5 Hip Opening Stretches in 5 Minutes

5 Exercises for hip stretches

Say “NO MORE” to tight hips! These 5 gentle hip stretches are my favorites. Because I too have tight hips and these stretches help soooo much opening up those joints and you will also find improved mobility in your back and knees. Don’t worry, these stretches won’t make you a hippie, nor will they suddenly make you attracted to tie-dye garments. 😉

Reminder: Always be gentle with your body. Only go as far as it feels comfortable and don’t push into a stretch. It’s important to warm up prior to these stretches – you can do a gentle jog in place for a few minutes and/or these 5 minute turnout exercises

Hip Stretching Exercise #1: Butterflies

1 set for 60 seconds

Tips:
1. Keep your back straight.
2. You can hold on to your feet or put your hands on your knees (whichever is more comfortable).
3. Flutter your knees up and down. You can start slower, then pick up the pace.
4. Treat this more as a warm-up for the following exercises.

Exercise #2: Baby Spidey

1 set for 60 seconds

Tips:
1. Keep your belly engaged.
2. Plant your arms firmly on the ground.
3. Start with your thighs in line with your hips.
4. Keep your feet apart.
5. Rock gently back and forth. No stress! 

Exercise #3: Hip Cradle

2 sets of 30 seconds
One set per side.

Tips:
1. Sit up tall with your butt cheeks smooching the ground.
2. Pick your shin up with your arm and hold onto the foot with the opposite hand.
3. Use your arms to rock your leg side to side.
4. Flex the foot you are cradling.
5. Keep your butt rooted on the floor.

Exercise #4: Hip Rainbow

1 set of 60 seconds

Tips:
1.Keep your back straight.
2. Fan your knees side to side, feeling rotation in the hips.
3. Keep the movements smooth and gradual.

Exercise #5: Hips on Rocks

2 sets of 30 seconds
One set with left leg in front, one set with right leg in front

Tips:
1. Sit up tall with the front foot flexed.
2. Keep front butt check glued to the floor.
3. Rock your hips so that your other butt check kisses the floor.

A final word about Hip Stretches:

Always be gentle especially when trying out these hip stretches for the first time. It’s preferable for the body to be warm when doing these. You can combine them with these other 5 minute workouts and use the hip stretches here as a cool down routine:

Comments

  • Deirdre Arnold
    July 7, 2020

    Thank you so much for your tips I am Irish with no natural rhythms and no hip actions (we are too inhibited for that) you are so helping me to loosen my hips I can’t even do the figure 8 I am a lost cause I think ??

    • User Avatar
      Dance Insanity
      July 8, 2020

      Deirdre, You’re most welcome! Perhaps you will be the one to challenge your Irish heritage when you get extra good rhythms and hip actions. Keep dancing and training with us. 😉 Have fun! Thanks for writing.

  • Carina
    March 1, 2020

    I am 68 and am so appreciative not just of your talent but incredible generosity in sharing it so freely.

    May you receive manifold blessings.

    Thanks very much,
    Kate
    PS…I watch most videos on a tv vs ipad, by casting from my ipad to the big screen using chromecast. Any way that you can add that to these videos?

  • Kate
    March 1, 2020

    I am 68 and am so appreciative not just of your talent but incredible generosity in sharing it so freely.

    May you receive manifold blessings.

    Thanks very much,
    Kate
    PS…I watch most videos on a tv vs ipad, by casting from my ipad to the big screen using chromecast. Any way that you can add that to these videos?

    • User Avatar
      Dance Insanity
      March 2, 2020

      Hello Kate,
      You’re most welcome! Happy you’re here.
      Do you mean add the exercises in this article to a video?

  • Tirsha Dukes
    September 1, 2017

    Thanks!! I think the tight hip fairy visits me nightly. 🙁
    A couple of these I haven’t done so I’ll definitely add to my routine.
    Muchas gracias!!

    • User Avatar
      LiWen Ang
      September 10, 2017

      Hah… Ms T. Do these fairies have a union or something? They seem to get to so many of us! Maybe they have good benefits? 😉 Try these out, and go slow and gentle, especially with the new ones! xxx

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