Regular exercising is primary for achieving a well-toned and physically fit body. The rigours of an intense workout have the ability to transform your body thereby giving you a great body structure. Those who exercise on a daily basis can testify how training helps them increase their endurance and improve their overall productivity in life.
Physical training is one of the most efficient ways to strengthen various muscle groups in the body and ensure that blood flow is regulated through these exercises. It is imperative that you take out a little time from your busy schedule to focus on your body so as to keep physical and mental diseases at bay.
Well, in the light of the same, one of the most important sets of muscles is located in the hips. However, most of us often tend to overlook the need to perform hip exercises even though it is that part of your body that helps you in almost every activity you undertake right from standing correctly to sitting among a range of other acts. Interestingly, hip exercises, one of the most overlooked exercises, can be performed from the comfort of your home without having to involve a number of special pieces of equipment.
While it is not necessary to carry out a full workout focusing on your hip flexors, it is always advisable to add a few routine exercises in your regular workout schedule that strengthen these muscles.
In this article, we talk about the benefit of hip exercises and how you can achieve well-toned hips through these simple exercises. But first, let us understand how do hip exercises contribute to our body’s fitness.
The hip consists of a set of muscles that aid every activity that we perform. Flexible muscles are extremely instrumental in undertaking regular movements such as jumping, picking objects, etc. Strong hips ensure that you do not suffer from an injury while doing such jobs. There are several reasons why hip exercises are a must for everyone. Here are a few of the important ones.
Most hip exercises do not require any sophisticated equipment and therefore, they can be done without going to the gym. Hip exercises can be done during any time of the day as and when you find time out of your busy schedule.
In fact, a few exercises such as lunges and squats can be performed even at your workplace during short breaks so that the hip muscles do not become stiff on account of sitting continuously for long hours.
Hip exercises help reduce the fat that is accumulated in the hips and thighs. For those of you who are looking to reduce weight or burn some extra calories, hip workouts can go a long way in helping you shed the unnecessary fat from your body. They help you achieve a desirable and toned body shape.
Hip exercises are a must for those who are into athletic activities. Athletics is all about the strength and endurance of your lower body. Exercises such as leg raise, etc. increase the strength of the muscles located in the legs and hips and therefore promote agility. In fact, there are fewer chances of you suffering from an injury while performing athletic activities if you regularly do hip workouts.
Hip exercises involve the movement of knees as well. It may be interesting to note that a good hip workout simultaneously works on your knees as well and prevents you from falling prey to diseases such as arthritis. The muscles and joints in the knees remain more agile and inflexibility is kept at bay.
Weak hip muscles limit your performance during an intense workout. Even a small amount of extra exercise can make you feel fatigued if your hip muscles are not strong enough since most of the workouts involve the hips.
Strong hip muscles help your skeletal structure to remain in the correct posture, especially your spinal cord. For those who are suffering from back pains, hip flexors are one of the most effective ways to relieve you of the constant discomfort. Such exercises also aid in improving the body balance.
The proper movement of the hip muscles promotes and regulates blood flow in the body, especially when it comes to the lower part. The side to side or circular motions ensure that blood flow in the body is even and stiffness of any kind that may occur on account of low blood count is avoided.
Long hours of sitting in the same position can make your hip muscles rigid thereby giving rise to several kinds of pains in the back and the hips. However, when you perform hip exercises, the glutes in the body receive strength to endure such prolonged hours of sitting. This, in turn, contributes to your productivity at work.
There are several benefits of hip exercises. Here is a look at a few of them.
Knee valgus is a kind of deformity when the knees cave inwards. Such a condition is mostly seen in those who have a muscle imbalance. However, performing hip exercises regularly will ensure that the strength in your hip abductor increases so that you can be relieved from the knee pain to a great extent. Hip exercises are great for people looking to improve their knee health as well as muscle stability.
The hip abductors located in the body are situated quite close to the core area. They are important for maintaining balance the body and aid in athletic performance. There may be situations when people weaken their gluteus muscles while sitting for long hours working or rather, sitting in odd positions. Such prolonged inactivity makes the muscles stiff and inflexible, leading to several kinds of pains and difficulties in movements. Hip exercises increase the resistance of the hips and aid in their flexibility. They increase their performance in addition to giving them a better physical appearance.
Weak hip abductors are the cause of syndromes such as Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PPS) as well as Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome. These ailments reduce the performance of the hips apart from increasing pain in the kneecap and the hips. Such inflammation can be caused due to overuse of the hips. Hip exercises work towards reducing such inflammations apart from increasing the power of the muscles located in that area. They also help the knees retain their position and support the body to maintain a better posture.
The following are the various hip exercises you should consider putting into practice:
The side hip openers engage the glutes, the hips as well as the ab muscles. You can perform the exercise without the use of any special equipment. The basic purpose of the exercise is to increase the strength as well as the mobility of the core and the hip area.
To perform this exercise, bend down on your knees and hands, while making sure that your knees and hands are at least shoulder width apart. Your knees should be bent perpendicularly. While you are in this position, raise your right thigh out while keeping the rest of your body stationary. Keep the other knee bent.
As soon as you extend your thigh in the outward position, straighten your leg so that your back, hips and legs are in a straight line. Return to your original position by bending both the knees and switch sides. You can try a variety of variations with respect to the side hip opener exercise such as quadrupled hip extension, quadrupled with leg lift, etc.
Standing kickback lunges are a variation of lunges. In order to perform this exercise, stand tall and then perform a lunge with one of your legs by bending one knee as you keep the other straight. When you go back to your original position, lift the leg you lunged back and extend it backwards. Make sure that your back remains straight throughout the exercise.
The standing kickback lunges are considered as one of the most effective hip exercises since it strengthens your glutes. They improve the body balance by working on both sides of it. Lunges create a tension in the thighs as well as the hips that is essential to maintain the flexibility of the muscles located in that area.
Side leg shifts are pretty simple to perform. All you have to do is stand straight with your hands on your sides and lift your leg outward while keeping the other leg stationary. While lifting your leg, your torso should be erect. Leg raise exercises like these are strength training workouts that target the internal and external muscles of the thighs and hips. They also ensure a good posture and better coordination between muscles in the body.
Apart from the above-mentioned benefits, leg standing side leg shifts also help you get rid of any muscle soreness or spasm in the hips or thighs.
Squats are again a very effective way to shape your hips. Squats help you focus on a variety of muscles all at once, such as the legs, thighs, hips, etc. They are also one of the most prolific forms of cardio exercises since they lead to fast breathing and help pump more oxygen to your body. They are also instrumental in improving blood flow that is imperative when it comes to strengthening and proper movement of muscles in the body.
In order to perform squats, stand straight and then bend your knees slightly creating a pressure in your thighs. Your hips should be facing outward while your hands should be extended straight outwards. Squats are quite similar to the regular sit-ups that you perform. If you wish to practice an advanced version of squats, you might as well try squat jumps.
Squats are a variety of high-intensity exercises and therefore they help release testosterone and growth hormones in the body that are vital for the expansion of your muscles. In addition, functional exercises like squats help you perform daily activities, such as lifting, jogging, etc. with great ease since your lower body strength improves greatly.
It is also a good way to burn fats located in the lower part of the body. Squats also help improve your athletic performance. You are able to run faster and have improved flexibility. Squats also aid the regulation of blood in the lower part of the body and facilitate the formation of well-rounded hips.
The side-to-side squats strengthen the quads as well as the glutes. They also improve the strength of the hamstrings and the core. Interestingly, no special equipment is required to do this exercise. To perform this exercise, stand straight with the feet being apart at a shoulder’s length. Push your hips outwards and get into a squatting position. After this, stand straight again and bend to one side and squat another time. Return to the original position and repeat the movement to complete the set.
Make sure that when you perform the squat, your head should be straight and your glutes and abs tight. Side to side squats work on several muscles simultaneously like the hips and legs & therefore improve the agility of the lower body.
The side lunges are considered to be one of the most instrumental exercises that strengthen your glutes, quads as well as the hamstrings. Since side lunges involve moving your thighs and hips in a side-to-side motion, they help engage all the muscles of the thighs in addition to working on your stability as well as balance.
To perform side lunges, start by standing with your legs wide apart from each other. Shift the entire weight of your body to one side while you lunge and keep the other leg straight in a slanting position. However, the other leg should always be touching the ground. Once you begin to feel the tension in the leg with which you are lunging, shift to the other side and repeat the exercise a few times.
Lunges are extremely efficient in working the muscles located on your outer thighs, which are otherwise forgotten while doing a full body workout. Side lunges also help you achieve a rounded and strengthened pair of hips without any extra fat. They can be done anytime during the day, thereby saving you a ride to the gym.
Side curtsy lunges are a variation of the normal form of lunges and help in improving the strength of your hip and thigh muscles.
Before jumping to this exercise, we suggest that you first perform the normal lunges. Once you adopt that exercise and are comfortable doing it, you can shift to its advanced versions.
In order to perform a side curtsy lunge, stand tall and then bend in the position of a normal lunge. Bring the other leg in front of your leg that is touching the ground and create a tension in the thighs and hips. Stay in that position for a few seconds before you change legs.
While performing the side curtsy lunges, make sure that your back remains straight throughout while your head looks forward. Side curtsy lunges help you increase your mobility and help you perform routine activities such as walking, sitting, cycling, etc. with great ease.
The glutes are one of the major set of muscles that are responsible for the proper movement and flexibility of the hips. Since most of you spend your day sitting and working for long hours, the glutes tend to weaken and become immobile thereby resulting in pain or inflammation. Glute bridges are easy to perform and can be done during any time of the day. Lie down with your back on the floor and your knees bent while your feet should be touching the ground. Your arms should rest on your side in a straightened manner.
Lift your hips and lower back from the ground so that your body above the knees makes a slant. Keep your head touching the ground while you are in this posture. When you are up, squeeze your glutes and tighten your abs to improve the effectiveness of the exercise. Hold the position for a couple of moments before you ease back to the original stance.
Glute bridges come with several variations such as Medicine Ball glute bridge, single leg glute bridge, etc. Since glutes are primarily responsible for improving the hip movement, it is essential that you undertake such exercises on a regular basis so as to achieve a well-toned body. In addition, glute exercises also help you improve your performance in a full body workout by strengthening the most engaged part of the body, i.e. the hips.
Leg kickbacks increase the flexibility of your hips. The extension involved in leg kickbacks helps you work on the gluteus maximus- the muscle that is primarily responsible for your hip movement. Leg kickbacks are done by extending your leg backwards, like how you take it back when you are about to kick a ball.
There are several types of leg kickbacks which you can introduce in your workout such as kneeling kickback, standing cable kickback, etc.
In order to improve the effectiveness of the exercise, you can use a resistance band by tying it to the leg that you take backwards in order to intensify the workout. However, if you are a novice, start without taking the help of a resistance band so as to acclimatize yourself to the workout.
The side lying leg lift focuses on the strength of the hips, legs, and the abs. To perform this exercise, lie down on one side with your back, hips, and neck aligning in the same line. Extend the arm on which you are lying in a straightened position while it is touching the ground. Keep the other arm on your waist. Lift the leg that is opposite to the one touching the floor as much as you can so you can feel a tension in the thighs and hips. Bring it back to the original position and repeat the exercise.
You can perform various other types of leg raises such as standing hip abduction, side plank with leg lift, standing cable hip abduction, etc. While performing the side lying leg raise exercise, ensure that you move your leg upwards slowly without jerking it to avoid any potential injury.
Exercising should be made a way of life. Even a short yet intensive workout can work wonders for the body. It has been reiterated by experts umpteen number of times that physical training strengthens the body and keeps ailments at bay. In fact, you will be surprised to see an increase in your endurance and body strength once you continue an exercise regime for a month or so.
The hip exercises outlined in this article can go a long way in strengthening not only your hips but also the abs, the core area, the thighs as well as the legs including the knees.
Since you do not require any special equipment or the help of a physical trainer while performing these simple exercises, you can undertake these anytime you feel comfortable during the day. Hip exercises benefit your body greatly and make it more agile. If you couple these exercises with a good diet that includes enough protein and carbohydrates, you will surely see results. So, what are you up to? Hop on this journey of physical training and see the difference for yourself. After all, physical fitness is the key to happiness.
*Disclaimer: The tips & exercises suggested are the personal opinions of the writer. Kindly consult a licensed physician/dietitian/practitioner before implementing the same.
