Side Lying Hip Adduction

Strengthen your inner thighs and hip stabilizers with the side lying hip adduction. Improve hip mobility and core control for better lower body function.

IntermediateHips Body weight

Movement: Isolation
Force: Pull
Per set: 1 min
Rest: 30s

Get Ellim — Free

Free · iPhone only · Available on the App Store

Variations of Side Lying Hip Adduction

Compound

Bridge Hip Abduction

Hips · Adductor Brevis · Body weight

Intermediate

Compound

Side Plank Hip Adduction

Hips · Adductor Brevis · Body weight

Intermediate

Compound

Side Bridge Hip Abduction

Hips · Obliques · Body weight

Advanced

Compound

Side Plank Hip Adduction (bent knee)

Hips · Adductor Brevis · Body weight

Intermediate

Description

This is a lower body exercise that primarily targets the inner thighs but also works the hips and glutes. The person lies on their side and lifts their bottom leg while keeping their hips stacked and torso stable.

Save Side Lying Hip Adduction to a routine

Log sets, reps, and weight as you train — free in the Ellim app.

Get Ellim — Free

How to do Side Lying Hip Adduction

01
Setup
Lie on your side with your body in a straight line, head supported by your bottom arm or hand, and your bottom leg extended straight.
02
Setup
Stack your hips directly one on top of the other, ensuring your torso is stable and not rocking. Bend your top leg and place your foot flat on the floor in front of your bottom leg for support.
03
Exhale as you slowly lift your bottom leg straight up towards the ceiling, leading with your heel and keeping your foot flexed. Focus on squeezing your inner thigh muscles.
04
Inhale as you slowly lower your bottom leg back down with control, stopping just before it touches the floor. Maintain tension in your adductors throughout the movement.
05
Complete the desired repetitions on one side, then carefully switch sides and repeat with the other leg.

Tips

Maintain a stable core by engaging your abdominal muscles throughout the movement to prevent your hips from rocking forward or backward.
Focus on a slow, controlled lift and lower to maximize time under tension and muscle activation in the inner thigh.
Keep your bottom foot flexed and imagine leading the movement with your heel to better target the adductor muscles and prevent using momentum.
The range of motion should be where you feel the inner thigh working; avoid lifting too high if it causes your hip to rotate externally.

Common mistakes

Rocking your hips forward or backward reduces adductor engagement; keep your hips stacked directly on top of each other and your core tight.
Using momentum to swing the leg up rather than controlled muscle contraction decreases effectiveness; focus on slow and deliberate movement of the bottom leg.
Lifting the bottom leg too high by externally rotating the hip over-engages hip flexors; keep the bottom leg straight and the movement limited to the adductor's active range.

In the Ellim app, Side Lying Hip Adduction unlocks

Free — no subscription needed

Log sets, reps, and weight
Track every set as you train
See your strength curve
Performance graphs across all sessions
Add to a routine
Save into a custom workout in one tap
Rest timer with Live Activity
Dynamic Island countdown between sets
HealthKit sync
Workouts flow to Apple Health
3,500+ exercise library
Search, filter, and pick variations offline

Ready to train side lying hip adduction?

Get Ellim — Free

Questions

What muscles does Side Lying Hip Adduction work?

Side Lying Hip Adduction primarily targets Adductor Brevis, Adductor Longus, Adductor Magnus, Gracilis, Pectineous. Secondary muscles include Sartorius.

Is Side Lying Hip Adduction good for beginners?

Side Lying Hip Adduction is rated intermediate. Beginners can still attempt it with lighter weight and careful form, but it's best to master easier variations first.

What equipment do I need for Side Lying Hip Adduction?

You need Body weight to perform Side Lying Hip Adduction. If you don't have this equipment, look for variations that target the same muscles with what you have available.

What are the best tips for Side Lying Hip Adduction?

Maintain a stable core by engaging your abdominal muscles throughout the movement to prevent your hips from rocking forward or backward. Focus on a slow, controlled lift and lower to maximize time under tension and muscle activation in the inner thigh. Keep your bottom foot flexed and imagine leading the movement with your heel to better target the adductor muscles and prevent using momentum. The range of motion should be where you feel the inner thigh working; avoid lifting too high if it causes your hip to rotate externally.

What are common mistakes when doing Side Lying Hip Adduction?

Rocking your hips forward or backward reduces adductor engagement; keep your hips stacked directly on top of each other and your core tight. Using momentum to swing the leg up rather than controlled muscle contraction decreases effectiveness; focus on slow and deliberate movement of the bottom leg. Lifting the bottom leg too high by externally rotating the hip over-engages hip flexors; keep the bottom leg straight and the movement limited to the adductor's active range.