Swinging your leg to the side in the pendulum machine or in the crossover on the lower block is an excellent exercise for working out the gluteus medius muscles. In ordinary life, these muscles are included in the work indirectly, however, it is they who give the rounded attractive shape of the upper part of the buttocks.
Working musclesAs already mentioned, the lateral leads load the gluteus medius muscle. It forms the upper part of the buttocks from the back from the side, and the lower part goes under the gluteus maximus. In addition, abduction of the leg to the side engages the fascia lata tensor.
The lateral abductions are not powerful strength exercises. The gluteus medius muscle is small in size, so its training does not give a pronounced increase in muscle mass. If you need to add volume to the buttocks, you should train, first of all, the gluteus maximus muscle. The energy consumption when performing the lateral leads is also low, which should be taken into account when training for fat burning.
The exercise is suitable precisely for giving the gluteal region the optimal shape, so to speak, for “grinding” this area. The complex development of the large and medium muscles gives the lower body a tight, rounded shape, which is an important argument for girls.
The main load falls on the gluteus medius muscles.
In general, the exercise is recommended for beginners and intermediate athletes. Professional athletes can use it to improve muscle development or to correct asymmetry.
As such, lateral leads have no contraindications. They do not involve lifting large weights and can be performed by people of all skill levels.
Correct technique
With lateral leg abduction, it is important to follow the correct technique. Otherwise, you will not load the target muscles in the right way and will only waste time training. This issue is especially relevant if the leads are performed not in the simulator, but on the block, because in this case the trajectory of movement of the limb is not fixed.
Execution in the simulator.
The correct execution of the exercise is as follows:
Performing the exercise in the “pendulum” simulator, stand facing it and rest your hip against the roller. Fix the body in an upright position by grasping the special handles. If you are making crossover abductions on the lower block, stand with the opposite side to the support and attach the cable collar to the ankle of the working leg.
As you exhale, take your working leg to the side to the maximum possible level. Hold at the top point for 1-2 seconds.
As you exhale, lower your leg. At the bottom of the exercise, you can move your working leg slightly behind the supporting leg. This is done to better stretch the working muscle and increase the range of motion.
Perform the set number of repetitions on one side, turn around and repeat on the other leg.
Do not use the force of inertia when doing the exercise. Abduction of the hip should be controlled and conscious.
Typical mistakes
The body should not be tilted away from the vertical position. Often, beginners lean to the opposite side of the swing in order to lift their leg higher. With this implementation, the abduction of the leg becomes ineffective, since the amplitude of movement is reduced due to the gluteus medius muscle.
The leg should be straightened throughout the exercise, and the foot should be directed forward. If you turn the foot outward, the quadriceps will take the load, if inward – the gluteus maximus muscle and hamstring. Therefore, the working leg moves strictly in the vertical plane and exclusively sideways in the direction of travel.
Inclusion in the training program
It is recommended to perform lateral abductions at the end of the workout of the legs and buttocks, when the muscles are already tired enough with the basic exercises and it remains only to “finish off” them. In other words, the exercise is not used as the main one, but as an additional one – it goes well.
Abduction of the leg on the pendulum trainer or on the block is performed with a low or medium weight (1-2 tiles). You should do 10-15 repetitions on each side in 2-3 sets. The emphasis is on the technicality of the movements.
