With so many ways to exercise, and so many things to focus your workouts on (leg day, fixing back pain, stronger arms, etc.), mobility is easy to overlook when planning your workouts. However, it’s key for your overall health, fitness, and movement – particularly when it comes to your hips.
“If your body was a house, the hips and pelvic girdle would be the foundation,” says Grace Taylor, PT, DPT. “Without a strong, proper foundation, the rest of the house collapses.” Strong hips reduce stress and strain on other joints in your body, ensure proper alignment and posture, and improve your body awareness. When someone lacks mobility in their hips, they have to find that missing movement or function in other areas of their body, which leads to undue stress on the body. That’s why hip mobility exercises are so important.
Araceli de Leon, MS, RYT 500, ACE-PT echoes this sentiment. Mobility of any joint is important because our kinetic chain is connected, and one misalignment or issue will be compensated by another, de Leon explains. Restricted or decreased range of motion can lead to imbalances in the body, in the hip, it can lead to a change in walking or running pattern, posture, issues in the lower back/lumbar spine or legs, or higher risk factors for injuries. “Healthy hip mobility isn’t just important for athletes and active people; it’s crucial for everyday life,” de Leon tells PS.
Causes of Poor Hip Mobility
Tightness in the hip joint can come from reduced muscle length or muscle tightness surrounding the joint, reduced strength and stability, or injury to passive structures that provide joint stability and appropriate positioning, says Grace.
The muscles in our hip area work together to give the hip proper joint mobility. However, when a few of those muscles are doing most of the work, the other muscles might become underactive, weak, lengthened, and tight, says de Leon. On the same note, overactive muscles become shortened and tight. Thus, poor hip mobility is generally a result of an imbalance in the muscles working in the hip region. These imbalances can happen from too much sitting or standing, working conditions like favoring carrying loads on one side of the body, or ignoring proper warm up and cool down in your workout routines.
One thing to note is that reduced hip mobility doesn’t always mean you have tight hip muscles, says de Leon. Often, the issue is partnered with weak or underutilized hip muscles. Even if you lift weights frequently, some people forget about strengthening the smaller, underactive muscles of the hips, like the gluteus medius, tensor fascia lata, or adductor muscles. Another way to improve hip mobility is to include exercises that strengthen these smaller stabilizer muscles, not just the gluteus maximus.
How Fast Can You Increase Hip Mobility?
The most important determinant in improving hip mobility is consistency, says de Leon. The key is to focus on a program that works for your schedule, lifestyle and goals, and is safe for your body. Generally, with a consistent routine, you’ll start to notice some changes after 3-4 weeks of consistent stretching and mobility; and more substantial changes after 8-12 weeks, says Taylor.
Best Hip Mobility Exercises
To avoid or unlock tight hips, Taylor recommends moving frequently, avoiding prolonged positions like sitting, stretching your hips three times a week, and strengthening your hip, both the large musculature such as the hip flexor and glutes, as well as stability muscles. Ahead, we had de Leon and Taylor for their favorite hip mobility exercises to get you started.
Kaley Rohlinger
Child's Pose
Child’s pose gently stretches the lower back, hips and thighs, and can provide a soothing effect on the nervous system, says Taylor.
- Begin by kneeling on the floor.
- Bring your knees almost mat-width apart and sit back, bringing your hips toward your heels and stretching your arms forward while lowering your forehead to the mat.
- Hold for 30 seconds, repeat twice. (Note: you can also perform this with your knees together if more comfortable)
Kaley Rohlinger
Cat-Cow Pose
Repeat this fluid motion to increase mobility in the neck, shoulder, and spine.
- Start on your hands and knees with a neutral spine. Keep your hands aligned with your shoulders, and your knees aligned with your hips.
- Inhale as you arch your back, lifting your head and tailbone and focusing on opening through the collarbones for cow pose.
- Exhale as you round your back, tuck your chin and tailbone, and press into the palms for cat pose.
- Repeat 5-10 times, holding for a breath during each inhale and exhale.
Kaley Rohlinger
Figure 4
This pose stretches the hip and glute muscles to improve hip mobility and relieve tension in the lower back.
- Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Cross one ankle over the opposite knee, forming a “4” shape with your legs.
- Gently reach through the opening between your legs and clasp your hands behind your thigh or on top of the shin.
- Keep your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears, and the back of your head on the mat.
- Hold for 30 seconds, repeat twice.
Kaley Rohlinger
Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Want better posture and to alleviate lower back pain? Work this half-kneeling stretch into your routine. Plus, tucking your pelvis under in this way helps to deliver a much-need stretch to your hip flexors.
- Begin in a half kneeling position, with one knee on the ground, and the other bent in front of you.
- Tilt your pelvis inward like you’re tucking for barre class. Taylor describes this motion as tucking an imaginary tail between your legs.
- Gently shift your weight forward to move your hips forward. You should feel a stretch in the front of your hip. Keep both hips facing forward and do not let go of the pelvic tilt.
- Hold for 30 seconds, then switch legs.
Kaley Rohlinger
Hip Flexor Mobilization with Foam Roller
Foam rolling is a great way to relieve tight, sore muscles. Not only does foam rolling break up tension, it can also help relax the nervous system and release fascia, per the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
- Begin lying face down on your elbows, with a foam roller under both hips.
- Use your arms to push back and forth, rolling the foam roller along the front of your thighs.
Need more tips on how to use a foam roller? Check out the POPSUGAR Fitness YouTube channel.
Kaley Rohlinger
Lizard
This pose is a deep hip-opening posture that encourages flexibility and mobility in the hips and groin, while also strengthening the legs and opening up the chest. For an advanced variation, you can move down to your forearms in the lunge.
- Begin in a low lunge position with one foot forward and the other leg extended back. Your front knee should be directly above your ankle.
- Bring both palms to the inside of the front foot. A common mistake is to hunch the upper back, so keep your gaze forward, looking toward the top of the mat, and imagine your spine long from the base of your spine to the crown of the head.
- Repeat twice on each side, holding for 5-7 breaths each.
Kaley Rohlinger
Seated Glute Stretch
This pose is a simple, but excellent way to stretch the hips, glutes, and lower back.
- Begin in a seated, cross-legged position, with the right foot tucked into the left thigh.
- Lean your torso forward over crossed legs, stretching forward with your hands and hinging at the hips.
- Hold for five to ten seconds, then switch the cross of your legs and perform on the other side.
- Do two rounds total.
Kaley Rohlinger
Warrior 2
This pose strengthens the legs and core, while opening the hips, chest and neck. It can also help to enhance focus and balance.
- Start with your feet wide apart, and turn your front foot so that it’s pointing forward.
- Keep your back foot parallel to the back edge of your mat, so that your front heel is in alignment with the arch of your back foot.
- Extend your arms out to the sides, with both hands in line with your shoulders, and bend your front knee.
- Hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.
Form tip: Make sure you have knee and ankle alignment by ensuring that the front knee is in line with the second or third toe of the front foot–don’t let it cave inward. Keep your back leg extended, and your gaze over the middle finger of your front hand. Make sure to keep your shoulders relaxed and aligned over your hips, to avoid shifting your upper body forward in this pose.
