Exercise Comparison
Hip Circles (prone) vs Thigh Abductor
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Hip Circles (prone)
Only in Thigh Abductor
Instructions
Hip Circles (prone)
Position yourself on your hands and knees on the ground. Maintaining good posture, raise one bent knee off of the ground. This will be your starting position.
Keeping the knee in a bent position, rotate the femur in an arc, attempting to make a big circle with your knee.
Perform this slowly for a number of repetitions, and repeat on the other side.
Thigh Abductor
To begin, sit down on the abductor machine and select a weight you are comfortable with. When your legs are positioned properly, grip the handles on each side. Your entire upper body (from the waist up) should be stationary. This is the starting position.
Slowly press against the machine with your legs to move them away from each other while exhaling.
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 to prevent any injuries from occurring.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the abductors. Hip Circles (prone) is a beginner exercise using bodyweight, while Thigh Abductor is beginner and uses machine. Choose Hip Circles (prone) if you have access to bodyweight, or Thigh Abductor if you prefer machine.