What Exercise Equipment Is Good For The Hips?

Many people find they have excess weight on their inner or outer thighs, or feel that those muscles are weaker than necessary. Muscles in the hip include the hip flexors, hip adductors — on the inner thigh — and hip abductors — on the outer thigh. Several exercise machines can help you to work your hip muscles. Keep in mind that if you wish to lose fat in the hip and thigh area, you must incorporate a healthy diet to create a calorie deficit, and cardio exercise to boost your metabolism. Choose weights heavy enough to offer a challenge, but not so heavy that you cannot complete the set with proper form.

Lever Seated Hip Adductor

The lever seated hip adductor machine works your inner thighs, called the hip adductors, which are responsible for bringing your legs together. The machine possesses an angled back rest and padded seat, hand grips and separate leg levers with a padded, upright portion against which you must push against to perform the exercise. Mount the machine with the leg levers together after you have selected the weight you wish to use. Press your back into the backrest and hold the handles. Unlock the levers and slowly allow your legs to spread as wide as your flexibility will allow. This is your starting position. Slowly press against the padded leg levers to bring your legs together. Return slowly to the starting position to complete one rep. Do two sets of 12 to 15 reps.

Hip Abductor

The lever seated hip abduction machine works your outer thighs, called the hip abductors, which are responsible for bringing your legs apart. It has a padded back rest and seat, handles, and separate leg levers with a weighted, padded upright portion that lies along the inside of your lower legs, against which you press to perform the exercise. Mount the machine with the leg levers apart after you have chosen your weight. Unlock the levers and bring your legs slowly together. This is the starting position. Slowly push against the padded levers until your legs are as wide as possible, then return to the starting position to complete one rep. Do two sets of 12 to 15 reps.

Cable Hip Adduction and Abduction

You may also work the adductors and abductors, using a cable machine with a low pulley and ankle attachment. To work your adductors, stand with your left side facing the machine and attach the ankle strap around your left ankle. Take one step away from the cable machine and allow your left leg to be pulled toward the machine. Hold onto a bar for support. Pull your left leg away from the machine and, while keeping your knee straight, cross it just in front of your right leg. Pause and then return to the starting position to complete one rep. Switch to the other leg and repeat to work both hips. Do two sets of 12 to 15 reps on each side. To work the abductors, stand with your left side closest to the low pulley and attach the ankle strap to your right ankle. Step out away from the machine and grasp a bar for stability. Rest your weight on your left leg and pull your right leg away from the machine until your leg is almost parallel to the floor. Return the starting position to complete one rep. Switch sides to work your left leg in the same manner. Do two sets of 12 to 15 reps on each leg.

Cable Lying Leg Raise

Your hip flexors, called the iliopsoas, are responsible for flexing your hips. To work them, you may use the cable machine with a low pulley and ankle strap. Choose a strap that is long enough to go around both ankles at once. Lie on your back on a mat with your feet closest to the machine. Make sure you are far back enough that the cable is taut when it attaches to your ankles. Affix the ankle strap around both ankles and hold onto a support above your head. Raise your legs by flexing your hips and knees until your thighs are just beyond perpendicular to your torso, or before your hips raise off the mat. Slowly return to the starting position to complete one rep. Do two sets of 12 to 15 reps.