Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Lever Seated Hip Abduction: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The lever seated hip abduction is a machine-based exercise that targets the hip abductor muscles. It is performed while seated, pushing the legs apart against resistance provided by the machine.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings
Equipment
Leverage Machine
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the lever seated hip abduction
Front view: muscles worked by the lever seated hip abduction. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings.
Back view: muscles worked by the lever seated hip abduction. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings.
Primary Secondary

How to do the lever seated hip abduction

  1. Step 1: Adjust the seat height so that your knees are at a 90-degree angle.
  2. Step 2: Sit on the machine with your back against the backrest and your feet on the footrests.
  3. Step 3: Place your hands on the side handles for stability.
  4. Step 4: Engage your abductors and slowly push your legs apart, away from the midline of your body.
  5. Step 5: Pause for a moment at the end of the movement, then slowly bring your legs back together to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the lever seated hip abduction by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Lever Seated Hip Abduction alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.