Transcription
Most adults have lost almost half of their hip mobility. And when that happens, every day task start feeling harder than they should. Squatting down, picking something up off the floor, getting up from the couch, even playing with your kids can start to feel challenging.
Most people try stretching their hips, but stretching alone usually isn't enough because the hip actually needs to move in three key directions to stay healthy. So today, I'm going to show you three movement patterns most adults lose and exactly how to start restoring proper hip function.
First, let's check if you have lost access to this movement. Sit down and try placing your ankle over your opposite knee. If that position feels stiff or uncomfortable, your hips are probably missing external rotation, which is one of the first movements many adults lose.
The first movement pattern your hips need is rotation. Your hip should be able to rotate both externally and internally. External rotation is what lets you cross your ankle over your opposite knee when you are sitting. Internal rotation is what allows your hip to rotate inward when you walk, run, or squat. Most adults are extremely limited in both.
So, first we restore external rotation. One of my favorite ways to do this is using a incline bench or even the arm of a couch. Place the outside of your knee on the edge and hinge forward through your hips while keeping your back tall. From here, you are going to gently push your knee into the surface and then come back up using your glutes. Try not to lift with your lower back. You should feel the work deep in the hip and glutes. Move slowly through about 8 to 10 controlled reps.
Now we restore internal rotation, which is actually what most people are missing. Lie on your stomach and place a heavy resistance band around your foot. Pull the bend so your hip rotates inward toward your end range. Hold that position for 30 seconds. Then gently press against the bend for about 10 seconds. Relax again and you will notice you can move further. Hold the new position for another 30 seconds and repeat the process two more times. This works because it uses a technique called PNF, which tricks your nervous system to allow more range of motion.
The next movement pattern your hips need is hip flexion. This is what allows you to squat deep, climb stairs, or bring your knee toward your chest. But when we see all day, the front of the hips become stiff and weak. So instead of just stretching the hip flexor, we want to open the front of the hip while building strength. Step into a long lunge and bring your back leg as far behind you as you can. From here, squeeze the glue of the back leg as hard as possible. You should feel the stretch running through the front of the hip and thigh. If you want to make this more challenging, gently lift the back knee off the ground. This adds strength to the position and teaches the hip to control that extended range. Start with eight to 10 reps per side.
Now, most people stop after the first two drills, but the third step is actually what makes the mobility stick. Now, once you have restored rotation and open the front of the hips, the last step is building strength in a position that opens the hips even further. One of my favorite movements for this is the horse stance. Start by taking a wide stance and turning your toes slightly outward. From here, slowly sit down between your hips while trying to stay as tall as possible through your torso. Focus on keeping your knees tracking in line with your feet as you lower down. As you settle into the position, you should feel a stretch along the inner thighs and hips. Those are your adductors. And for many people, they become extremely stiff from ears of sitting. This position opens those muscles while also building strength in the hips and legs.
If this feels difficult at first, that's completely normal. You can hold onto a wall, a counter, or a doorway so you can control how deep you go. The goal isn't forcing depth. It's gradually building strength in only the position. Start by holding the stance for about 20 to 30 seconds, then slowly increase your range of motion as you improve.
One of the reasons I like this movement so much is that it doesn't just stretch the hips. It builds strength while the hips are open, which is what helps make mobility last. Many of my clients have made significant mobility gains simply by practicing this position consistently.
So instead of throwing random stretches at stiff hips, focus on restoring the movements the hip actually needs. Hip rotation, hip flexion, and strength in open positions. Practice this a few times a week and most people start noticing their hips feel looser, stronger, and far less restricted. And when your hips move better, everything from squatting to walking tends to feel easier.