6 Best Hip Stretches for Athletes
It can be easy to overdo it as an athlete. You might be pushing yourself hard during training, but rest time and stretching are essential so your muscles can properly recover after you put in the work. Stretching also helps prevent injuries down the road.
One of the best areas to stretch is your hips because they affect other parts of your body if they’re not activated. Alo Moves fitness instructor Jacy Cunningham says if there is any dysfunction with your hip’s range of motion, your knees or lower back will start to feel some pain. “If you can find ways to strengthen, lengthen, and restore movement and range of motion to your hips again, that’s a powerful place to be,” says Cunningham.
What are the benefits of hip stretches for athletes?
Spending time stretching your hips and hip flexors can help improve your stride length and endurance if you’re an avid runner since it decreases pain in your low back and knees. Stretching also prevents swayback, which is when your spine curves too far inwards from tight hamstrings and bad posture over time. It’s an issue that affects people of all ages, but mobilizing your hips keeps your spine in alignment to benefit your running. All these benefits apply to hikers too. You can last longer on the trails, stabilize when climbing over uneven terrain, and help prevent potential aches. These yoga poses for hikers will come in handy as well.
If you're a golfer, your hips are vital to hitting the ball and giving your swing power. How far the golf ball goes is more dependent on the rotation of your hips rather than the strength of your arms, which is why you should dedicate time to stretch them to improve their range of motion. The more you can rotate your hips, the more you will feel the difference in your swing. These yoga poses for golfers can also help your game.
Like golfers, tennis or pickleball players depend on hip rotation and spinal twists with swings, so if you play, you should work on hip mobility.
In his class 10-Minute Hip Stretch for Athletes, Cunningham breaks down some of the best hip mobility exercises and hip stretches. The hips are the focus, but this class actually targets your whole body since everything is interconnected — meaning you’ll feel it in your hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings, inner thighs, and lower back, too. The best part? It only takes 10 minutes to improve your hip mobility, release tension, and feel more refreshed pre- or post-workout.
Pigeon Pose
Start in Downward Dog.
Lift your right leg up, then bring it toward your hands at the front of the mat.
Drop your right knee behind your right arm and shift your right shin forward as you lower your whole body onto the mat.
Fold your upper body over your right leg and see how far you can stretch your arms in front of you.
Hold for as long as you’re comfortable, then switch sides.
2. Lizard Pose or Runner’s Lunge
Start in Downward Dog.
Step your right foot between your hands for Runner’s Lunge, keeping your back knee lifted.
For Lizard Pose, step your right foot to the outside of your right hand to open up your hips. Lower your left leg onto the mat and come down onto your elbows if you can.
Hold for as long as you’re comfortable, then switch sides.
3. Standing Hamstring and Calf Stretch
Stand up straight on your mat.
Slightly bend your knees, then step your left leg in front of you and flex your left foot so just your heel is resting on the ground.
As you sit your hips back, slowly bend down to grab your left toes to stretch out your calves and hamstrings.
Hold and switch sides.
4. Lunge Twist
Get into a lunge position with your left leg bent at a 90-degree angle by your hands and your right leg stretched out long behind you.
Put your right hand down on the inside of your front foot.
Twist to the left while stretching your left hand straight above you to the sky.
Hold and switch sides.
5. Wide Knee Child’s Pose or Frog Pose
Start on all fours on your mat with your knees out wider than hip distance.
Sink your hips back towards your heels while lowering your upper body at the same time.
Stretch your arms out in front of you and lower your forehead to the mat.
Hold for as long as you’re comfortable.
For Frog Pose, shift your hips forward from your Wide Child’s Pose until they stack in line with your knees. Flex your feet out to each side and slide your feet out wider until they’re in line with your knees. You can prop yourself up on your forearms or stretch your arms forward.
6. Cobra Pose
For Cobra Pose, lie face down on your stomach with your legs shoulder-distance apart behind you and the tops of your feet resting down.
Plant your hands under your shoulders, then lift your upper body and hips off the mat. Anchor your hips down and hug your elbows into your body.
Keep your gaze up and shoulders back for a deep spinal and hip stretch.
Hold for as long as you’re comfortable before lowering down to the mat.
For even more stretches and foam rolling moves tailored to athletes and for new HIIT, Strength, and Core workouts to jumpstart your training, start your free 14-day trial to Alo Moves today.