Hip conditioning isn’t sexy — but it is essential. This is especially true for women, as your hips are an integral part of your powerhouse, the lumbo pelvic hip complex (LPHC). The LPHC is the largest joint in the body; it’s responsible for initiating so many movements, both in and outside of the gym — sitting, walking, running, squatting, bending over to pick something up off the ground (a child, grocery bags, what have you). So, keeping it healthy, strong, and functioning properly needs to be a top priority.
The best hip exercises are going to be ones that increase strength and mobility. That means they’ll help to boost muscle endurance and mass, plus train your hips to go through their full range of motion. Hip strengthening exercises don’t need to involve any equipment, making them easy to do at home or while travelling, as well as at the gym. They include hip flexor exercises (ones that target the muscles on the front of your hips), as well as moves that target your glutes, thighs, and hamstrings. Because these muscles work with and support your hips, it’s important that they’re also strong and functioning optimally; otherwise, they can put unnecessary stress on your hips and cause hip pain, muscle imbalances, compensations, and injuries.
Below, you’ll find a list of the 12 best hip exercises for strength and mobility and instructions for how to perform each. Each move is suitable for all fitness levels. The first 10 moves work great as a dynamic warm-up before strength training sessions. Complete as many reps as possible of each move for 30 seconds and then continue on to the next. For exercises that work one side of the body at a time, perform 30 seconds of the move on each side.
Finally, the last two moves are a great combo to tack on to the end of any workout as a finisher to rev your heart rate. Complete both moves back to back for 30 seconds each, then rest for 30 seconds and repeat them both a second time.
High Knees
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