What you'll gain
Loads the gluteus medius and minimus directly with constant cable tension.
Trains the stance hip isometrically at the same time as the moving hip.
Improves lateral hip stability that carries into running and cutting.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Attach an ankle strap to the low pulley of a cable machine.
- 2
Fasten the strap around the ankle of the leg furthest from the machine.
- 3
Stand side on with the cable across the front of your standing leg and hold the frame for balance.
- 4
Brace your trunk and keep both hips level and facing forward.
- 5
Lift the cuffed leg out to the side with the knee straight, leading with the heel.
- 6
Return under control without letting the weight stack touch down, then repeat and switch sides.
Common Mistakes
Swinging the leg with the trunk, which replaces abductor work with momentum.
Forcing the leg higher than the hip allows, which tilts the pelvis and shortens the working range.
Letting the working leg drift forward, which turns abduction into hip flexion.
Hanging off the machine frame so the standing hip stops stabilizing.
About This Exercise
The standing cable hip abduction cuffs the ankle of the leg furthest from the machine and draws it out to the side against a low pulley. The gluteus medius and minimus produce the abduction while the stance leg works just as hard isometrically to keep the pelvis level. EMG work on hip abduction in a one leg stance shows abductor activity on the support side rises sharply as load increases, so both hips are training even though only one leg moves. Leading with the heel and keeping the movement slow stops the trunk from swinging the leg out. For a library this clip is the cable machine entry in a glute collection. It supports hip stability blocks, running and cutting injury prevention content, and equipment filtered plans that need a cable option beyond band work.
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Standing Cable Hip Abduction
A standing cable isolation that lifts one leg out to the side against a low pulley to load the hip abductors.
Need more than one animation?
Choose a focused 104-exercise pack or unlock all 412, with commercial licensing included.
Specifications
Built for
- Hip stability circuits that load the stance leg as well as the moving leg.
- Injury prevention plans for field sport athletes who cut and pivot.
- Cable stack tracks in an equipment filtered program builder.
- Cable machine pack merchandising for glute focused bundles.
Muscles Worked
Details
License Includes
Cable Bench Straight Leg Kickback
$4.99A bench-supported cable kickback that isolates the glutes with a straight-leg drive against constant cable tension.
Cable Hip Abduction
$4.99A standing cable exercise that lifts one straight leg out to the side, isolating the hip abductors.
Cable Kickback
$4.99Standing single leg hip extension against a low cable that isolates the glutes through a controlled range.
Cable Pull Through
$4.99A cable-loaded hip hinge that pulls resistance forward from between the legs, driving the glutes with little spinal load.
B-Stance Hip Thrust
$4.99A hip thrust with one foot staggered forward as a kickstand so the rear working leg carries most of the load.
Band Glute Bridge
$4.99A floor glute bridge with a loop band above the knees, adding an abduction demand to ordinary hip extension.