Transcription
If your hips feel tight, you've probably tried things like 9090 rotations, deep pigeon stretching, or you may have even purchased a stretching machine like you saw on Tik Tok. But let's be honest, most of these drills can feel super awkward for a lot of people and don't deliver real results for the average person.
Today, I'm going to show you three easy drills you can do right now to unlock your hips. No extreme flexibility or fancy equipment needed.
Now, here's why hip mobility matters. Your hips are no simple joint. In fact, they're one of the most mobile joints in the entire body. However, they have a tendency to become stiff if you ignore them.
"Is it true that if you don't use it, you lose it?"
If you've lost your hip mobility, you've probably noticed difficulty getting into a deep squat or even performing lunges without your technique breaking down. Over time, stiff hips can even lead to pain at the knees or lower back. So, let's unlock your hips with drills that actually work.
First up is the hip airplane. This drill trains your hip mobility and stability at the same time, which is what you need in real life. The great thing about this drill is that there's three different levels to it, so you can pick the one that's right for you and progress up as you can over time.
The most basic form starts by holding onto a rack or a wall lightly for balance. Hinge at the hips. Raise one leg back. Then slowly rotate your pelvis open and closed while keeping your stance knee slightly bent. As you rotate up, your hips are moving into external rotation. This should bring out a light stretch in your inner groin muscles if stiff. As you rotate down, your hips are moving into internal rotation. This should bring out a light stretch in your glutes if stiff. Start by performing five reps each way for a 5-second hold in the end range. Be sure to keep your knee and foot stable as letting them shift around will move tension inappropriately and you likely won't feel the stretch in the desired area.
Now, if that feels easy, here's how you level it up. You're going to use a kettle bell or dumbbell to add load to the motion. Rest the weight on the outside of your hip. Added load will help pull you into a greater stretch for your internal rotation motion and then require your lateral glute muscles work harder to pull you into external rotation. This means after a few reps, your lateral glutes should be on fire.
Finally, the last step is to take away your balance assistance completely and add a band. Attach a light resistance band to a rig and then fasten it around your leg around knee height. The band will be attempting to cave the knee inward. This means your body has to fight hard to stay in place and not fall over. This combination of mobility and stability is the ultimate expression of hip function. And again, after a few reps, your glutes will be on fire.
Next up is the soaz stretch. If your hip flexors are tight, your hips can't extend fully, which can affect your ability to run or lunge and can also hinder your ability for your glutes to work correctly. In fact, studies like this one from the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy found that athletes who had typed hip flexors exhibit less glute muscle activation than those that don't.
Try this test to see if your hip flexors are tight or not. Sit at the edge of a table or high bench. Lie back on the bench and pull one knee all the way to your chest while you let the other leg hang off the edge naturally. If your thigh doesn't reach the table, you have tightness in your hip flexors.
If this was you, here's one of my favorite ways to attack this limited flexibility. Start in a kneeling position. Tuck your hips under slightly. Squeeze your glute and shift forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip. Then reach your arm overhead and tilt your body to the side. This should bring out a stretch deep in the front of your hip. Be sure not to let your lower back arch like this when you perform it. Lock in your core to truly hit the soaz.
Finally, let's skip the deep pigeon pose stretch. For most people, this is a very difficult motion. Instead, try the kettle bell weight shift. This drill opens up your hips with external rotation while building strength and control. Start in a kneeling position with a weight in hand and one foot out to the side at a 30° angle. Keep your chest tall and hips forward into the weight. Then, shift your hips to the side until you feel a stretch in your groin muscles. Hold for five seconds, then return to the start.
The great thing about this stretch is you can individualize it for your body. If you're really tight, just move your foot forward a little bit so your leg is less open. If that's way too easy, open your hips up more to the side. Find what's right for you, but don't hinge your hips back as that will take the stretch off of your groin muscles.
These three drills are simple, effective, and actually work to unlock your hips. Do them daily, especially before lower body workouts, and you'll notice a huge difference. If you found this video helpful, make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss a video that helps you move painfree for life. But if you do have a pain in the front of your hip that feels like a pinch as you get into a deep squat, be sure to check out this full video I made on how to fix a hip impinchment next.