Home Exercise of the Month - A3 - Hip Abduction
The A3 machine isolates and strengthens the gluteal minimus and medius muscles in the back of the thighs which, along with the TFL, make up the muscles of the hip abductors. The hip abductors are important and often forgotten muscles that contribute to our ability to stand, walk, and rotate our legs with ease.
This exercise is appropriate for most clients and requires no additional equipment. If you would like to make the exercise more challenging, you can place a weight on your top leg or perform the exercise standing with a theraband around your ankle.
Be sure to maintain the same cadence as you would with the Kieser equipment, by moving your top leg up for 4 seconds, holding for 2 seconds at the top, returning down for 4 seconds and holding at the bottom for 2 seconds.
Instructions:
- Side-lying with bottom leg slightly bent if more comfortable
- Keep top leg in line with trunk or slightly behind
- Keep back straight by engaging trunk muscles to stiffen the spine
- Lift leg keeping the hips forward and foot neutral
Important Technique Points
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Be sure to keep your pelvis straight
