Think of your hips as your body’s transmission. They transfer power through your body as you walk, run, climb stairs or change direction on the pickleball court. If they aren’t strong enough, other joints, like your lower back and knees, often end up absorbing the force instead, said Eric Dannenberg, a performance coach in Phoenix.
More than 20 muscles cross the hip joint, and all of them have to be strong for your hips to function optimally. Large muscles, like the gluteus maximus, generate the power you need to rise from a chair. Smaller muscles, like the gluteus minimus, help keep your pelvis stable as you walk.
“Modern life is working against our hips,” said Dr. Aaron Krych, chair of orthopedic surgery at the Mayo Clinic. Sitting for hours shortens and tightens your hip flexors and lengthens your glutes, making them slow to activate or even fail to engage at all. “This impacts everything from posture to the length of our stride,” he said.
Mobility exercises can help counteract stiffness. But if you’re constantly stretching tight hips without feeling relief, you may need to focus on strengthening them, Mr. Dannenberg said. “We often find that a tight hip is a weak hip,” he said.
One way to test your hip strength is to have someone observe your form when you do a squat or a step-up. If your knees cave inward during these movements, it’s a sign that the hip muscles are weak, Mr. Dannenberg said.
The following exercises strengthen the muscles that move your hips, including your glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors and hip adductors. They also work the joint through its range of motion. Performing this routine two to three times per week can help you move more confidently and can help combat aches and injuries.
Overview
Time: 20 minutes
Intensity: Moderate
Rounds: Perform two to three sets of each exercise. Rest 30 to 60 seconds between sets.
What You’ll Need
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A resistance band
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A chair or a bench
Clamshells
Targets: Gluteus medius
Repetitions: 10 to 12 per side
Lie on your left side with your hips, knees and ankles stacked on top of one another. Your knees should be bent at a 90-degree angle. Rest your head on your left arm so your neck is in a neutral position. Your top hand can rest on your top hip or on the ground in front of you. Keep your heels touching as you lift your top knee. Pause at the top and then lower your knee back to the starting position. Don’t let your hips rotate forward or back. For an added challenge, loop a resistance band just above your knees.
Banded Marches
Targets: Hip flexors and core
Repetitions: 20 total or 10 per leg
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a resistance band looped around both feet. The band should stretch across the tops of your feet. Engage your core as you raise your left knee to around hip height. Lower it to the ground and then raise the right. Continue marching in place while keeping a tall spine.
Donkey Kicks
Targets: Glutes and hamstrings
Repetitions: 10 to 12 per side
Start on all fours, with your hands stacked directly under your shoulders, and your knees under your hips. Your back should be flat and your chin tucked slightly to keep your neck long. Keep the 90-degree bend in your right knee as you lift your right leg toward the ceiling. Your right foot should be flexed and your hips level. Stop when your right thigh is around parallel to the floor. Don’t let your low back arch. Pause and return to the starting position. Repeat and switch sides.
Side Plank Hip Raises
Targets: Obliques, gluteus medius
Repetitions: 10 to 12 per side
Lie on your left side with your legs stacked and your left forearm on the floor, elbow just under your shoulder. Extend a straight right arm. Press into your left foot and forearm to lift your hips off the floor so your body forms a straight line. Engage your core as you lower your left hip to tap the ground and then slowly lift back up. Repeat and switch sides.
If this is too challenging, you can also perform the side plank with your feet staggered (one foot just in front of the other) or with your knees on the floor, just slightly in front of your hips.
Seated Leg Lift
Targets: Hip flexors, quads, core
Repetitions: 10 to 12 per side
Sit with your legs extended out in front of you. You can rest your fingertips on the floor for balance. Lift a straight right leg as high as you can while maintaining a tall spine. Hold for three to five seconds. Lower to the floor. For an added challenge, place an object like a yoga block or a water bottle on the outside of your leg and try to lift your leg over the object while keeping it straight.
Hip Thrust
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core
Repetitions: 10 to 12
Sit with your back facing a bench, a chair or a couch. Place your shoulder blades against the bench, hands cradling the back of the head, and have your feet hip-width apart. Drive through your heels to lift your hips. Your shins should be parallel with the floor. Squeeze your glutes at the top. Lower your hips until your butt hovers off the ground. Repeat. You can place a barbell or another weight on your hips for an added challenge.
Drop Squat
Targets: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, explosive power
Repetitions: 10 to 12
Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Extend your arms straight overhead. Rise up on the balls of your feet and then quickly bring your feet flat to the floor as you sit your hips down and back into a squat. Your arms will swing by your sides and slowly behind your hips as you squat. Quickly rise and repeat.
On-set trainer: Amanda Katz
The post A 20-Minute Workout for Strong, Healthy Hips appeared first on New York Times.
