Leg abduction in crossover: execution technique

October 22, 2018
Workouts in the gym
Yana Yanovskaya

Leg abduction in a crossover allows you to work out not only the thigh muscle groups, but also the gluteal muscles as well as possible. Thanks to the ability to choose the level of load, the body receives maximum benefits without overwork. Both beginner athletes and experienced professionals can perform the exercise.

Muscles work

In the process of pulling weights, different muscle groups are involved in the work. It depends on what position the body occupies and what load is chosen for pumping. The main focus is on the gluteal muscles. That’s why girls like to do leg abduction in a crossover. If you tilt your body forward, the oblique muscles of the abdomen and upper abs will come into play.

When the leg is slightly bent, the calf muscles will receive the load, and if you keep the limb in a straight position, the maximum weight will be on the back of the thigh. The crossover exercise helps to tighten your figure and, if you do it with bends, when the leg stretches to the side, you can get rid of the so-called ears or riding breeches. Performing on a bench helps add stress to the shoulders and engages the lower abdominal muscles through the movement.

Safety

Before training, you need to familiarize yourself with the general rules for maintaining safety in the gym. Always check in advance that the simulator is in good working order, that the necessary parts are available, and that the fastenings are secure. If you find any malfunction, tell the trainer about it; you should not try to fix professional equipment; if you do something wrong, it may cause it to break or be dangerous to your health.

It is equally important to prepare your muscles for the upcoming exercise : be sure to warm up and do a warm-up for all muscle groups. If you are performing hip adductions for the first time, then there is no need for additional weight, you do not need to overexert yourself and focus only on this exercise.

Execution technique

This is an important stage of training, because incorrect movements can lead to muscle strain and deterioration of well-being due to overwork. The load can be performed in different ways. Typically this is done while standing, with the body tilted, or supported on the arms and legs. You need to stand facing the support of the block simulator and hook a belt with the selected weight onto your leg. Keep your body straight, you can allow yourself a natural curve in your back.

The pelvis should be above the foot of the supporting leg, this is a sign of a correct stance. Swing backwards with your working leg. Do this as smoothly as possible and without strong jerks. At the point of highest tension, you need to hold out for several seconds, and then return to the starting position.

Depending on whether the leg is tense or in a bent state, the sphere of influence on muscle groups changes. During the execution, you cannot turn the thigh outward to avoid tissue rupture.

Leg abduction in a crossover requires an average tempo of performing the load. You can remove a little weight and do it faster, this will improve the result.

Who doesn't benefit from the leg press?

The back squat is superior to the leg press in many ways, including:

Muscle and strength growth . After barbell squats, testosterone and growth hormone levels, which are beneficial for hypertrophy, increase A.A. Shaner, J. L. Vingren, and D. L. Hatfield. The Acute Hormonal Response to Free Weight and Machine Weight Resistance Exercise / Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research is significantly greater than after a leg press with a similar load. They also grow faster K. Wirth, H. Hartmann, A. Sander. The Impact of Back Squat and Leg‑Press Exercises on Maximal Strength and Speed‑Strength Parameters / Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Reduce the risk of injury . During the squat you strengthen L. Rogers, T. Sherman. Leg Press Versus Squat / Strength and Conditioning Journal core muscles that protect the lower back from injury during any movement - both in the gym and in everyday life. In the leg press, the core works much less.
Increasing results in different sports . During the squat, you fully extend your hips, while during the leg press you remain in a flexed position. This may be why the first exercise improves K. Wirth, H. Hartmann, A. Sander. The Impact of Back Squat and Leg‑Press Exercises on Maximal Strength and Speed‑Strength Parameters / Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research results in jumping, while the latter only increases strength and muscle size.

Thus, if your goal is to build muscle faster, improve athletic performance and protect your back from injury, give preference to back squats.

If you want to relieve your back after an injury or a hard workout, plan to train your quadriceps to the fullest, or are not entirely familiar with the back squat technique, the leg press in the machine will be an excellent choice.

Emphasis on hands

Executing the load this way looks easy. The end of the cable with the cuff must be secured to the working leg and the optimal weight for the work must be selected. You need to face the support of the simulator, get down on all fours, while keeping your back slightly tense and straight.

You can perform the load both on the floor and on a special horizontal bench. The second option is a little easier in terms of additional space for swings, but the trajectory is larger, which affects the muscle groups involved.

Extend your working leg and lift your heel as high as possible. Leg abduction in a crossover requires a certain amount of stamina and preparation. During the load, you need to concentrate on tensing your buttocks, and then return to the starting position.

How to do a leg press correctly

Sit on the exercise chair, place your feet in the middle of the platform, shoulder-width apart. Turn your toes slightly outward. Press your back and hips into the chair and remove the restraints, freeing the platform.

If you are doing a leg press on a horizontal machine, simply place the desired weight on the blocks, sit in the chair and grab the handles to press your body closer to the seat.

Bend your knees to a right angle. Make sure that the pelvis and lower back do not come off the seat of the exercise machine. If this happens, move your feet a little lower.

Overcoming the resistance of the platform, straighten your knees to almost full straightening, but do not lock them at the extreme point.

If you have an imbalance in the development of your hip muscles, you can try the single leg press. In this option, the stronger limb will not take the load away from the weaker one and both will receive an equal load.

Combination with loads

In the training process, leg abduction is performed at the end of a complex workout on the hips and buttocks. It cannot be used as a key load, but it can be used as an additional boost. The crossover leg abduction is good to perform after a HAKK squat or leg press with a narrow stance, where the load is concentrated on the upper back of the thigh.

For work, choose a light weight so that you can do more repetitions. Although the exercise is an isolating exercise, quantity is important here. The load can be included in a fat-burning workout, since it helps to release excess energy and, thanks to the dynamics of execution, activates the weight loss process.

After abducting the legs in the crossover, final loads, cardio or cool-down elements are done. This exercise cannot be combined with strength loads on the chest and back, since heavy weight can weaken the legs, and if you then begin to actively pump their muscles, this will cause fatigue and even exhaustion.

Exercise options

Crossover leg exercises have different types of implementation. Thanks to the ability to change the position of the body, legs or use of additional equipment, efficiency increases. A popular loading option is lying leg raises. Performed in a simulator.

Crossover exercises are dynamic and have an active effect on the muscles. Lateral leg raises supported on a chair can also be an alternative to the exercise, because in terms of the type of influence they correspond to the load on the simulator.

Abduction of the leg while lying on its side also repeats the load from the crossover, but here the work is done exclusively with your own weight, therefore, apart from tightening the body, there will be no result. Keeping your legs in and out while sitting in a machine helps pump up your inner thighs. The technique of moving the leg back in a crossover resembles doing it while sitting.

Examples of training programs

Conventionally, such training can be divided into two types: with or without additional weights, that is, with your own body weight

When choosing training with weights, it is very important, firstly, to do the exercise itself correctly, and secondly, to adequately assess your level of physical fitness and choose the right weight. For beginners, a weight not exceeding 3 kg for girls and 6 kg for boys is recommended. It is important to remember that the weight of the weight will increase gradually

It is important to remember that the weight of the weight will increase gradually. Consider the following training plan

Recommended rest time is no more than 60 seconds

Consider the following training plan. The recommended rest time is no more than 60 seconds.

Secrets and subtleties

In the process of performing the load, movements must be made smoothly and gradually so that there are no jerks. You need to stand with a straight back and focus only on the movement of the hip; you do not need to help yourself with your body or bend your leg too much at the knee. This will reduce the load, but the efficiency will also decrease. Abduction of the legs in a crossover onto the buttocks will be more effective if you keep your leg as straight as possible and tilt your body slightly forward, creating a natural curve in your back.

Before starting the exercise, the cuff on the shin must be firmly secured so that there are no breakdowns. There is also no need to chase a large load. These may be initial weight indicators of 10-15 kg, then with increasing endurance it will be possible to add load.

The pause should occur only when the leg returns to its original position and also at the highest load. Leg abduction in a standing crossover requires compliance with breathing techniques. As for the level of leg abduction, it is different for each person and depends on physical parameters and plasticity.

The standard number of sets is 3-4 with the number of repetitions 15-17. You need to carry out the load systematically for results to appear.

About squats for men

As for the technique of performing the exercises, there are no changes here. Another thing is that not all men, unlike women, are concerned with working out their hips.

They use heavy weights, which means they must treat the technique with great responsibility. If necessary, you should use auxiliary equipment, such as belts, elbow pads, etc.

Very often, a towel is placed on the trapeze so that the bar does not irritate the skin or rub against it.

Here you can focus on heavier weights, since the likelihood of losing balance is low and there is no need to hang clamps at all.

Block or simulator

The choice depends on what result the athlete wants to get. If pumping the muscles of the inner thigh is important, then this cannot be achieved without performing a load in the block. If you need to give a high-quality load to the gluteal muscles, then a crossover trainer will help you do this.

Also, the option with a simulator will help you quickly and effectively lose excess weight, tighten your body and forget about cellulite. The first exercise in the training program should be an exercise to abduct the legs to the sides, and only after that should be the load on the extension and abduction of the legs.

The crossover trainer allows you to change position and adjust the load on different muscle groups by selecting a small weight. You can use the support of the simulator to perform loads on the gluteal muscles and calf groups.

The choice also depends on the type of program. If loads for losing weight and burning fat are prescribed there, then it is better to perform exercises in a crossover; for strength training, a block exercise machine will be relevant.

Expert advice

Any load requires the development of its own technique and routine. You cannot perform exercises at different rhythms, do not follow the breathing technique and make jerky movements. Only an integrated approach and fulfillment of all the conditions for a competent approach will help to obtain the desired result.

Beginning athletes need to forget that a heavy load immediately pumps up the muscles. For an unprepared body, this can lead to serious stretch marks and damage. You also can’t run after the number of repetitions, increasing them with each workout. This will lead to a rapid loss of energy and strength, but will not give the desired result.

Between approaches, be sure to take short breaks so that the body has time to renew itself and the muscles are in pleasant tone. Don't forget to drink water. The more of it in the body, the better.