Strengthen Your Hips Fast With These 5 Exercises For Women

Fact checked by Pavel Balezin

Fact checked by Pavel Balezin

Pavel Bazelin is a fitness expert at Unimeal. He owns a fitness studio and works as a personal trainer. His education includes a bachelor’s degree in Health, Fitness, and Recreation.

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Written by Isobel Krüger

Written by Isobel Krüger

Isobel is a health and fitness writer, and also a health and fitness fanatic in real life. She loves researching the latest health and fitness topics and trends that can make life healthier, happier, and easier.

on December 13, 2022

Many of us focus on reducing our hip size to get a less curvy and more svelte appearance. However, we tend to underestimate the role our hips play in everyday mobility and how important it is to have robust and flexible hips.¹Sato H, Kondo S, Saito M, Saura R. September, 2020. Effects of strengthening the hip flexor muscles on walking ability and the locomotive syndrome rank test: An intervention study. J Orthop Sci. DOI:10.1016/j.jos.2019.09.014 The hips are the body's foundation and help us with overall strength and stability by supporting the spine, internal organs, and core. By supporting the pelvis, the hip flexors also help improve strength and coordination in our arms and upper body, enabling us to make explosive lower-body moves like jumping and running.  

Why it's important to have strong hips

Strong hip flexors will help you to develop and maintain a good posture and core stability, reverse the adverse effects of hours of sitting and improve overall athletic performance.²Konrad A, Močnik R, Titze S, Nakamura M, Tilp M. February 17, 2021. The Influence of Stretching the Hip Flexor Muscles on Performance Parameters. A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. DOI:10.3390/ijerph18041936You can promote physical longevity and mobility by actively improving the strength and flexibility of your hip muscles. Here are five exercises you can do to keep your hips in tip-top shape.  

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Hip circles

Start with a mobility exercise like hip circles. The dynamic movement that hip circles provide stretches and warm up the muscles. 

Additionally, you'll loosen up your lower-back muscles and slim your waist by strengthening your core. 

It's one of the easiest and most effective exercises to start off with, so here's what you need to do:

• Stand up straight, with your feet a little bit wider beneath your shoulders. Make sure you place your feet flat on the ground, rooted in the heels. 
• Now, place your hands on your hips and bend your knees slightly. 
• Aim to make big circles with your hips by rotating them clockwise and counter-clockwise while maintaining a strong core. 
• Do 10 clockwise and 10 anti-clockwise rotations for a great warm-up. 

Seated marching

For another warm-up round, the seated marching is a bit more challenging. This exercise targets your hip flexors directly, and it's great if you have trouble climbing up or down flights of stairs. Best of all, you can perform this exercise sitting on a chair, making it an excellent option for a desk workout. 

Here's what you need to do:

• Sit on a chair with an upright backrest, and ensure your back is pressed against the rest while your bottom is comfortably positioned on the seat. 
• Starting with your left leg, lift it up slowly and controlled while keeping your back straight. 
• Lower your left leg, and do the same with your right leg. 
• Focus on maintaining your posture by using the chair's backrest while you alternate your legs in a controlled march.
• Do three sets of ten reps on each leg, and you're good to go! 

Pro tip: You can use ankle weights to add intensity to the exercise.  

Lateral lunges

If you're into targeting multiple areas at once, the lateral lunge is a crucial hip strengthener that also works your inner and outer thighs as well as your glutes. Apart from being known and used as a strength exercise, you also stretch your inner thighs and groin with each side lunge as a bonus extra. 

Here's how to ace a lateral lunge:

• Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart.
• Breathe in, and take a big step to the side using your left leg.
• Bend your left knee, push back your hips, and lower until your left knee is at a 90-degree angle. 
• Stay in this position for a second, then exhale and return to the starting position.
• Do the same with your right leg, and complete ten to fifteen reps on each side. You can complete one leg first or make alternating lunges.
• To stay in good form, lean your torso forward while keeping your back straight and your core active. One rep equals a lunge with your left and your right legs. 

Side plank with knee drive

This exercise may be somewhat challenging if you've never done a side plank. However, side planks are a great way to develop total-body strength, and by adding the knee drive, you're targeting those hip flexors. 

•  Lie down on your left side while resting your upper body on your left elbow and your hand on a mat. Make sure there's a 90-degree angle between your left shoulder and elbow. 
• Keep your body in a straight line and prop your right foot on top of your left foot. 
• Push down with your left hand and lift your hips until your upper and lower body align. 
• Place your right hand on your hip and keep your hips stacked.
• Contract your glutes and core, raise your right knee towards your chest with control, and then back into the side plank position. 
• Focus on keeping your body in a straight line as you move your leg.
• Do ten reps and then turn on your right side, repeating the sequence.

Leg Raises

The finale is a well-known ab-scorcher that also relies heavily on your hip flexors for control and stability. This is one spicy abs exercise with some much-needed hip action for overall flexibility and agility. 

Here's what you need to do:

• You can do this dynamic movement on an exercise mat or on the floor as long as you don't experience any discomfort.
•  Lie on your back with your face looking upwards and your legs extended. 
• Place both your hands underneath your lower back/pelvis area for support, and make sure your lower back stays connected to the mat.
• Press your thighs together and raise both legs upwards, ensuring your legs remain straight and your ankles together. 
• Once you can't go further without bending your legs, lower them down to the floor, making sure not to rely on momentum. Instead, make it a slow and controlled movement. 
• While your legs are lifted, keep your entire back pressed against the floor. 
• Do 10 to 15 reps for some serious but satisfying burn. 

Summary

The hip muscles do much more than we actually think; they serve as the body's anchor, helping promote both upper and lower body mobility. Apart from exercising to stay in shape, it's also crucial to focus on your body's mobility so you can have many active years ahead of you. These five exercises focus on stretching and strengthening the hip flexors while also adding other muscles into the mix. For the ultimate hip workout, make sure to follow this routine two to three times a week, especially if you spend a lot of your time sitting.