Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Close Banner
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

Stiff Hips? Here's The One Move You Should Start Doing Daily, From A Yoga Instructor

Sarah Regan
Author:
July 19, 2024
Sarah Regan
mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor
By Sarah Regan
mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor
Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.
Image by BONNINSTUDIO / Stocksy
July 19, 2024
We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

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.

Image by mbg creative
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Contract your abdominal muscles in toward the midline of your body, ensuring your ribs do not flare outward.
  5. Breathe and hold for 15-30 seconds.
  6. Keeping the heels down and chin tucked in, slowly release, lowering vertebra by vertebra.
  7. Reset and repeat for 2-3 minutes.

Other ways to increase your hip mobility

1.

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
2.

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.

As such, mindbodygreen recently created the ideal solution with creatine+. This powder supplement combines 2 grams of taurine, an amino acid that can help improve aerobic performance and strength, with 5 grams of creatine monohydrate in one scoop.* 

Together, creatine and taurine offer a streamlined approach to supporting your fitness goals.*

3.

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.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

Watch Next

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

Related Videos (10)

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
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

More On This Topic

more Movement
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.