Sitting for prolonged periods can take a toll on our bodies, particularly our hips, leading to stiffness and weakness. Combatting these effects requires targeted exercises to strengthen and stretch the hip muscles. A five-move hip-strengthening workout can be a game-changer in counteracting the detrimental impacts of extended sitting.
Hip Bridges
Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips toward the ceiling, engaging your glutes and core. Hold briefly at the top, then lower back down. This exercise activates the glute muscles, counteracting the effects of prolonged sitting that can weaken them.
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Clamshells
Lie on your side with your knees bent and stacked. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee while keeping your pelvis stable. This move targets the hip abductors, essential for stabilizing the hips, which often weaken from sitting for extended periods.
Hip Flexor Stretch
Kneel on one knee with the other foot in front, creating a 90-degree angle. Shift your weight forward, feeling a stretch in the front of the hip of the kneeling leg. This stretch alleviates tightness in the hip flexors caused by sitting, promoting flexibility.
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Standing Hip Abduction
Standing upright, lift one leg out to the side while keeping your torso straight. This exercise targets the outer hip muscles, crucial for stability and balance, often weakened due to prolonged sitting.
Hip Extension With Resistance Band
Attach a resistance band around your ankles. Standing tall, extend one leg backward against the band’s resistance, engaging the glutes. This move helps activate and strengthen the hip extensors, which are often underused while sitting.