Hip Stretch

One very good hip stretch that you should always be sure to include in your program is a type of cross over lunge. To perform this you will get into a position on the floor so you are in a kneeling position. Then slowly extend one leg out behind you and allow your bum to move to the side slightly so that the foot is now on the inside of the leg (knee is still fully bent). This should allow you to feel a very deep pull on the back glute muscle as well as all along the front of the leg that is behind you. If you can, carefully lower your body to the ground in front of you, thinking of pressing the stomach into the ground. Hold this position for around thirty seconds and then rise up once again to perform this hip stretch on the other leg.

The second hip stretch exercise to perform is done by sitting on the floor, knees slightly bent in front of you. Then stretch one leg out so the knee is straight and twist the body, bringing the opposite shoulder to the knee. Hook the arm around the knee to give yourself leverage and then apply a slight twisting force so you experience a deep pull. Take a few deep breaths in while you hold this position and then repeat on the other side.

Finally a last exercise that would be good to perform would be a simple swinging action. This will help to loosen up the muscles in this area and prevent a limited range of motion from developing. To do this simply stand so that you have something firm to hold onto and then begin swinging the leg forwards and then backwards, trying to reach up higher each rep. It is still important to maintain some control during this movement however do try and let your muscles relax as you will then be able to experience an increased path of movement.

Hip Exercise

One good way to help prevent lower back and knee pain is to perform hip exercise & hip flexor exercises on a regular basis. Because your body works as a unit rather than separate parts, strengthening this core region will help to transfer many benefits to the rest of the lower body. By performing hip exercise & hip flexor exercises you will help ensure that your knees stay in alignment and that your lower back does not start overcompensating by handling much of the stress because the rest of the muscles are weak.

One very good hip exercise to perform is a cable pull through. To perform this, find the cable machine at your local gym and then attach the lower cable pulley hook. Look for a small rectangular shape wrap with two rings on either end and wrap this around the ankle, hooking the rings through the pulley clasp. Next, standing so that feet are shoulder width apart and there is just enough tension between you and the cable base that the chord is tight, slowly pull the leg closest to the cable across the body. You should feel this working up in the top of the inner thigh muscle. After performing a series of ten to fifteen of these, switch legs, turn around and repeat on the other side.

Next you will want to do the same movement only this time you will face in the other direction so that the foot attached to the cable is now on the outside of the body (so the free foot is closest to the cable base). Perform the movement by raising the leg in the outwards direction so it moves further away from the body. As this is the opposite action, you will now feel the tension of the muscles on the top of the outer thigh working.

Finally, again with the cable attached to the foot, stand so the back as facing the cable. Next you will take one foot and drive the knee upward to the chest while the other leg remains straight helping you maintain balance. This will really work the iliopsoas muscle (leg flexor) and get right to the core of this body area. Be particularly careful with this movement because these muscles tend to be slightly weaker and will not be able to handle as much weight.

After completing all three variations, perform some light stretching to help reduce muscular soreness.

Hip workouts

To make the the most of your hip workouts this section is designed to understand the movement & structure of this joint. Helping to guide your leg in any movements you make, the muscles and bones surrounding your hip joint are very important to consider when thinking about any effective hip workouts you wish to create for that increased flexion or mobility of movement

Because this is a ball and socket joint and moves fairly freely, it can also become dislocated if enough force is applied. This dislocation usually results from motor vehicle accidents or falling from a very high level.

Individuals who have had fractures to this joint or other problems associated with it in the past may also be an increased risk for dislocations.

This condition is also extremely painful and if the person is unable to move the leg, there could be nerve damage as a result. If it does occur, it is extremely critical that you get to an emergency room as soon as possible, trying to avoid any movement while doing so.

Including some good strengthening exercises for the muscles is a must if you hope to avoid a dislocation as the stronger the muscles, the more force they will have to hold the bone in place. Also include some weight bearing exercise in your program if you are able to as this should help to strengthen the bones themselves and hopefully reduce any fractures in the future.

One exercise that can be problematic and should potentially be avoided however is hip flexor cable pulleys. Because these place a great deal of strain on the iliopsoas muscle, which is the muscle that connects your hip to your thigh, it is highly probable that if you over-do things there will be pain.

Add to this the fact that most people tend to be generally weak in this muscle and therefore overestimate how much they really should be lifting. They may not feel pain while performing the exercise but the next morning will find they are incredibly sore.

So do not neglect this body part from your training but be smart in how you go about it.