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Exercise guide

Hip Circles (prone)

How to do the Hip Circles (prone) with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

IsolationBody OnlyBeginnerPull
Primary muscles

Abductors

Secondary

Adductors

Equipment

Body Only

Step by step

How to do the Hip Circles (prone)

  1. 1

    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.

  2. 2

    Keeping the knee in a bent position, rotate the femur in an arc, attempting to make a big circle with your knee.

  3. 3

    Perform this slowly for a number of repetitions, and repeat on the other side.

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Every Hip Circles (prone) set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your abductors volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

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Where the Hip Circles (prone) fits

The Hip Circles (prone) shows up in training built around a specific goal. See how it fits:

Related

More abductors exercises

FAQ

Hip Circles (prone): common questions

What muscles does the Hip Circles (prone) work?

The Hip Circles (prone) primarily works the Abductors. It also recruits the Adductors as supporting muscles.

Is the Hip Circles (prone) suitable for beginners?

Yes. The Hip Circles (prone) is a beginner-level exercise, so it's a solid choice if you're new to training. Start light and focus on the movement pattern before adding load.

What equipment do I need for the Hip Circles (prone)?

None. The Hip Circles (prone) is a bodyweight exercise, so you can do it without any equipment.

Is the Hip Circles (prone) a compound or isolation exercise?

The Hip Circles (prone) is an isolation exercise, it targets the abductors through a single joint, which makes it useful for focused, targeted work.

How do I do the Hip Circles (prone) with correct form?

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. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.

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