Five Simple Exercises That Wake-Up Sleeping Hips
If you spend most of your day sitting, there’s a good chance your hips have become a little lazy.
That might sound odd because they often feel tight, sore or stiff. Surely they’re working too hard?
Not necessarily
Many people assume tight hips need stretching, but in reality, they often need waking up. Sitting for hours encourages some muscles around the hips to switch off while others end up doing more than their fair share. It’s a bit like having a team where only half the members are pulling their weight.
The result can be aching hips, tightness through the front of the thighs, lower back discomfort, sore knees and a body that simply doesn’t move as smoothly as it used to.
The good news is that it doesn’t take hours in the gym to change this. A few simple movements performed regularly can remind your hips how they’re supposed to work.
Here are five of my favourites.
Glute Bridges
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Push through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause for a couple of seconds before lowering back down.
This isn’t about lifting as high as possible. Focus on squeezing your glutes rather than arching your lower back.
Try 10 to 15 slow repetitions.
Standing Hip Circles
Stand on one leg while holding onto a wall or chair if you need a little balance. Lift the opposite knee and slowly draw circles with it, keeping the rest of your body as still as possible.
This helps your hip joint move through its natural range while encouraging the smaller stabilising muscles to wake up.
Five slow circles in each direction is plenty to start with.
Bodyweight Squats
You don’t need heavy weights to teach your hips to work again.
Stand with your feet around shoulder width apart. Sit back as though you’re lowering yourself onto a chair before standing back up.
Only go as low as feels comfortable. Smooth movement is far more important than depth.
Aim for 8 to 12 repetitions.
Bird Dog
Start on your hands and knees. Slowly reach one arm forwards while extending the opposite leg behind you. Hold for a couple of seconds before returning to the start and changing sides.
This exercise builds communication between your hips, core and shoulders, helping your whole body become more stable.
Take your time. Slow and controlled always beats fast.
Step Ups
Using the bottom step of your staircase or a sturdy platform, step up with one foot, stand tall, then lower yourself back down under control.
This mirrors movements you perform every day while strengthening the muscles that support your hips and knees.
Try 8 to 10 repetitions on each leg.
The secret isn’t finding magical exercises. It’s doing them consistently.
Five or ten minutes most days will almost always beat one long session every few weeks. Your body loves regular reminders, especially after spending hours sitting at a desk or behind the wheel.
Pain?
If any movement causes pain, don’t push through it. There’s a difference between muscles working and joints complaining. That’s where individual guidance can make a huge difference.
As a personal trainer, I spend a lot of time helping people reconnect with muscles they’ve forgotten they even had. Often, improving hip strength doesn’t just make your hips feel better. It can reduce niggles in the knees, ease tension in the lower back and even make walking feel lighter and more comfortable.
Everyone’s movement habits are slightly different, which is why there isn’t a one size fits all solution. Sometimes a tiny adjustment to technique or choosing a different exercise altogether is enough to make everything click.
If your hips have been feeling stiff for months, or you’ve tried stretching without much success, it might be time to stop fighting against your body and start teaching it how to move well again.
Sometimes your hips don’t need fixing
They just need reminding what they’re capable of.
Think you need some guidance with your hips? Book online for a sports massage at www.astralfitness.co.uk or pop me a message to [email protected] to discuss your personal training needs.
Thank you for reading this weeks blog, Five Simple Exercises That Wake-Up Sleeping Hips.
Thanks for reading,
Chloe