Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of alignment of the lower extremity during hip abduction exercise and clamshell exercise. Methods The subjects were twenty healthy men without low back pain or lower limb pain. Subjects performed four gluteus medius exercises: hip abduction (AB), hip abduction with the alignment of the lower extremity (AB-AL), clamshell (CLAM), clamshell with the alignment of lower extremity (CLAM-AL). Surface EMG was used to measure hip abductor muscle activity and recruitment pattern from the five muscles: gluteus medius (Gmed), tensor fascia latae (TFL), gluteus maximus upper fiber (GmaxU), gluteus maximus lower fiber (GmaxL), and quadratus lumborum (QL). Results TFL EMG activity was significantly greater in AB than in AB-AL (p>.05). Gmed was significantly greater in CLAM than in CLAM-AL. Gmed, TFL, QL were significantly greater AB than CL. GmaxU, GmaxL were significantly greater CLAM than AB (p>.05). In the recruitment pattern, there was a difference between AB and CLAM (p<.05). However, In both exercises, there was no difference according to lower extremity alignment (p<.05). Conclusion It is recommended to perform the exercise in consideration of the type of exercise and the alignment of the lower extremity according to the aim of training.