Having wide hips can accentuate curves on your body. To build this area, you need to concentrate on hip abduction, flexion and extension. Abduction takes place when you move your thighs laterally, flexion takes place when you move your thighs toward your stomach and extension takes place when your thigh moves backward. Being that you want to enlarge your hips, you need to use added resistance.
Bulgarian Split Squats
Bulgarian split squats work your hips and thighs with the help of a weight bench. To begin, stand with your back to the bench and hold a weighted body bar or barbell across your shoulders. Lift your right foot and place the top of it on the bench. Keeping your back straight and core tight, lower yourself by bending your left knee. Stop when your thigh parallels the floor, rise back up and repeat. After doing a set of reps, switch sides. You can also hold dumbbells at your sides instead of a barbell.
Lateral Step-ups
Lateral step-ups require two weight benches and a pair of dumbbells. If you do not have access to a gym, you can also use two sturdy chairs. To start out, position the benches parallel to each other and stand in between them. While holding dumbbells at your sides, step up onto the bench on your left side and hold for a full second. Your right leg should be hanging by your left leg at this point. Slowly lower yourself back down to the ground and step up on the bench on your right side. Lower yourself back down and continue to alternate back and forth.
Alternating Lunges
Alternating lunges work the hips and thighs and they require a set of dumbbells. Begin by standing with your feet together and hold the dumbbells at your sides. Keeping your back straight and core tight, step forward with your right foot and bend both knees to lower your body into a lunge. Once your right thigh parallels the floor and left knee is about 1 inch from the floor, stand back up and bring your feet together. Repeat with your left foot and continue to alternate back and forth.
Cable Abduction
Cable hip abduction is performed with one side of a cable machine and an ankle strap. This exercise focuses on the outer hip area. After attaching the strap to your lower right leg and a low setting on the machine, stand with your left side facing the weight stack. Your right leg should be crossed over your left leg at this point. Keeping your leg straight, move it across your body laterally toward your right side in an arcing motion. Raise it up as high as possible and slowly lower it back to the starting point. Repeat for a set of reps and switch sides.
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