The following four bodyweight hip exercises are ideal for both novice and experienced gym-goers alike. It would be smart to use bodyweight movements initially to develop a base level of strength when new to exercise. This would also apply to anyone getting back to exercise after a long lay-off. As the body becomes stronger one can transition to exercises using radditional weight.
Why Are Bodyweight Hip Exercises Valuable to Do?
There are many good reasons why you should add hip exercises to your weekly exercise program. Here are just a few of those reasons:
- Strong, mobile hips are critical for generating running speed and power. They also play a major role in any type of hopping or jumping.
- Improving hip strength increases power output from the feet, through the hips to the upper body.
- Developing strong hips not only helps with all leg exercises, they are necessary in helping to press weight overhead.
- Speaking functionally, the deep hip muscles have a very important role, which is to provide stability to the legs when walking, running, or performing a task that requires having only one foot in contact with the ground.
Bridge
How to perform the exercise.
The bridge exercise is a great exercise to help build and maintain hip, glute and core strength.
Steps :
1.) Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
2.) Lift up your hips off the floor as you draw your abs in and keep your glutes tight.
3.) Hold the position for a 2 second count then return back to the starting position.
Stability Ball Hip Extension/Leg Curl
How to perform the exercise.
Steps :
1.) Begin by laying flat on your back with both feet on an exercise ball, keeping your arms flat on the floor by your side.
2.) Bend your your knees and curl your heels toward your glutes, then kick up one leg diagonally.
3.) Hold this position for a few seconds then return back to the starting position.
4.) Repeat with the opposite leg for as many reps and sets as desired.
Single-Leg Glute Bridge
How to perform the exercise.
Steps :
1.) Begin by laying on the floor with your feet flat on the ground and knees bent.
2.) Slowly raise one leg off of the ground, pulling the knee towards your chest then extend your hip upward raising your glutes and lower body up off of the ground, still keeping your foot elevated.
3.) Extend your body up as far as possible until you feel a stretch in your glutes and hold for a few seconds.
4.) Return back to the starting position and repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.
Plank with Side Kick
How to perform the exercise.
This is not only a great core exercise, it works the glutes and glute medius which plays a part in hip abduction.
Steps :
1.) Start off on your hands and toes in a modified push up position.
2.) Take one of your legs and bring them out to the side of your body, keeping it parallel to the floor, and hold for a few seconds.
3.) After feeling a stretch in your core, bring the leg back to the center and then return to the floor.
4.) Repeat this motion with the opposite leg and alternate.
5.) Perform as many reps and sets as desired.
Cycle through these bodyweight hip exercises using one or a few of them in each of your next few strength training programs. By doing this you’ll improve the strength of your hip muscles especially the three glute muscles which comprise the posterior aspect of the hips.
Stay Strong Together
Try Jefit app for your next workout. Take advantage of Jefit’s exercise database for planning & tracking your strength workouts. Named best app for 2022 and 2023 by PC Magazine, Men’s Health, The Manual, the Greatist and many others. The app comes equipped with a customizable workout planner and training log. The app also has ability to track data, offer audio cues, and has a feature to share workouts with friends. Visit our members-only Facebook group. Connect with like-minded people, share tips, and advice to help get closer to reaching your fitness goals. Try one of the new interval-based workouts and add it to your weekly training schedule.
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