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5 Exercises for Hip Strength
1. Supine Knee Drive With Band
Supine Knee Drive With Band
Lie on your back on the floor. Loop a resistant band around the arch of your foot, then lift your leg and bend your knee. Straighten out or slightly bend your other leg. Hold the handle of the tubing, and then push the foot forward and pull it back. Repeat the movement.
Start with one set of 5 reps. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a quick stop at the end position. The intensity can be light to moderate.
This exercise works on the muscles around the knees and in the hips, specifically the hamstrings and glutes.
2. Squat With Band
Squat With Band
Position the mini-band just above your knees. Separate your feet and knees to increase the resistance in the band. Your toes are pointing out and feet are more than hip-width apart. Go through the squatting movement, squat down and return to the starting position.
Start with one set of 5 reps. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a quick stop at the end. The intensity can be light to moderate.
This exercise strengthens the outer part of the hips and the transverse or twisting plane of the hips. We’re targeting the back part and outer part of the hips as well as the twisting movement in the hips.
3. Monster Band Shuffle
Monster Band Shuffle
Position the mini-band just above your knees. Shuffle to one side, and then shuffle in the other direction. Move one leg, then follow with the other leg as you keep the tension in the band.
Start with one set of 5-10 reps each way. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a quick stop at the end. The intensity can be light to moderate.
This exercise targets the outer part of the hips and the legs.
4. Single-leg Hip Hinges
Begin in an upright standing position. Put one hand to the wall for balance. Stand on one leg, then bend through the whole upper body and extend your free leg backward. Maintain proper alignment with the hips, shoulders and head. Repeat the movement to the other side.
You are bending through contracting the glutes and hamstrings to bring you back to the upright position. You can progress by taking the hand away from the wall. Placing the hand on the wall eliminates balance so that you can focus on contracting the glutes and hamstrings.
Single-leg Hip Hinges
Start with one set of 5 reps. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good contraction at the top position. The intensity can be light to moderate.
This exercise targets the posterior back part of the hips.
5. Single-leg Burpees
Single-leg Burpees
Begin in an upright standing position. Place all of your weight or balance on one leg, then go down into a four-point position. Pop the leg out and pop the leg back up, then return to the starting position and hop.
Start with one set of 5 reps on each leg. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement between steps and a quick turnaround at the end position. The intensity is moderate.
This exercise is probably the most challenging among the five as it targets the hip movement in all directions.
Give these five insane exercises to boost hip strength a go. You can do these exercises at home and at the gym to strengthen your hips.
If you are suffering from any sort of hip discomfort and want to get rid of the soreness once and for all, then check out the Gluteus Medius Exercises program, here!
Take care!
Rick Kaselj, MS