It’s time to move those hips!
Maintaining good health of one of the largest joints in the body is pretty important. We are talking about those hips! Think about your hips and what they do on the daily. From sitting to squatting, to running and jumping, your hips support your body in many ways. The hip flexor muscles are a group of muscles connected to the hip joint. These muscles allow for movement such as bringing your knees up towards your chest, as well as being able to bend at the waist. Let’s take a closer look at why it is a great idea to keep the hip flexor muscles strong.
Do you have a pretty sedentary job? Sitting for long periods of time can actually make our hip muscles weaker. This is because with sitting, your hip muscles are not being stretched because they are kept in a shortened position. By adding hip flexor exercises, you are allowing them to work on lengthening, increasing blood flow, and overall giving these muscles the time they deserve to become stronger. Are you struggling with poor posture and a weak core? You got it, working on those hips can certainly help!The iliopsoas muscles, which are the main hip flexors, are responsible for providing stability for your lower back, pelvis and hips. These all make up your core, which is a very important area of the body to maintain strength and stability. Not only do strong hip flexor muscles help to prevent pain and injury, but by focusing on this muscle group you are also improving athletic performance. Check out the following exercises to get started on strengthening those hip flexors!
Straight Leg Raise
Start by lying straight on the floor. Keep your right foot flat on the floor and bend your right knee at a 90-degree angle. Tighten the quadriceps muscles in your left leg, inhale, and lift the left leg to about a 45-degree angle. Hold for about five seconds. Exhale and slowly lower the left leg to the starting position. Repeat 10-12 times before switching legs.
Bridge
Lie down with feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Keep your arms straight by your sides, palms planting into ground. Begin lifting hips towards the ceiling. Hold for 5-10 seconds while keeping your shoulder blades and neck on the ground and your glutes and abs engaged. Lower your hips back down and repeat 15 to 20 times.
Swimming Superman
Lie on your stomach with your arms straight in front of you. With a resistance band placed above the knees, raise both feet. Arch your back and begin opening and closing your legs. Perform 10 to 15 repetitions.
