Hip Mobility & Strength

This practice is for anyone with stiff, tight, or restricted hips who wants to build strength while improving mobility and control. Explore a flowing sequence to mobilize the spine, strengthen the glutes and hip muscles, and improve hip stability. Move through cat-cow variations, hip hinging, kneeling strength work, and 90/90 hip rotations with slow, mindful movement. We will finish with a relaxed butterfly position to release tension and soften bracing around the hips. Repeat daily for best results. Next, complete my 'Somatic Hip Release' video to further relax the hips.

Transcript

Taking a tabletop position. Ground the hands. Down to the floor. And even out the weight in between the knees. And we're going to move into our cat cow to open up. The spine. Take a inhale. And curve the spine up to the ceiling. Exhale. Arching the spine down. Head looks forward. Inhale. How? Exhale. Inhale. How? Exhale. Continue at your own pace. Deepening and slowing down the breath with each rep. And last one. And come back. To a neutral position. We're going to move this movement down into the hip. So as we inhale, And do our cow. We're going to shift. The weight back. Now you don't have to go all the way down so that your butt is touching your heels, Just listen to your body. And as we come forward. We're going to arch into cat here. And then curl the spine into cow as you sit the hips back. And arch into cat. As you come forward. Don't have to go back. Inhale. Count. Exhale. And if. . . Your knees are feeling a little sore. You can tuck the toes. Underneath the heels to take the pressure off or you can use a cushion underneath. The knees. Last one here. And come back to your neutral position. Now we're going to reverse that movement. It's time. You arch the spine into cat. We're going to shift the weight back. Onto the heels as you arch the spine. And as you come forward, You're going to round the spine into Tau. Exhale as you arch and sit back. On the heels. Inhale as you round forward. And here we're moving the spine at the same time as compressing the hips Close down the eyes. And enjoy this movement. Let the head move freely with the spine. Dropping down to the floor as we do our cow. And looking up. To the wall as we do the cat and sit back. Last one. And come back to neutral. Drop the toes down and rest all the way back into child's pose. Resting the forehead. Down on the mat. Fully relax the hips and let your weight sink down through the hip joints. Breathing and then come back up. To your tabletop position. Our next movement. We're going to sit back. On the heels. Knees spread apart. And from here. . . Using the power of the glutes. Pushing the knees down into the floor We're going to stand up. Activate the glutes. And feel the stretch through the front of the hips. And then slowly lower down. And you don't need to go all the way down. Just where your body is comfortable. And then pushing down through the knees. Hinging the hips and standing up. Keep the chest. In line with the knees. At all times. Hinging the hips forward as you sit. And then pushing through the knees and the glutes as you come back up. Slowly move through this pattern. And notice any imbalances between the activation of the muscles. If the right or left side tends to take over. Working through the quads and the glutes. And also the hip flexors. Last one. Sit back down. Now bring one knee up. Taking a kneeling stance. Again, You may need a cushion. Underneath the back knee. And we're going to do the same thing here. Sit back. About halfway. And then. . . Using the quad. And stretching out that hip flexor as you come up. You can place your hands on the supporting hip. One on the glutes. And one in front. Passing your energy into this hip. Pressing the weight back and then coming back up. So this is a strengthening exercise. And you may feel the quads and the glutes. Really starting to work here. Last one. And let's change legs. Kneeling position. Drop the weight into the back knee. Hinging the hips forward. And then using the quad and the glutes. To stand back up. Go nice and slow, Really focusing on the activation. Of the surrounding muscles of the hips. Building that strength and stability. Two more. Well done. Remove. The pillow, We're going to move into our 90-90 hip movement. You may need to use your cushion underneath your butt. Listen to your body. Legs apart, Knees bent. And lean back on your hands. Bring one knee. Out to the side. And then bring the other knee in. To follow. Now open out the other knee. And bring the other one in to follow. Open. And the other knee follows. Moving one hip at a time. Passing the focus. Into each hip as it moves. Move one hip only. Let it pass. So we should always move through this open position. Before the other knee. Closes in. Always moving one leg at a time. And once you have this pattern, Close down the eyes. And really feel into each hip as it moves. Working through internal and external rotation here. And the slower we move, The better control. And the better strengthening effect this has. Through the tiny muscles of the hips. Slow down the breath. And enjoy the smoothness. Of this movement. Last one. Come back to the center. Pull the feet. Into a butterfly sit position. Straighten the spine. Pull the lower back forward as much as possible. Drop the breath all the way down into the diaphragm. And sitting here and breathing. With each breath. Allow the hips to further relax. Remove any bracing. Patience. And when you think you can't relax anymore. Relax again. Stay here for as long as you need.