If you spend a lot of time sitting on the couch or doing exercises like running or cycling, chances are you have stiff hips.
Both prolonged sitting and repetitive knee-lifting exercise force your hip flexor muscles to contract, which can lead to these muscles shortening and feeling tight.
Low-impact forms of exercise, like Pilates, can help stretch out these muscles and increase your range of motion.
“Pilates helps overcome tight hip flexors by working on both your mobility and stability,” explains Michelle D’Onofrio, Pilates instructor and co-founder of YATTA Studio.
“It does so by restoring the normal range of motion and elasticity to the hip flexors and improving pelvic alignment.”
To help target different elements of the hip joint and unlock tension, D’Onofrio recommends completing the seven Pilates moves listed below—each of which has been demonstrated by instructor Mia Gianquitto.
How to do the seven hip stretch exercises
1. Thigh stretch
Reps: 8
- Start in an upright kneeling position, with your knees on the floor and torso facing forward.
- Extend your arms forward in line with your shoulders.
- Engage your core and gluteal muscles.
- Inhale and hinge backward from the knees, keeping your torso and hips in a straight line.
- Exhale, press your shins into the floor and use your core and glutes to return to the starting position.
2. Bridge
Reps: 10
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
- Inhale, engage your core and press your heels to lift your hips. Imagine peeling your spine up one vertebra at a time from the mat and pause when your body is in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
- Lie back down, rolling your spine down one vertebra at a time.
3. Single leg bridge
Reps: 10 on each side
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
- Inhale, engage your core and press into your heels to lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
- Lift your right leg and bend your right knee to 90°, so your shin is parallel to the floor.
- Squeeze the gluteal muscles in your left leg to stabilize your pelvis.
- Lower your right leg then repeat on the other side.
4. Baby swan
Reps: 8
- Lie on your stomach with your feet wider than hip-width apart.
- Place your hands flat on the floor by your shoulders and inhale to lift your head and chest.
- Exhale as you lower back down.
5. Swan dive
D’Onofrio cautions that this is an advanced move. If you’re new to Pilates, skip this one and move on to number six.
Reps: 8
- Lie on your stomach with your feet wider than hip-width apart.
- Place your hands flat on the floor by your shoulders and inhale to push yourself up, so your chest is facing forward.
- Exhale to rock forward onto your chest, lifting your legs off the mat.
- Inhale as you rock yourself back onto your thighs and extend your arms. Keep your knees straight and your neck in line with your spine.
6. Leg pull front
Reps: 10 on each leg
- Start on your hands and knees, with your hands below your shoulders and your knees below your hips.
- Engage your core and glutes and step back into a plank position, so your shoulders, hips and heels are in a straight line.
- Inhale and extend your right leg up as far as you can without arching your back.
- Exhale and lower your right leg.
- Repeat on the other side.
7. Mermaid stretch
Reps: 6 each side
- Sit on the floor with your chest facing forward and legs straight in front.
- Bring your left leg out to your left side and bend your knee, so your toes are pointing behind you.
- Bend your right knee and bring your right foot to rest on your left thigh.
- Try to keep your sitbones on the floor and engage your core.
- Extend your left arm overhead and lean over to the right, while sliding your right hand along the floor.
- Inhale and hold this position.
- Exhale to sit upright.
- Repeat six times before switching to the other side.
