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Hip Abduction Exercise for Firmer Thighs
In basic terms hip abduction means to take the leg away from the midline of the body, kick your leg straight out to the side, or to work the outer thigh. So, when you are doing hip abduction exercise it involves some form of moving the leg away from the body, usually with added resistance for strength. The hip is a ball and socket joint, which means that you can move the leg in four directions; abduction (away from body), adduction (toward midline of body), flexion (bringing the leg up towards the torso), and extension (drawing the leg straight back behind the body).
Doing hip abductor exercise helps to strengthen and stretch the muscles that surround and protect the hip joint. These muscles include: gluteus medius and minimus, the piriformis (in the buttocks), the ilipsoas (in the groin), the tensor fasciae latae (upper lateral thigh), and the sartorius (runs from outside of lateral thigh into the medial side just below the kneecap). Strengthening and stretching these muscles will help to stabilize the hip as well as to keep it flexible and working efficiently so we can move with ease. Most specifically, walk with ease and without pain.
There are many different ways to do hip abduction exercise. You can do it standing, lying on your side, or lying on your back. Another great way to do these hip abductor exercise moves can be done with the resistance of water, in a pool. Some of my favorites are Pilates based exercises done on a mat or utilizing Pilates equipment if you have it available.
Side Kicks for Hip Joint Exercise: All exercises are done lying on your side with your shoulders and hips stacked on top of each other and legs angled or piked slightly forward at the waist. · Small Circles With the top leg slightly forward of the bottom and at hip level circle the whole leg 6-8 times each direction. Reach through your heel as you circle keeping the leg long and straight, think of reaching out of the hip. · Forward and Back Kicks With the torso and bottom leg staying stationary as an anchor swing the top leg forward and back at hip level keeping the leg long and straight. Flex the foot as you swing to the front and point to the back. Dont allow the shoulders to roll forward as you swing the leg behind you. · Open the Clam Lying on your side with both knees bent out at a 90 degree angle, place your hand on the top hip and keep it aligned over the bottom hip. Squeeze your heels together and then draw your top knee away from the bottom knee. If you are aligned properly it should not open very far as with trying to open a very tight clam shell.
Leg Circles: · Lying on your back with one leg extended along the mat anchored to the floor, the other leg extended up just under a 90 degree angle. Feel the thigh bone of the leg in the air set right in your hip socket and then circle it 8 times each direction. Make the circles as large as you can control keeping your torso and leg on the floor very still. Shoulders and butt cheeks stay anchored into the floor as you circle.
Standing Hip Abduction Exercise: · Standing with or without a weight around your ankles kick one leg out to the side until you feel the outer thigh or hip stop you from going any farther without having to bend sideways. Keep the torso tall and straight as you do 8-12 kicks to each side. Check out these hip abduction exercise moves and more in the new Pilates ebook available here. It includes detailed pictures and descriptions of these and many other hip, shoulder, and back exercises.
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