Are your hip flexors ‘’tight?’’ Or do they feel this way as they actually need to get stronger? I have ‘’tight’’ in quotations because there are different reasons why your hip flexors might feel this way. Don’t just assume they need to be stretched.
This week I’m sharing 5 hip flexor strengthening exercises for runners/athletes. As many runners are guilty of not strength training I mention runners, but these exercises will be beneficial for countless people.
#1) Single Leg Straight Leg Lifts
This exercise strengthens the hip flexors.
Coaching Tips:
- Sit on the floor. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Place an object so it’s in line with the outside of one of your lower legs.
- Fully extend both of your knees, and keep your legs relatively close together.
- While keeping your knees fully extended, and ankles in a fixed position, lift your leg over the object in a lateral direction, and then back to the starting position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your leg or foot to strike the object, or for your leg or foot to touch the floor.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from hip to hip.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#2) Band Resisted Psoas Marches + Isometric Ball Press
This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability. The isometric ball press makes this exercise deceptively challenging in terms of lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your feet.
- Place a resistance ball against a wall/stable surface, and so it’s chest/stomach height. For the duration into the exercise apply pressure into the ball with both hands. Don’t let your torso come into contact with the ball.
- Set your body so it’s in a relatively straight line from your head to feet.
- While maintaining this body position, and pressure against the ball, use your hip flexors and perform a psoas march.
- Return your leg to the bottom/starting position with complete control.
- Perform all reps on one side (what I’m doing), or alternate sides.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes on the non-moving side.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#3) Hip Mobility/Strengthener + Single Arm Overhead Hold
This advanced exercise improves hip mobility, hip strength (both hip flexors and extensors), shoulder and scapular stability, and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Sit on the floor, and put a yoga block or other object so it’s on one side of your body, and is ahead of you.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in an overhead position. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- Hinge your hips, bend your knee, and use your glutes to bring your leg backwards. Pause for a count and gain control.
- Then lift your torso, extend your leg, and lift it over the yoga block/object. This position also mimics the bottom position of a pistol squat.
- When you are doing this movement, keep your foot plantarflexed (point it away from you).
- For the duration of the exercise, do not let your foot or leg strike the floor or object, and keep your knee off the floor when you are bringing your leg back. All of this is much easier said than done.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or torso to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Get STRONG hip flexors, improve your mobility and athleticism! Getting your hip flexors STRONGER might be the missing link to helping you function, perform, and feel better in the gym, with your running, your sport, and even in your daily life. For “experienced beginners” to advanced trainees, and also coaches. Great for home AND gym workouts!
#4) Prone Band Resisted Psoas Slides/Marches
This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your feet, and place your feet on towels/slider pads.
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet.
- Place your hands so they are roughly above your shoulders.
- While remaining in the plank position, use your hip flexors and slide your foot forward.
- Return your leg and foot to the starting position with control, and repeat using the other side.
- For the duration of the exercise, press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart and move them away from your spine and around your ribcage).
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulder blades or shoulders to elevate towards your ears.
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a relatively straight line from your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to pike or collapse.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes on the non-moving side.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#5) Band Resisted Psoas March Hold From L- Sit
This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your feet.
- Sit on the floor. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Lift your feet and legs off the floor, and use your hips flexors to bring one knee in towards your body. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- While keeping your one knee close to your body (do not allow your leg to get pulled forward, and this will involve your hips flexors), press against the band and fully extend your other knee. You can imagine you are pressing a gas pedal.
- Return your leg to the starting position (in towards your body) with complete control.
- Perform all reps on one side (what I’m doing), or alternate sides.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your legs or feet to touch the floor.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from hip to hip.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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