The gluteus minimus, gluteus medius and gluteus maximus make up the muscle group known as the glutes. The glutes give form and strength to your buttocks and are responsible for abducting the leg---moving it sideways away from your body---at the hip. Both the gluteus minimus and gluteus medius abduct the leg no matter whether your body is bent at the hip. The gluteus maximus only abducts the leg when your body is bent at the hip.
Hip Rotations
These are ideal for warming up your hip abductors or training your hip abductors while also working your abs. To do hip rotations, assume a push-up position on your hands and toes. Your body should be straight from head to feet. Keep your hips in line with the rest of your body as you draw one knee slowly up toward your chest. Rotate your hips without shifting your shoulders, raising or dropping your hips or twisting your spine, so that bent leg crosses underneath your body. Then rotate as far as possible in the other direction, bringing your leg out from underneath your body without shifting your shoulders or twisting your spine.
Side Plank
The side plank forces your gluteus minimus and medius to hold your hips stationary against gravity. Your gluteus maximus also works, although not as powerfully, to hold your hips steady.
Lie on your side, supporting your weight on your lower forearm and the outside edge of your lower foot. Keep your hips and shoulders stacked vertically as you squeeze your abs and glutes to keep your body in a straight line from head to feet.
Hip Abduction
A hip abduction machine, commonly available in most gyms, lets you abduct your legs while in a seated position. Because your hips are partially flexed, this works all three gluteus muscles at once.
Sit down in the hip abduction machine, You can tell it apart from the similar-looking hip adduction machine because on an abduction machine, the padding will hit the outside of your knees. Spread your legs outward against the machine's resistance, as if you were doing the splits. Stop when you can no longer keep the motion under control without shifting your pelvis. Let the machine slowly push your legs back together.
Glute Activation Lunges
Glute activation lunges work all three gluteus muscles at once. This complex motion is only appropriate for experienced exercisers who can perform forward lunges with good form.
To do a glute activation lunge, step your left leg forward and across your body. If your original position was at the center of a clock and you were facing toward 12 o'clock, your left foot should land at 3 o'clock. Shift your weight forward onto your left foot, bending both knees and lowering your hips down and back until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. To fully activate your glutes, extend your arms out in front of you. Keep your torso upright and your legs stationary as you twist your shoulders, slowly and in control, to the left. Twist back to center, then press back up to your original position, feet together. Complete a full set of glute activation lunges on one side before switching to the other side.
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