These three hip mobility exercises should be a staple for any workout prep or cooldown.
Without proper care and attention, the hip flexor and surrounding muscles can soon tighten up, linking directly into the quadriceps and posing a real risk of injury and discomfort.
To help prevent injury, and keep those squats going low, implementing mobility exercises into your daily routine whether it be at home, work or the gym will help hugely in preventing tight hips.
The 3 Best Hip Mobility Exercises You Need To Try
Scroll down to find out how to do each hip mobility exercise
Single-Leg Downward Dog to Pigeon Pose
Standing Hip Opener Rotations
Hip Flexor to Hamstring Stretch
Common Causes of Tight Hips:
Sitting down for long periods
Overuse of quadriceps and hip flexors
Poor post-workout mobility drills
1. Single-Leg Downward Dog to Pigeon Pose
The classic Pigeon Pose, with a unique twist. Moving from a single-leg downward dog position into the pigeon pose helps activate the glutes and stretch the hamstrings, before taking the pigeon pose position.
The Pigeon Pose helps stretch the glutes, release the hips and improve hip flexibility. Hold the pose for 30-40 seconds before repeating the full flow on the other leg.
How to do the single-leg downward dog to pigeon pose:
Lie flat on your front
Place your hands by your hips and push up into the position
From here, lift your hips and straighten your legs
From the downward dog position, bring one leg through your arms
Bend the front leg, so your food is behind your opposite hand
Lower your hips down to a seated position, with your back leg extended straight along the mat
2. Standing Hip Opener Rotations
If you've ever played football (or soccer), you'll most likely have done hip opening exercises. The Standing Hip opener Rotations help loosen the hip joint and the muscles surrounding it, improving hip mobility and preparing the joint for activity.
This hip exercise is especially great for a lower-body warm-up, preparing the hips for the stress created by squats, lunges and other leg exercises.
How To Do Standing Hip Opener Rotations:
Stand with a tall posture, placing your feet in line with your hips
Lift up one leg, bending your knee until it is level with your hips
Open your hip, rotating your leg round with your knee pointing outwards
Lift your foot backwards, level with your knee and extend your leg behind you
Bring your leg back down to the start position
3. Hip Flexor To Hamstring Stretch
The hip lunge exercise helps increase the flexibility and mobility of your hips and hip flexors, whilst leaning back into the hamstring stretch helps lengthen your hamstrings, back and calves.
Utilising a flow such as this one targets your anterior (front) and posterior (back), helping to improve overall mobility in less time, leaving you feeling much more nimble and ready for that post-workout brunch.
How To Do The Hip Flexor to Hamstring Stretch:
Starting in the lunge position
Place both hands in line with your front foot
Hold the hip flexor stretch
Rock back placing the weight on your back knee, straightening your front leg
Keep your hands in the same position, bringing your chest down to your front leg
Hold the hamstring stretch before returning to the start of the flow
Which of these five hip flexibility exercises will you be trying first? Let us know in the comments below.
Try our five best back stretches.
Learn more about how the Gymshark Conditioning App can compliment your mobility work. The workout app that lets you build custom workouts, track your progress, follow exclusive athlete training plans and much more. Take a peek, you know you want to.
