# Fire Hydrant

A quadruped hip abduction exercise targeting the glutes and hip stabilizers. Useful for warm-ups, rehab progressions, and improving pelvic control.

- Beginner · Isolation
- Equipment: 
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/fire-hydrant-bodyweight/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/fire-hydrant/

## Muscles worked

- Glutes: 9/10
- Hip abductors: 8/10
- Abs: 3/10

## How to do the Fire Hydrant

1. Begin on your hands and knees, ensuring your wrists are under your shoulders.
2. Keeping your back straight, bend one knee to a 90-degree angle.
3. Lift that knee out to the side, avoiding any twisting of your torso.
4. Lower your leg back down to the starting position – repeat on both sides.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Start on hands and knees with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
2. Set a neutral spine and keep your head, ribs, and pelvis aligned.
3. Bend one knee to 90 degrees and keep that leg bent throughout the rep.
4. Tighten your stomach, then lift the knee out to the side without shifting weight.
5. Raise until your hip reaches its active range without rolling the pelvis open.
6. Lower the knee back under the hip with the torso and pelvis still square.
7. Complete all reps on one side, then switch legs.

## Common mistakes

- Rolling the pelvis open
- Arching through the lower back
- Shifting bodyweight to one side
- Swinging the leg with momentum

## Form cues

- Keep pelvis square
- Lift knee out to side
- Stay off the low back
- Use hip range only

## How much to do

- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 2–4 sets of 12–20 reps · rest 45 s · 3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s
- **Endurance** (best fit): 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps · rest 30 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Resistance bands**: [Clamshell](https://seto.fit/exercises/clamshell/), [Seated Mini Band Hip Abduction](https://seto.fit/exercises/seated-mini-band-hip-abduction/)
- **Dumbbells**: [Standing Dumbbell Hip Abduction](https://seto.fit/exercises/standing-dumbbell-hip-abduction/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Half Squat Mini Band Hip Abduction](https://seto.fit/exercises/half-squat-mini-band-hip-abduction/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Fire Hydrant — 10% of bodyweight**
- Harder: [Side Lying Hip Abduction](https://seto.fit/exercises/side-lying-hip-abduction/) — 15% of bodyweight

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Fire Hydrant work?

Primary: Hip abductors 8/10, Glutes 9/10. Also works: Abs 3/10.

### When should I do the Fire Hydrant in a workout?

Warm-up. Done at the start to get the body ready. ≈ 5 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Fire Hydrant?

Muscle growth: 2–4 sets of 12–20 reps, rest 45 s, 3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 30 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Fire Hydrant?

Resistance bands: Clamshell, Seated Mini Band Hip Abduction. Dumbbells: Standing Dumbbell Hip Abduction.

### What is an easier version of the Fire Hydrant?

Half Squat Mini Band Hip Abduction (Beginner).

### What is a harder version of the Fire Hydrant?

Side Lying Hip Abduction (15% of bodyweight).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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