Over 60? Here Are The 3 Hip Exercises You Should Be Doing

Healthy, mobile hips mean better movements, less pain, and more freedom.

Most people don’t realize how important their hips are and how much they do until something goes wrong.

The hips support the weight of the body and are responsible for the movement of the upper leg.

They also provide support for your core, forming a strong foundation for your upper arms to move properly.

Your ability to walk, jump, run, and swim all initiate from your hips. Needless to say, having strong hips is vital to your body and mobility.

Weak hips may cause hip or lower back pain and impair how well you move. It may also cause difficulty doing certain activities, such as walking or climbing stairs.

Weak hips can also affect posture and alter the walking pattern.

Strengthening your hips with hip-strengthening exercises is key to preventing or reducing pain, especially in your 50s and 60s.

Your ability to stand, and walk short and long distances without losing balance all comes from the hips.

Add these 3 hip strengthening exercises below to your workout routine for stronger and mobile hips.

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Glute Bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Slide your heels out a few inches from your butt and keep them about hip-width apart.
Have your arms rest at your sides and engage your core before you start.
Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips up until they are in a straight line from your knees to shoulders.
Pause at the top and slowly release your hips and lower them down to the starting position.
That’s one rep. Complete 10-15 reps.

Advanced:

If you need to advance your glute bridge, perform a one-leg glute bridge with one leg lifted off the ground throughout the exercise. Once you complete 10-15 reps, switch sides. This will challenge your hips, glutes, and core. It’ll help develop your mobility, stability, and balance.

Bodyweight Squat

Stand tall with your feet spread hip-width apart and arms straight out in front of you.
Engage your abs and core and hinge your hips back. With control, bend your knees and lower into a squat unit your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
Be sure to keep your chest up and avoid letting your knees cave in. At the bottom position, pause for a moment.
Push through your heels to come back to the starting position. That’s one rep. Complete 10-15 repetitions.

Single-Leg Hamstring Hinge

If you have inflexible hip flexors and suffer from stiffness around your hips and glutes, this is a great exercise to start.

This move builds hips and glutes muscles to better support your posture while improving stability.

Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Engage your core and tighten your glutes before you start.
Lift the right foot a few inches off the ground and hinge forward at your hips. Bend the left knee slightly and extend your right leg behind you. Continue to hinge at your hips until your right leg is almost parallel to the ground.
Pause at the position and return. That’s one rep. Complete 10-15 reps and switch sides.