Abductor Machine – The Ultimate Guide

An abductor machine is one of the favorite pieces of gym equipment that helps to grow and strengthen the gluteal muscles. By installing the abductor machine you can make your gym one step ahead from before.

There are a lot of brands in this machine category offering unique specs and attractive features that might make you confused.

So, we’ve prepared this definitive guide discussing all the necessary information about the abductor machine that can help you to make your ultimate purchase decision.

Table of Contents

1. Abductor Machine Basics

The abductor machine, commonly known as the hip or leg abductor, is lower body-focused fitness equipment that targets the outer thigh muscles and glutes.

The machine consists of a lower weight tower and two pads that feature two leg workouts in one machine.

While using the abductor machine, you need to push your thighs opposite to the force of pivoting pads provided by the weights.

Figure 1. Abductor machine

2. Functions of Abductor Machine

The abductor machine is specially designed to increase the strength of the inner and outer upper thigh muscles in isolation from the rest of the body. Following are some of the core functions of the abductor machine.

Enhance Core Stability

Exercises with an abductor machine can impact the whole bio-mechanism functioning of the hip abductor muscle groups. The exercises improve core stability, which improves general flexibility, posture, and overall balancing of the muscles.

Strengthen Hip Muscles

Workout with abductor machines like side-lying hip abduction or standing hip abduction can improve the strength of the hip abductor muscles.

Abductor exercises specifically work on the hip abductor muscles in isolation from other muscles and strengthen them.

Reduce Adductor-related Injuries

Small muscle groups of the lower body are more prone to strain and injuries. Hip abduction exercises especially work with these small muscle groups, help to strengthen them and reduce the incidence of adductor-related injuries.

Hip abduction exercises are also used as a rehab routine for patellofemoral pain syndrome. These workouts with an abductor machine are very effective for overall pain reduction.

The following video will help you to get a more clear vision of the functions of the hip abductor machine.

3. Parts and Components of an Abductor Machine

Figure 2. Parts & components of abductor machine

Weight Stack

Most of the popular brands offer front-mounted weight stacks so that they can provide privacy to the users while exercising. Depending on the brands, abductor machines offer adjustable weight stack, ranges between 70 lbs. and 200 lbs. with a 10 lbs. incremental rate.   

Tube

The weight stack cage is reinforced with a D-shape tube and racetrack tube that ensure stability and ultra-durability.

Shroud

The abductor machine can have a full shroud or only a rear shroud. The shroud is usually made from virgin ABS material and ensures ultra-durability and shock resistance. 

Cables

The self-lubricating cable inside the pipe, makes the abductor machine organized. Top brands like Yanre Fitness,  feature nylon-coated 12 complex fiber cable that ensures high service life.

Adjustable Seat

There is a seat for the users which is height-adjustable. The seat adjustment handle allows users easy and comfortable operation.

Pivoting Thigh Pads

The pivoting thigh pads are padded for comfort and facilitate abduction movements by easily rotating from inner to outer positions.

Hand Grips

Hand grips are usually made from TPV material and assist the user’s stability during workouts. Thermoplastic Vulcanisate (TPV) is a form of rubber that is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and extremely durable alloy.

CAM & Pulley

The CAM & pulley arrangement ensures smooth movement of dynamic components. The arrangement is made from POM material and customized with high-quality bearing to with-stand high-intensity and long-term use. 

Polyoxymethylene (POM) is a semi-crystalline engineered thermoplastic. Engineered plastics have better mechanical properties like low surface friction and good dimensional stability. 

4. Types of Abductor Machine

Based on the construction of the weight stack, the abductor machine can be divided into the following two categories

Plate-loaded Design

For plate-loaded design, the weight stack is located at the back of the chair featuring an adjustable weight range. These abductor machines have an adjustable padded seat with a backrest, pivoting dual pads, and a smooth gear system.

Figure 3. Plate loaded design abductor machine

Tower Design

This is a widely used and most popular type of abductor machine. For tower design, the weight stack is located at the front-mounted tower. This type of abductor machine features a weight selection pin, pivoting pads, adjustable seat, and multiple start positions.

The tower can have only a rear shroud or full shroud. It also provides privacy to the users while exercising with this machine.  

Figure 4. Tower design abductor machine

5. 14 Key Features That You Should Know About the Abductor Machine

Top branded high-quality abductor machines have some great features. They should have a good aesthetic, user-friendly design, and smoothness in operation.

Low Profile Tower

The low-profile tower of an abductor machine is especially suited with a gym that has an open floor design. It also adds a ‘welcome’ environment to the gym.

Compact Design

Most of the abductor machines offer small dimensions to make the units compact. The compact design of this machine means it can save space and fits anywhere in your gym.

Light-weight

Top brands like Yanre Fitness offer light and composite materials to their abductor machines’ construction. High-quality abductor machines have ABS shroud, hollow tubes and pipes, POM material pulley, and TPV material handles. 

All of these things make the units lightweight and convenient to move.   

Multiple Start Position

The multiple adjustable start position of the abductor machine helps to accommodate users of varying sizes. This feature also offers easy entry and exit for the users. For commercial units, this feature is a must.

Figure 5. Multiple start position of an Abductor machine

Integrated Storage

Some of the abductor machines also come up with a built-in accessory tray and a bottle holder. This is a useful feature for the users to keep their phone, keys, and water bottle while exercising.

Textured Footpegs

The footpegs of the abductor machines are usually textured for secure placement of the legs. This feature protects against accidental slips of the legs while exercising.

Figure 6. Textured footpegs

Heavy-duty Cable

All load-bearing gym equipment must have heavy-duty cables to support the rigorous usage demands of the machines. Top-notch abductor machines offer a heavy-duty self-lubricate cable with nylon-coated complex fiber to ensure longer service life.

Heavy-duty Floor Protectors

Top manufacturers like Yanre Fitness offer floor protectors made up of molded rubber with their abductor machine units. These floor protectors help better protect your gym floor.

Comfort

To ensure comfort factor, top branded like Yanre Fitness abductor machines offer lumbar support, adjustable back pad, easy access handgrip, swiveling knee pads, adjustable seat position, and so on.

The usability and comfort of the machine is an important factor to enjoy and get the ultimate benefit from the workouts.

Durability & Safety

To ensure durability and safety, most abductor machine manufacturers offer several features like:

• Translucent ABS shroud to ensure ultra-durability
• Nylon coated cable arrangement to get extra durability & smoothness in motion
• Weight selection pin fitted with a holding system to prevent accidental change or movement during exercise
• Cover up all the dynamic components for safety purposes
• Explanatory stickers at various points on the machine to help the users avoiding from entrapping fingers and other accidents

To make sure about safety measures, abductor machine manufacturers also provide different safety and reliability-related certifications like EN957, ISO20957, 93/42 EEC, etc. At Yanre Fitness, we offer a certificate of ISO20957, which means our equipment has passed the International Organization for Standardization.

Easy Serviceability

To make sure the easy serviceability top quality abductor machine features simple cable arrangement and easy accessibility to all the tube ends.

Customization Options

Yanre Fitness offers several customization options for the customers according to their preferences and business needs.

• Color selection for upholstery and frame
• Logo print on the machine
• Size selection for the weight stack tower
• Weight range selection

Warranty

The best warranty is one that is never used. So try and buy an abductor machine that has a reputation for durability and quality. 

Look for a genuine warranty period that could last from 5 years to 10 years depending upon the parts and components.

Price

Depending on the brand value, technical features, comfort, and operational capacity of the abductor machines, the price varies. Also, the wholesale price decreases along with the increased order quantity. 

The average prices of the abductor machines start from $300 to $400 and can go up to $700 to $800 based on types and features.

6. Things to Consider While Buying Commercial Abductor Machines

You should check the following things to evaluate the quality and reliability of a commercial abductor machine.

• Run the machine and check whether it is smooth to use
• The abductor machine should have a feature to stop the motion at any time
• Check the thickness of the cable; the thicker the cable is, the more solid and reliable the cable will be
• Check the maximum load capacity and the incremental load of the abductor machine
• Check whether the machine surface is smooth to the touch
• Press the seat with your thumb firmly to check its density level and softness
• Adjust the machine seat several times to check the ease of use
• Make the pulley rotate and check whether it vibrates
• Check the international standard and safety-related certifications like ISO20957 or EN957

7. Installation Requirements

Before installing an abductor machine in your gym, you need to ensure the following installation requirements.

Space

Abductor machines are compact in design. It requires less space to install. Generally, the abductor machines are 55 inches to 60 inches in length and 35 inches to 40 inches in width.

Besides ensuring machine space, you need to ensure the movement allowances. Remember that, for commercial use, you should leave roughly 3 to 4 feet of free space around your abductor machine. This is for the safety precaution which will help to reduce unwanted accidents and injuries.

Height

The average height of an abductor machine can be around 60 inches. Ensure your floor has enough height to accommodate the machine with clearance. The minimum clearance height should be 4 feet. 

Floor Protector

It is recommended to use 3/8 inch or 8mm interlocking rubber as a floor protector for your gym machines. Most of the manufacturers offer floor protectors made up of molded rubber with their abductor machines.

You can contact our team at Yanre Fitness to know the floor protectors we offer with our abductor machines. Use the floor protector under your machine bed to absorb the vibration while running. 

Installation Process

All abductor machines come with a step-by-step installation guide which can easily be followed while installing the machine. You can choose to do it by yourself. 

If you want some help, you can check with us at Yanre Fitness to know about our installation services.

8. Cleaning and Maintenance Tips

Always make sure your abductor machine is neat and clean. Assign several shifts a day for basic appliance cleaning. Never use any cleaning agents that have been not advised by the manufacturer as they can damage the surface finish or aesthetic of the product.

Every time before starting to use the machine, you need to ensure that the machine is running smoothly. In the manuals, you will find all the necessary information about the proper maintenance of your abductor machines.

You should set up a calendar for the devices to be checked regularly for damage. This preventive maintenance schedule will help you to prevent unexpected injuries to your members. You can divide your maintenance schedule into daily and monthly tasks. 

Daily Maintenance Tasks

• Check all the components of the machine, including the safety keys, for safe operation. Check whether there are any loose screws or nuts and bolts. 
• If you’ve found anything abnormal and you are not sure about that, unplug the machine immediately and place an “Out-of-Service” note on the machine until the issue is resolved.
• Perform regular cleaning of the abductor machine. Remove sweat, dust, and dirt from the equipment’s upholstery, racing & pulley, and electric wires. You can use a vacuum cleaner and a soft towel for cleaning purposes.

Monthly Maintenance Tasks

• Inspect all the power cables and connecting cords. If you’ve found any fault or worn cables, replace that immediately if necessary.
• Check the oil reservoir of the machine used for lubrication purposes. Fill the reservoir with proper oil lubricant according to the manufacturers’ instructions.
• Check the running pulley tension and alignment. Adjust if necessary but do not over tighten the tension.

Regular cleaning and maintenance will help you to keep your equipment in good condition and save you from spending on expensive repairs. 

9. Conclusion

We’ve tried to accumulate all the necessary information about the abductor machine that you need to know. 

We’ve discussed all the key features, technical specifications, and advantages of installing the abductor machine in your gym.

Yanre Fitness manufactures high-quality customized abductor machines according to your business requirement.

So, contact us to find the exact commercial abductor machine for your gym and get the best quotation.