Abductor leg raises body bar

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Equipment Needed
Body Bar A weighted fitness bar made of solid steel (less than 2" diameter) encased in easy grip durable rubber. Body Bars can range in weight from 2 to 30 pounds.

Muscles Worked
Hip Abductors
These are commonly but erroneously referred to as the outer thigh muscles. In fact, the two muscles that make up the upper hip and are part of the glutes are referred to as gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. Attached to the pelvis and the top of the thighbone, the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus move the leg out and away from the center of the body. The minimus also medially rotates the hip.

Obliques
The external oblique muscles, which are located on each side of the rectus abdominus, allow the trunk to twist to the opposite side of whichever external oblique is contracting. The internal oblique muscles are located just inside the hip-bones and operate in the opposite way to the external oblique muscles. For example, twisting the trunk to the left requires the left hand side internal oblique and the right hand side external oblique to contract together.

Place your hand against a wall or use a Body Bar for stabilization as you practice this exercise for the first time. Once you have established a stable base, you will most likely no longer need the support of the wall or need to use the body bar for support.
Balance on your standing leg with feet facing forward.
Raise your opposite leg at a 90-degree angle from your standing leg with your knee and toes facing forward.
Bend your standing leg into a 90-degree angle.
Place your eye gaze over the shoulder of your raised leg.
Before lifting your leg up and down, engage the muscles in your standing leg.
Raise your lifted leg up and lower the same distance. Practice this until you are comfortable with the balance.
Repeat the exercise by placing the Body Bar across your bent thigh and calf so that it rests comfortably there. Continue lifting your leg up and down. The Body Bar provides added weight to increase your resistance during the exercise.

It is common to lose your balance as you familiarize yourself with this exercise. Don’t worry if your rhythm is broken from time-to-time because of this. Simply continue the exercise until you have completed a set. It is perfectly fine to continue to use the wall for support as long as you follow the instructions for proper alignment and use the Body Bar for added resistance.
Be mindful of turning your torso away from your raised leg. It is important to keep your torso turning in the direction of your raised leg in order to receive the benefit of working your oblique muscles.

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