Advertisement
Stiff Hips? Here's The One Move You Should Start Doing Daily, From A Yoga Instructor
At the beginning of almost every yoga class I teach, I ask the class what they want to do, and specifically, if there's anything they want to stretch or strengthen. By far, the request I hear the most is hip stretches, with tons of students mentioning stiff hips and/or sitting too much.
So if that sounds all too familiar, here's the one move I recommend doing daily for better hip mobility, plus a few extra tips to keep in mind.
Why you should do weighted glute bridges for better hip mobility
If you're dealing with stiff hips, and even backaches, the odds are pretty high that your hip flexors are tight.
And that's unsurprising, considering so many of us spend time sitting—which forces our hips into flexion, as opposed to extension.
What you want to do to counteract those tight hip flexors is extend them, and further, incorporate some weights to strengthen the muscles that surround your hips. Strong muscles = stable joints.
Thus, weighted glute bridges are a simple, accessible, and effective move for strengthening your glutes, stabilizing your hips and low back, and more. Here's how to do 'em.
- Come to lie flat on your back with your head and neck relaxed, knees bent up, and your feet flat on the ground, roughly hips-width distance apart.
- Place a weight on your hips (i.e., a barbell, a dumbbell, or a kettlebell). Depending on your strength, you can start as low as 5 pounds or work up to your body weight with a barbell.
- Press down through your heels to lift your hips up. Keep the head and neck on the ground, and feel for a lift where the glutes meet your thighs. Feel for lengthening out your quads (the front of your thighs), as if your knees were pulling away from your hips.
- Contract your abdominal muscles in toward the midline of your body, ensuring your ribs do not flare outward.
- Breathe and hold for 15-30 seconds.
- Keeping the heels down and chin tucked in, slowly release, lowering vertebra by vertebra.
- Reset and repeat for 2-3 minutes.
Other ways to increase your hip mobility
Try other moves for hip extension & strength
If you're loving the benefits you're seeing from doing weighted glute bridges, you don't have to stop there. Here are a few other key poses I'll incorporate into yoga class when students want to loosen their hip flexors:
- Low lunge
- High lunge
- Wheel
- Floor bow
- Dancer
- Camel
- Mermaid
- Tiger
- Upward facing dog
- Fixed firm
And when it comes to strengthening the muscles surrounding your joints, you can go for strength-training moves too. Remember, if you start to feel like you're plateauing, you might need to add weights, gradually increasing the weight as you get stronger:
- Squats
- Split squats
- Lunges
- Lateral squats
- Lateral resistance band walks
- One-legged glute bridge
Take a creatine supplement
As aforementioned, strong muscles make for happy and stable joints, so if you want better mobility and less stiffness, you need strength! Incorporating a creatine supplement can help you make the most of your workouts, as creatine is a compound stored in muscles1 that the muscles use for energy.*
The recommended creatine dose for optimizing strength and muscle health is 3 to 5 grams per day2. Evidence suggests a creatine intake of at least 3 grams a day is enough to provide significant health benefits, but many clinical trials support a 5-gram daily dose.
Together, creatine and taurine offer a streamlined approach to supporting your fitness goals.*
Take stretching breaks throughout the day
Lastly, if you want to prevent stiffness going forward, you'll want to avoid being sedentary for extended periods of time. Taking regular stretching breaks throughout the day is never a bad idea, especially if you work a desk job.
Set a reminder on your phone to stretch every hour or so. You don't have to do anything over the top—just stand up, walk around a little, and do a minute or two of hip extension stretches.
The takeaway
From clicking hips to low back discomfort, tight hip flexors are no fun—but they can be prevented! With a daily regimen of weighted glute bridges, plus additional strengthening and stretching throughout the week, your hips and overall mobility will thank you.
Watch Next
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
What Is Meditation?
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins
Box Breathing
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
What Breathwork Can Address
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
Nutrition | Rich Roll
What to Eat Before a Workout
Nutrition | Rich Roll
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Nutrition | Sahara Rose
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
Love Languages
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
What Is Meditation?
Box Breathing
What Breathwork Can Address
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
What to Eat Before a Workout
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love Languages
Advertisement
