standing Cable Hip Abduction: how to do it

- Main muscles: abductors, glutes
- Equipment: cable
- Level: beginner
- 3D demo (side view): https://media.trainaq.com/exercises/cable_hip_abduction/145647fd4f/side-m-720.mp4

## Steps

1. Strap a cuff to your outside ankle on a low pulley.
2. Stand side-on, holding the machine, outside foot just across the other.
3. Sweep your leg out to the side with your knee straight.
4. Pause, then let it return slowly.
5. 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.

## 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

| 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] |

## Sources

1. [ExRx, Cable Hip Abduction](https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/HipAbductor/CBHipAbduction)
2. [ACE, Standing Hip Adduction](https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/exercise-library/104/standing-hip-adduction/)
3. [ACE, Side Lying Hip Abduction](https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/exercise-library/38/side-lying-hip-abduction/)
4. [Bolgla and Uhl 2005, J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 35(8):487–494, Electromyographic analysis of hip rehabilitation exercises in a group of healthy subjects](https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2005.35.8.487)

Source: https://trainaq.com/exercises/cable-hip-abduction