If your hips feel stiff after long hours at a desk or intense workouts, you’re not alone. Tight hips are a common issue that can lead to discomfort, reduced mobility, and even back pain over time. But, as well as creating everyday niggles, it can also hold back your performance in the gym and negatively impact your running.
To help loosen up your stiff hips, celebrity fitness trainer, Ingrid Clay, has shared three of her top mobility exercises that you can easily slot throughout your week, which require nothing more than your bodyweight. “These mobility moves improve alignment, posture, and overall performance,” she writes on her post.
Do these two to three times throughout the week and she says it’ll help boost your mobility and unlock better physical performance. Here’s what she recommends…
1. 90/90 hip internal rotation
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This is a popular exercise used in workout warm-ups and for loosening the hips after long days of sitting. Ingrid says that it “enhances internal hip rotation and activates glute muscles for better posture and stronger lifts”. By folding your body forward, she also adds that it can offer a great stretch to the lats and arms.
How to:
- Begin seated on the floor with both legs stretched straight out in front of you
- Bend your right knee and rotate it outward so that your right leg forms a 90-degree angle at both the hip and knee. Position your right shin so it’s at a right angle to your extended left leg
- Move your left leg behind you, bending the knee and angling it outward. Your left shin should form a right angle to your right thigh, creating a 90-degree bend at both the hip and knee.
- Arrange your legs so that your right shin lines up alongside your left thigh, and your left shin aligns with your right thigh. This positioning creates a “Z” shape with your lower body.
- Lean your body forward from your hips and extend your arms out in front of you, so that you feel a stretch down your lats and arms
- Hold here for 30 seconds then switch legs and repeat
Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side and do this three times
2. Banded pigeon stretch
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The pigeon stretch is a popular move in both yoga and Pilates, known for deeply opening up the hip muscles and easing stiffness. If you require an even deeper stretch, then Ingrid says you can incorporate a resistance band. Use a long pull-up style band and anchor it around a squat rack (or something sturdy), then loop it around your front leg. This places more force on the hip joint for an enhanced stretch.
How to:
- Begin on all fours and bring your right knee toward your right wrist
- Place your right ankle in front of your left hip
- Slide your left leg back and point your toes
- Flex the front foot and (if comfortable) walk your hands forward to fold the upper body forward
Hold for 45-60 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side and do this three times
3. Cossack stretch
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Ingrid says the cossack stretch is excellent for targeting your “inner thighs, hips, and ankles, improving squat depth and lateral strength”. It’s also a great exercise for building lower-body strength in general, particularly single-leg stability and control, as you’re working one side at a time.
- Begin in a wide stance with your feet much wider than hip-width apart
- Lower yourself down to the right into a deep squat, keeping one leg straight and your weight over the opposite heel (making sure both heels remain firmly on the floor)
- Push back through your bent leg to bring yourself back to the starting position and stand tall
- Shift your weight to the opposite side and repeat
Tip: If you struggle with balance or your range of motion, you can hold on to something stead, like the back of a chair or side of a squat rack, to assist you
Hold for 45-60 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side and do this two to three times
