Side-Lying Cable Hip Abduction
Reviewed by Bryan Cortez, MS
The leg moves; the pelvis does not.
Demonstration
Demonstration production queue
The written coaching card is ready. The owned video is next.
Physique Skool is filming one canonical demonstration per exercise. Until this movement is published, use the setup, execution, common errors, programming, and substitutions below.
Browse Physique Skool on YouTubeHow to do it
Setup
- Attach an ankle cuff to the top leg
- Lie perpendicular to the low cable
- Stack shoulders, ribs, and pelvis
- Keep the working leg long and slightly behind the torso
Execution
- Lift the leg from the side of the hip
- Stop before the pelvis rolls
- Pause briefly
- Lower to a controlled stretch without resting
Common Errors
- Rolling the pelvis backward
- Leading with the toe
- Flexing the hip forward
- Letting the stack pull the leg down
Cues That Work
- Stack the hips; lead with the heel; stop before the belt line rolls
No-Fly Zone
Avoid loads that roll the pelvis backward or turn the toe toward the ceiling.
Programming
Sequence priority
Late
Stable unilateral work adds targeted volume after compounds without much systemic fatigue.
Progression
Model — Double
Fallback model — Density
Match pelvis position and arc on both sides; add reps before the smallest cable increase.
Best program fit
Legs
Load increments
If it hurts
Pain is information, not a challenge to push through. Stop the set if pain is sharp, worsening, or changes how you move. These are exercise-selection options, not medical diagnosis or rehabilitation advice.
Work down this list in order. Stop at the first change that removes the pain.
Step 1
Setup tweaks
Change body distance and cable height until the line of pull follows the leg cleanly.
Step 2
ROM / tempo / bias
Use a one-second top pause or a three-second return.
Step 3
Implement swap
Seated hip abduction machine or side-lying bodyweight hip abduction.
Substitutions
Approved fallback
Seated hip abduction machine or side-lying bodyweight hip abduction.
The Evidence
This gives the hip abductors a stable unilateral cable task. It does not establish one toe angle or hip position as best for every person.
SFR — 2.7
Put the exercise inside a system.
Get the companion workbook, trackers, program files, and community support.