I use this Hip Abduction exercise myself and it’s one of my favourite exercises to keep myself injury free. To begin, use a Thera-band with one end secured to something that’s not going to move (like the leg of a heavy table), or use a hip loop band. You want to stand perpendicular to the direction of the tubing, i.e. the tubing should go across the top of your feet.
Stand up nice and tall, this activates the core, and abduct, take the leg away from the midline. When we’re doing this exercise we’re not looking at getting height of the leg. You’re looking at trying to take your foot as far away from your body, to the side.
The reason I like this exercise is that it works so many aspects. It works balance, standing on one leg. Also, the leg that is moving is working the glutes concentrically, away from the body, and eccentrically, slowly letting the leg return to beside the body. In addition, you are working the glutes on the leg you are standing on, in an isometric contraction.
In the video below, I demonstrate this hip abduction exercise with a hip loop band.
After I am finished working one hip, I do the exercises on the other side. Try it out and let me know what you think in the comments below!