Hips 6

A beginner routine designed to increase flexibility and strength in your hips.

Exercise Overview

Exercise Instructions

Lizard Pose demonstration

1. Lizard Pose

Instructions

  • Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
  • Step one foot forward, placing it outside your hand, and lower your hips towards the floor.
  • Extend your back leg straight behind you, keeping your knee and the top of your foot on the floor.

Tips

  • Keep your chest lifted and your back straight.
  • Relax your hips and allow them to sink towards the floor.
  • For a deeper stretch, lift your back knee and lower your forearms to the floor.

Benefits

  • Groin, Hips, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Glutes
Frog Pose demonstration

2. Frog Pose

Instructions

  • Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
  • Lower your forearms to the ground and widen your knees out to sides, keeping your hips in line with your knees and your toes pointed outward.
  • Gently press your hips back towards your heels.

Tips

  • Keep your chest lifted and your gaze forward.

Modifications

  • Bring your knees closer together to reduce the intensity.

Benefits

  • Groin, Hips, Lower Back
Pigeon demonstration

3. Pigeon

Instructions

  • Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
  • Bring one knee forward and place it behind your wrist on the same side, then slide your ankle towards your opposite hip.
  • Extend your other leg straight back behind you while keeping your hips square to the floor.
  • Gently lower your torso over your front leg and rest your forearms on the ground in front of you.

Tips

  • Keep your hips level and avoid leaning to one side.

Modifications

  • Place a folded blanket or block under the hip of the bent leg for support.
  • If folding forward is uncomfortable, stay upright and support yourself with your hands on the floor.

Benefits

  • Groin, Psoas, IT Band, Hips, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Glutes
Lying Side Leg Raise demonstration

4. Lying Side Leg Raise

Instructions

  • Start lying on your side with your legs extended and your feet stacked on top of each other.
  • Rest your head on your lower arm and place your top hand on your hip.
  • Engage your core to lift your top leg towards the ceiling, creating a 45 degree angle between your leg and the floor.
  • Hold the position.

Tips

  • Keep your hips stable and your body in a straight line from head to toe.

Modifications

  • If lifting your leg high is too challenging, perform the exercise with a smaller range of motion.

Benefits

  • Obliques, Lower Back, Glutes, Abdomen
Leaning 90/90 demonstration

5. Leaning 90/90

Instructions

  • Start on the floor in a seated position with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
  • Let your knees fall to one side so that both knees form 90-degree angles against the floor.
  • Place your hands on the floor behind you for support and lean back, keeping your hips and shoulders square.

Tips

  • Keep your back straight and avoid rounding your spine.

Modifications

  • For less intensity, sit on a cushion or folded blanket to raise your hips.

Benefits

  • Knees, Groin, Hips, Glutes
Bicycle Crunch Hold demonstration

6. Bicycle Crunch Hold

Instructions

  • Start lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
  • Place your hands behind your head and engage your core to lift your head and shoulders off the floor.
  • Extend one leg straight out and bring your opposite knee towards your chest, while rotating your upper body to bring your opposite elbow toward your raised knee.
  • Hold the position and switch sides at the halfway point.

Tips

  • Keep your lower back pressed into the floor.
  • Focus on the rotation of your torso, not just the elbow-to-knee movement.
  • Avoid pulling on your neck with your hands.

Benefits

  • Obliques, Abdomen
Seated Straddle demonstration

7. Seated Straddle

Instructions

  • Start on the floor in a seated position with your legs extended in front of you.
  • Open your legs wide apart and place your hands on the floor in front of you.
  • Sit up tall to lengthen your spine, then hinge at your hips to reach forward with your hands and lower your upper body towards the floor.

Tips

  • Keep your back straight and avoid rounding your spine.
  • Flex your feet and keep your toes pointing upward.

Modifications

  • If reaching forward is difficult, rest your hands on blocks or a chair in front of you.
  • Sit on a folded blanket to raise your hips and improve comfort.

Benefits

  • Groin, Calves, Spine, Upper Back, Hips, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Glutes
Knees-to-chest demonstration

8. Knees-to-chest

Instructions

  • Start lying on your back with your legs extended and your arms at your sides.
  • Bend your knees and draw them towards your chest.
  • Wrap your arms around your shins and gently pull them closer to your chest.

Tips

  • Relax your head and neck on the floor.
  • Keep your lower back pressed into the floor.

Modifications

  • If you can't reach your shins, wrap your arms behind your thighs.

Benefits

  • Hips, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Glutes