Lower Body Abduction and Adduction

Joint Range of Motion Warm Up

"Yoga is not about touching your toes. It’s about what you learn on the way down" - Judith Hanson Lasater

Lower Body Abduction and Adduction

Introduction to Lower Body Abduction and Adduction

Lower Body Abduction leg bent across midline

This simple yoga practice warms up and lubricates the hip joints. This warm up is extremely versatile and can be practiced standing, seated in a chair, or in a supine position. 

The standing version of this warm up movement develops strength in the standing leg, the ankle, and the core, as well as the outer hip muscles of the lifted leg. It develops greater balance through dynamically drawing the leg to the side and then across the midline of the body. 

The supine version (lying on the back with both knees bent and feet on the ground) warms up and strengthens the adductor muscles. You can add a component of core and hip flexor strength work by drawing your core muscles in and holding your pelvis steady as you do the leg movement. 

The seated version is the least warming, but a useful way to lubricate the hip joint in abduction and adduction (plus hip flexion) in a chair-based practice.

This warm up prepares the hip joint for flexion, abduction, and adduction, making it a wonderful way to begin any yoga practice, especially a practice that contains many standing yoga poses.

Basic Lower Body Abduction and Adduction

  1. Start in your desired position: standing, supine, or seated. If you are in a supine position, you may find it more comfortable to start with both knees bent, with your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Bend one knee and bring it toward your chest. You may want to place your hand on the inside of the crook of your knee to guide your leg.
  3. Open your knee to the side, keeping the hips as still as possible. Do not force the joint, but rather follow the natural opening movement of your hip. 
  4. You can either keep the knee where it is, or lower it down until your toes barely touch down on the ground. 
  5. If you tapped the toes down, lift the foot back up, and then draw your knee across the midline of the body. 
  6. Again, you can either keep your knee where it is, or try tapping the toe down with the leg crossed in front of you. 
  7. Continue moving the leg back and forth, drawing the knee out to the side and back across the body in a straight line, tapping the toes down in the open and closed positions, if desired.

Practice Tips

If practicing the standing version of this warm up movement, consider using a chair or wall for support. Rest your fingertips only on the wall or chair, so as not to distort the position of your standing side.

When lying on your back, you can add a component of core strengthening by moving your leg in and out on an exhalation, drawing your abdominal muscles in as you go. Try to minimize rotation in the spine as you perform this movement.

Recommended Use

This is a great preparation for standing yoga poses, such as Warrior II, Triangle Pose, and Extended Side Angle. The standing version is a great prep for any standing balance yoga posture, such as Tree Pose, Half Moon Pose, and Warrior III.

Try Us Free! Get a Sample Pose Report to Experience the Full Benefits of the YogaU Pose Library.

Click Here

Check out our premium content

Video practice examples

For every yoga pose

Learn Common Alignment issues

And how to deal with them

Tips for beginners

Learn the best prep poses for each yoga pose

sign up now

Try Free for 7 Days

FAQs

Curious to learn more?

See all FAQs

FAQs

How to personalize my practice?

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library helps you fit yoga poses to your individual body. It provides tools for you to customize yoga poses to your body's needs in order to gain the benefits of each yoga pose. 

When working your way through the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library, pay particular attention to the Yoga 2.0 Poses section as well as the Preparatory Poses under the Teaching Tips tab. This is where you will find some of the juiciest content in the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library!

What do I get When I sign Up?

When you register for a basic account, you get access to basic pose information about each yoga pose. You can also view three Pose Library blog articles or three yoga pose video tutorials each month. 

If you choose to register for a premium account, you will have access to our library of 1000s of unique Yoga 2.0 pose modifications, video tutorials for each yoga pose, preparatory yoga poses and common misalignments for every yoga pose, precautions, and more!

If you choose to subscribe to our premium Plus membership, you will also get access to our Yoga Sequence Builder, which allows you to create a yoga practice sequence with any and all of the yoga poses featured throughout the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library!

What are Yoga 2.0 Poses?

The idea behind Yoga 2.0 is that yoga poses should be individualized for every person. 

Yoga 2.0 Poses give you a foundation to begin designing your own customized yoga practice that suits your body's needs.

Choosing the right Yoga 2.0 Pose begins with your relationship with your body and making healthy choices that respect your personal boundaries. 

Is this for beginners too?

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library is for every body! 

Whether you are a beginner or already far along on your yoga journey, the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library has something for everyone. 

Are you looking for creative, fun ways to modify yoga poses? Check out our collection of Yoga 2.0 Poses, which features 1000s of Yoga Pose Modifications. 

Looking to expand your practice or teaching? The Teaching Tips and Deepen the Pose sections provide fun ways to challenge your yoga practice as well as practical tips for learning and teaching new yoga poses. 

Can't find a certain pose

Our Yoga 2.0 Pose Library is an ever-expanding library. 

We will be adding new yoga poses over time - keep checking back for our latest yoga poses!

Share

Check out our Mastery content!

Get access to all the Pose Library has to offer by signing up for our Mastery membership.

Includes Pose Precautions and special access to our state of the art Yoga Sequence Builder.

 

View options

Sorry, You have reached your
monthly limit of views

To access, join us for a free 7-day membership trial to support expanding the Pose Library resources to the yoga community.

Sign up for a FREE 7-day trial

You need a free account to do this

Register for a free account to save your Favorite Poses! You can return to them again and again!

Click below to join us!

Simply click below to register and join us. Your Favorite Poses will appear in your private Dashboard section of the site.

Get your free account

Login

Check out our premium content

Get access to all the Pose Library has to offer by signing up for one of our premium memberships.

 

1000s of pose modifications & more!

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library features 1000s of yoga pose modifications, video tutorials, teaching and practice tips, best prep poses, and common alignment issues for every yoga pose.

 

View options