:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/hip-exercise-lying-hip-abduction-2e15e2590c9d4959add2f4f3b6971a66.jpg?ssl=1 "12 Best Hip Workout Moves")
Strengthen your body’s largest and most important joint with this effective hip exercise, demonstrated here by Chrissy King, ISSA-certified fitness coach and creator of the Body Liberation Project. Not only will these exercises target and work the hip muscles, building strong and injury-proof hips, but they’ll also strengthen your lower body and core. Win, win!
Best hip exercise moves
How to do it: Add some of these exercises to your existing strength routine three or four days per week, or combine them all together for a hip-focused workout routine.
You will need: A set of dumbbells (5 to 15 pounds, depending on your fitness level) and a resistance loop (or a resistance band in a small loop)
Balanced squat
Adding a balance challenge to a standard squat will fire up your hips, glutes, and abs the entire time.
p: Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Then, lifting the chest and maintaining a neutral spine, lower into a deep squat, reaching both arms to the floor (try to tap the ground if possible).
b. Press the weight while bending the right knee and shift to the left leg, then grab onto the right calf with the right hand.
Al Hold for 1 count, release leg, and return to starting position. side sides ; Repeat.
Do 10 reps on each side.
The slow side kick is standing
This move is all about control, adding a bit of core activation as you work your glutes. Try not to swing your leg – use hip and core strength to lift and lower.
p: Stand with feet hip-width apart and hands on hips, then slowly extend right leg out to side at hip height, taking 3 full counts to lift leg. Keep the inner thighs parallel to the floor.
b. Hold for 1 count, then lower the foot to the floor for a count of 3. side sides ; Repeat.
Do 15 reps on each side.
Side stepping chair
This traveling lunge targets your thighs and glutes, plus the reaching motion adds an extra core challenge to your hip workout.
p: Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, hands clasped behind head.
b. Cross the left leg to the right and lower into a chair lunge, reaching the left hand to the floor.
Al Quickly stand back up and return to the starting position. side sides ; Repeat.
Do 10 reps on each side.
Bari side jump
A little plyometrics to challenge your entire lower body and get your heart pumping. Goes a long way.
p: Stand with feet hip-width apart and hands on hips to start.
b. Step 3 feet to the left, landing with left knee slightly bent. Keep the right foot off the floor when landing.
Al Bring the right foot to the floor to return to the starting position. side sides ; Repeat.
Do 15 reps on each side.
Deadlift Hanging
To balance the strength of your lower body, it is very important to strengthen your entire hip chain, like the muscles on the back of your body. Deadlifts, one of the most effective hip exercise moves, recruit the muscles in your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
a. Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place your thighs in front of the weight, palms facing in.
b. Maintaining a neutral spine, grab forward from the hips and reach the dumbbells toward the ground until the torso is nearly parallel to the floor.
Al Focus on using the glutes to raise the body halfway, and then return to a full forward hinge.
Do 20 reps.
Raise your hips
For a challenge, try this hip exercise with your feet on a slightly unstable surface, such as a bosu balance trainer.
p: Lie face down on the floor with knees bent and feet flat. Slowly lift the hips and extend the right leg, pointing the toes toward the ceiling.
b. Hold for 1 count, then move the right leg to the right side 90 degrees.
Al Hold for 1 count and return to center before lowering to starting position.
Do 10 reps. side sides ; Repeat.
Changing the side lunge
What happens when you combine a sumo squat with a side lunge? You get a triple hip workout in one fluid motion.
p: Stand with feet together, holding dumbbells at sides. Take a wide step to the right and down to the right and down, reaching the dumbbells toward the floor on both sides.
b. Bend the left knee and shift the weight to both feet, coming into a wide squat position. Reach the dumbbells to the floor in front of the body. Next, extend the right leg and shift the weight to the left side.
Al Push left foot to bring legs together and return to starting position. This is a representative.
Do 10 reps, alternating which leg goes out first.
Travel Squat Kick
Channel your inner martial artist for a move that will strengthen and stabilize the hip, quad and butt muscles.
a. Stand with hands on hips and kick right leg in an arc in front of body before bringing foot to floor in squat.
b. Step left foot with right and stand. side sides ; Repeat.
Do 15 reps on each side.
External hip augmentation
Build strength on the outside of your hip muscles with this pulse. (And if you love resistance band workouts, try these resistance band ab moves.)
p: Loop a mini resistance band around the ankle. Lie on the left side, supporting the upper body with the left hand and arm.
b. Extend both legs, feet flexed. While maintaining tension on the band, lift the top leg to hip height, rotating the legs to curl the toes down toward the floor.
Al With the leg slightly higher than hip height, pushing against the band, the heel is rotated to the ceiling.
d. Return the leg to hip height.
Do 20 reps. side sides ; Repeat.
Single leg raise
Kick up your hip workout (literally) with this targeted exercise that challenges the thigh, outer thighs, and hip flexor muscles all at once.
p: Start on all fours, weight evenly balanced between hands and knees.
b. Raise the right leg out to the side with the knee bent 90 degrees and the inner thigh facing the floor.
Al Quickly kick the leg behind the body, bringing the heel toward the ceiling.
d. Return the right knee to the floor.
Do 10 reps. side sides ; Repeat.
Side Lying Leg Lift
This hip adduction exercise is a great inner-thigh move, but it also engages your abs. To make it harder, loop your mini resistance band around your ankles.
p: Lie on the floor with left arm extended, right hand in front of body for support.
b. Brace abs, bring the bottom leg slightly in front of the top leg (resting the inside of the top foot on the ground), and lift the bottom leg toward the ceiling, keeping the hips stacked.
Al Pulse the lower leg quickly up and down. If using a band, maintain tension on it at all times.
Do 20 reps. side sides ; Repeat.
Turkish get up
This total body exercise can help improve hip mobility and strength as the hips go through a wide range of motion.
p: Left knee bent, right leg extended, right arm extended alongside, palm facing, palm with arm holding dumbbell in left hand.
b. Engage the core and use the right hand to sit up, first moving to the right arm then pressing up to the right palm, while keeping the left arm extended overhead.
Al Push the hips off the ground using the left leg and right arm.
d. In a quick, controlled movement, lower the body and rotate the right leg into a half-kneeling position with the left foot forward and the right knee on the ground.
when Still holding the left arm overhead, stand up and step the right foot in front of the left. Reverse the sequence to return to the starting position.
Do 6 to 8 reps. side sides ; Repeat.
