10 Best Side Lying Hip Adduction Alternatives for No-Equipment Training

The Side Lying Hip Adduction is done lying on your back. Ranked closest by our scoring: Band Hip Adductions, the Cable Hip Adduction and the Lever Seated Hip Adduction. Four harder versions, among them the Side Plank Hip Adduction and the Lateral Bound, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Side Lying Hip AdductionWatch the Side Lying Hip Adduction

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Side Lying Hip Adduction

The steps for the Side Lying Hip Adduction itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Adductors, with glutes, hamstrings · Bodyweight · Beginner · Isolation

  1. Lie on your side with your legs straight and stacked on top of each other.
  2. Place your bottom arm under your head for support.
  3. Engage your adductors and lift your top leg as high as possible without rotating your hips or leaning backward.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your leg back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

The 10 Best Side Lying Hip Adduction Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Side Lying Hip Adduction on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

  1. Band Hip Adductions

    1. Band Hip Adductions

    77% match

    Adductors · Beginner · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a band to work with, and it still works the adductors.

    • Band
    How to perform it
    1. Anchor a band around a solid post or other object.
    2. Stand with your left side to the post, and put your right foot through the band, getting it around the ankle.
    3. Stand up straight and hold onto the post if needed. This will be your starting position.
    4. Keeping the knee straight, raise your right legs out to the side as far as you can.
    5. Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired rep count.
    6. Switch sides.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: adductors, the same as the Side Lying Hip Adduction
    • Equipment: a band, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Side Lying Hip Adduction
  2. Cable Hip AdductionPlay demonstration

    2. Cable Hip Adduction

    77% match

    Adductors · Beginner · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a cable machine to work with, and it still works the adductors.

    • Cable
    How to perform it
    1. Attach the ankle cuff to your ankle and stand facing the cable machine.
    2. Position yourself far enough away from the machine so that there is tension on the cable.
    3. Place your hands on the machine for support.
    4. Keeping your leg straight, slowly move your leg across your body towards the midline.
    5. Pause for a moment at the end of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: adductors, the same as the Side Lying Hip Adduction
    • Equipment: a cable, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Side Lying Hip Adduction
  3. Side Plank Hip AdductionPlay demonstration

    Progression

    3. Side Plank Hip Adduction

    75% match

    Adductors · Intermediate · Compound

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the adductors.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    1. Start by lying on your side with your legs extended and stacked on top of each other.
    2. Prop yourself up on your forearm, keeping your elbow directly below your shoulder.
    3. Engage your core and lift your hips off the ground, creating a straight line from your head to your feet.
    4. While maintaining the side plank position, lift your top leg towards the ceiling, keeping it straight.
    5. Slowly lower your leg back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: adductors, the same as the Side Lying Hip Adduction
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Side Lying Hip Adduction
  4. Lever Seated Hip AdductionPlay demonstration

    4. Lever Seated Hip Adduction

    75% match

    Adductors · Beginner · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a lever machine to work with, and it still works the adductors.

    • Lever
    How to perform it
    1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your back against the backrest.
    2. Place your feet on the footrests and grasp the handles for stability.
    3. Engage your adductor muscles and slowly bring your legs together, squeezing your inner thighs.
    4. Pause for a moment at the peak contraction, then slowly return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: adductors, the same as the Side Lying Hip Adduction
    • Equipment: a machine, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: seated, not lying on your back
  5. Thigh Adductor

    5. Thigh Adductor

    74% match

    Adductors · Beginner · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a machine to work with, and it still works the adductors.

    • Machine
    How to perform it
    1. To begin, sit down on the adductor machine and select a weight you are comfortable with. When your legs are positioned properly on the leg pads of the machine, grip the handles on each side. Your entire upper body (from the waist up) should be stationary. This is the starting position.
    2. Slowly press against the machine with your legs to move them towards each other while exhaling.
    3. Feel the contraction for a second and begin to move your legs back to the starting position while breathing in. Note: Remember to keep your upper body stationary and avoid fast jerking motions in order to prevent any injuries from occurring.
    4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: adductors, the same as the Side Lying Hip Adduction
    • Equipment: a machine, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: seated, not lying on your back

Why You Might Need a Side Lying Hip Adduction Alternative

You may substitute Side Lying Hip Adduction because of hip pain, limited range of motion, lack of equipment, or a need for greater functional transfer. Alternatives let you load the adductors through varied angles and leverage while protecting vulnerable tissues; for example, standing adduction shifts load orientation and reduces end-range hip compression. Use cues like controlling the eccentric phase and keeping a neutral pelvis to maintain adductor tension and avoid compensatory lumbar or knee movement. Choose variations that preserve adductor longus and magnus engagement while reducing shear on the joint.

How to Choose the Right Side Lying Hip Adduction Substitute

Pick a substitute based on your goal, injury status, and available gear. For strength, prefer unilateral, high-tension options like the Copenhagen that create large adductor moments, brace the core and focus on slow eccentrics to increase time under tension. For rehab or pain, use low-range isometrics or banded standing adduction to limit end-range load and control hip torque. Consider movement pattern (isolation vs compound), desired contraction type (isometric, concentric, eccentric), and whether you need progressive overload options such as added band tension or tempo manipulation.

Side Lying Hip Adduction FAQ

What muscles does Side Lying Hip Adduction (male) work?

It primarily targets the adductor group, adductor longus, brevis, magnus, and gracilis, which produce hip adduction and assist medial stability. When you actively squeeze the leg toward the midline, those fibers shorten and resist hip abduction, and the adductors also contribute to hip flexion or extension depending on joint angle.

Can I build muscle without doing Side Lying Hip Adduction (male)?

Yes, you can hypertrophy the adductors through progressive overload with other movements like Copenhagen holds, resisted standing adduction, or ball squeezes. Increase resistance by lengthening lever arms, slowing eccentric tempo, adding holds at peak contraction, and ensuring full adductor recruitment by maintaining a neutral pelvis and deliberate squeeze on each rep.

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