1. Stand upright next to a sturdy object (such as a squat rack or a chair) that you can hold onto for balance. Position your feet hip-width apart with your toes pointing forward.
2. Shift your weight to your inside leg (the one closest to the support).
3. With a straight leg, lift your outside leg directly to the side, away from your body. Keep your toe pointing forward or slightly turned out. Ensure your hips do not tilt, and try to limit any compensatory movements in the rest of your body.
4. Slowly raise your leg as high as you can go without compromising your posture, while focusing on using the muscles on the outer hip and thigh.
5. Pause at the top of the movement for a moment.
6. Slowly lower your leg back down to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the descent.
7. Perform the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides and repeat with your other leg.
8. For additional resistance, you can use ankle weights or perform the exercise using a cable machine with an ankle strap attachment.
Make sure to keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to help with stability and to maximize the effectiveness of the hip abduction. Also, ensure that you use a controlled motion without allowing momentum to take over the lift or lower of your leg.
