The Best Hip Abductor Exercises to Keep You Strong and Stable on the Run

Updated: Aug 13, 2024 3:15 PM EDT hips play a central role. One group of muscles often neglected by runners: the hip abductors.

Lying toward the outside of the hips, the abductors are responsible for moving the legs away from the center of the body, keeping your pelvis steady through every mile, and for solid knee alignment. Whether you’re looking to improve your form, prevent injury, or set your next personal record, incorporating hip abductor exercises into your training plan could be the key to success.

We talked to experts to define hip abductors, uncover the role they play in running performance, and discuss the benefits of strengthening them. To top it all off, we include five hip abductor exercises designed to strengthen your stride.

“The main hip abductor muscles include the gluteus medius, and regional training manager at TFL,” explains David Otey, C.S.C.S., strength coach and personal trainer. “These muscles are responsible for lifting the leg out to the side, away from the midline.”

Place it back down, then repeat on the right leg stability—you need to stay stable on one leg as you step through your gait cycle—as well as efficiency, the hip abductors are crucial.

“Running is a single-leg activity, and every step you take, the hip abductors are responsible for controlling the pelvis and femur [or thigh bone] through mid-stance, where ground reaction forces are the highest,” explains Blake Dircksen, P.T., D.P.T., C.S.C.S., a physical therapist and owner of Continue alternating. Do 10 reps per side.

Translation: You need your hip abductors stable enough to withstand impact and powerful enough to keep you moving in a forward propulsion, without the hips or knees moving side to side as you go.

If your hip abductors are weak, this leads to excess movement through the pelvis, which is not only inefficient for your stride, but can also cause extra stress and strain on your lower spine and pelvis, and the muscles around that area, Dircksen says. This can up your risk of injury and keep you from clocking faster times.

Research proves the importance of strong hip abductors. Several studies show an association between weak hip abductors and Best Psoas Stretches for Hip Flexors, a common injury We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back eccentric strength in the hip abductors can lower risk of patellofemoral pain (or knee pain) like you’re doing a curtsy, but keep chest tall study published in 2015. Essentially, strengthening hip abductors helps to prevent running-related injuries.

One thing to keep in mind when strengthening your hip abductors (something all runners should do!), is also making sure your hip adductors are also strong. These are the muscles of the inner thigh.

“Imbalances in strength can create extra tension in the neighboring joints, like the foot, ankle, knee, and hip,” explains Otey. Overactive abductors or adductors can pull your alignment out of whack, putting more stress on certain areas of the body and placing your joints in vulnerable positions.

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How to use this list:

Incorporate one or all five of these exercises into your next lower-body or total-body What to Know About Pelvic Floor Dysfunction.

Kristine Zabala, Step left foot back on a diagonal and bend both knees to lower into a Barry’s and regional training manager at Solidcore, demonstrates each exercise so you can learn proper form.

1. Banded Lateral Steps

1. Place a small mini band around thighs, above knees. Separate the legs with enough space to create tension on the band and slightly bend the knees, holding a shallow squat position.
2. Keeping the toes pointing forward, knees pushing outward, and tension on the band, step right foot out to the right.
3. Then follow it with the left foot, while keeping tension on the band the whole time.
4. strength-training day. Follow the reps listed below for each exercise.
5. Then take 10 steps to the left. That’s one set.
6. The Best Hip Abductor Exercises to Keep You Strong and Stable on the Run.

2. Side Plank

1. Lie on the floor on left side, left forearm on the floor, elbow bent 90 degrees and placed directly under shoulder. Extend legs out to opposite side of the room and stack hips, knees, and ankles on top of one another. (Separate feet for more support.)
2. Brace core, drive forearm into the floor, and lift hips off the ground, balancing only on the forearm and bottom foot to form a side plank. What are the hip abductors.
3. A Part of Hearst Digital Media.

3. Hip Hikes

1. Stand on a slightly elevated platform or step, left foot hanging off the side of the step.
2. Keeping both knees straight, drop the left hip down as low as you can without bending standing knee.
3. Then hike it back up.
4. Repeat. Do 10 reps.
5. Then hike it back up.

4. Kettlebell Unilateral Marching

1. IT band syndrome. Hold kettlebell by handle in left hand down by side, and place right hand on hip or down by side.
2. Slowly march left leg, bending knee and pulling it up toward chest.
3. Place it back down, then repeat on the right leg.
4. Continue alternating for 10 reps.
5. Then hold the kettlebell in right hand and repeat.

5. Curtsy Lunge

1. IT band syndrome.
2. Nutrition - Weight Loss lunge position, like you’re doing a curtsy, but keep chest tall.
3. Hip Abductor Exercises for a Stronger Stride.
4. Repeat, stepping right foot back on a diagonal.
5. Continue alternating. Do 10 reps per side.

Amy Schlinger, NASM-CPT

Amy Schlinger is a health and fitness writer and editor based in New York City whose work has appeared in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, The New York Post, Self, Shape, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and more; The National Academy for Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT) is extremely passionate about healthy living and can often be found strength training at the gym when she isn’t interviewing trainers, doctors, medical professionals, nutritionists, or pro athletes for stories.