Your hips don’t lie, so when they’re in pain, listen to them!
Hips are often overlooked when working on strengthening routines, but they play an integral role in our everyday life. Your muscles and connective tissue can be easily damaged from running, walking, or even just sitting for long periods of time, when other muscles work harder to compensate. Without strong hips, your posture and stance can be affected, leading to improper form that can result in pain or injury.
When doing hip abduction exercises, it’s important to focus on slow and controlled movements that activate the hips and surrounding muscles. Isometrics are a great way to integrate hip abduction into your routine in an easy yet effective way. So with that said, let’s take a look at some essential isometric hip abduction exercises.
Side Lunge
Lunges really focus on those essential muscles like the hip flexors, abductors, and glutes. They also provide a great stretch, and adding an isometric contraction will give an extra boost of strength building.
How to do it:
- Begin in the starting position with your right heel on the Activ5
- Step your left leg to the side
- Lunge right reaching your arms forward, so they are parallel with the floor
- Squeeze your right heel into the Activ5 by engaging your right glute
- Repeat on opposite side
Bridge Pose
Looking for a yoga-like move that will open up your hips while giving you a killer core workout? This exercise does it all, by strengthening from the obliques and back, down to the calves and shins.
How to do it:
- Lay on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground, and hip-width apart
- Place your hands on your hip bones with your Activ5 beneath your left hand
- Elevate your pelvis so your back is straight
- Press Activ5 as you activate your core muscles and glutes, keeping both feet firmly on the ground
- Repeat on opposite side
Kick Back
A key element to building strong hips is performing abductions that simulate your gait. This exercise will allow you to work your glutes, quads and hamstrings while training your hips to move properly while walking.
How to do it:
- Begin on your knees with your heels against a wall and the Activ5 in your right hand
- Place the Activ5 between your right heel and the wall
- Line up in a tabletop position
- Squeeze your right heel into the Activ5 as you engage your right glute
- Repeat on opposite side
Single Leg Press
This easy exercise can be done almost anywhere, but packs a big punch when it comes to hip strength. By giving your legs a full workout, you’ll feel the burn in your abductors, adductors, quads and calves.
How to do it:
- Begin in starting position with the Activ5 under your right heel
- Place your arms out to your sides for balance
- Lift your left leg off the floor keeping your left knee bent
- Squeeze your right heel into the Activ5, keeping your right knee straight while activating your right quad
- Repeat on opposite side
No matter what type of activities you’re into – whether sitting at a desk all day or running marathons, hip abduction exercises are important to integrate on a regular basis.
With the Activ5 portable isometric smart training device, you can practice abductions anywhere you might be. And when paired with the app for iOS or Android, it’s easy to track data like heart rate, strength, calories burned and more. Plus, you’ll get access to tons of workouts and exercises. For more hip abduction exercise ideas, explore the “Hip Strength” category within the Healthy Joints workout section!