Fire Hydrants

From an all-fours position, lift one bent knee out to the side to target the hip abductors and glute medius.

Quick facts

Primary and secondary muscle groups targeted by this movement.

side glutes (med)side glutes (min)

glutes (max)hip rotatorsdeep abs / coreouter hip (tfl)

What you need and how to position yourself before starting.

body weight

Unilateral

Kneeling

reps

Follow these cues to master proper technique and stay safe through every rep.

Step 1Setup
- Position yourself on all fours on a mat.
- Place your hands directly under your shoulders and knees directly under your hips.
- Keep your back flat and core engaged throughout.
Step 2Execution
- Keeping your knee bent at 90 degrees, lift one leg out to the side.
- Raise your knee to hip height or as high as you can without rotating your hips or spine.
- Squeeze your glute at the top of the movement and hold for a moment.
- Lower your knee slowly back to the starting position.
- Complete all reps on one side before switching legs.
Step 3Tips
- Avoid shifting your body weight to the opposite side — stay centered.
- Keep your hips square to the floor — avoid rotating your pelvis.
- For added resistance, use a resistance band above your knees or ankle weights.
- Move slowly and deliberately — this exercise is about activation, not speed.
- This is an excellent warm-up exercise before squats or hip-dominant movements.