How to Gain Flexibility in Your Hips

Co-authored by Adam Shuty

Last Updated: November 5, 2023 Approved

Hip flexibility is extremely important for many types of sports and dance, such as ballet or gymnastics. You can increase flexibility in your hips by learning a few simple, easy stretches and practicing them at least once every other day. If you're less flexible or new to stretching, try variations on the exercises to make them easier.

Method 1

Method 1 of 6:

Kneeling Lunge

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Jumping jacks, walking lunges, heel kickbacks, and marching are great activities to warm you up. Warming up will help prevent injury as you stretch.
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Kneel on the floor with your right leg bent in front of you. You should have your left knee on the floor and your right knee pointing in front of you, with both of your legs bent at right angles. Put your hands on your hips and keep your back straight.
- Keep the toes of your left foot pointed so that your shin is lying flat on the ground.
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This will stretch your left hip and thigh by pulling your knee backwards. Go slowly and be careful not to stretch beyond what is comfortable. Hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds, keeping your hips as square as possible.
Stretch your arms over your head, shoulder width apart, with your palms facing each other. Keep your face pointing forward and gently arch your upper back.
Move back to your original position, then bring your right knee down to the ground and bend your left leg in front of you. Repeat the stretch and hold for at least 30 seconds.
If you want to stretch your hips further, you can repeat the lunge and this time lift your back knee off the ground to straighten your leg. This will give you a more intense stretch and also build strength in your hips.

Method 2

Method 2 of 6:

Piriformis Stretch

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Your feet should be flat on the ground. You can use a yoga mat or a padded mat to provide support underneath you.^{[1]
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Keep the knee bent as you bring it up. Keep your back flat on the ground throughout the entire stretch.^{[2]
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The goal is to move the leg towards the opposite hip. Stretch it as far as you can without causing pain. Hold it there for up to 30 seconds before releasing.^{[3]
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This time, bring your left knee up. Pull it towards your right hip with your right hand. Hold it for up to 30 seconds.^{[4]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 6:

Hip Rotations

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Sit on the floor and bend your left knee in front of you. Using a yoga mat if you wish, sit down on the floor with your right leg straight and your left leg bent. Your legs should be about hip width apart, with your left foot flat on the floor.
- When you first try this move, sit against a wall. Place a pillow between the wall and your lower back.
- If you're less flexible, you can do this with your left leg straight or slightly bent.
Use your left hand to pull your right foot towards you until it can rest on top of your left knee. Then pull your right foot gently down towards your left hip as far as you can without discomfort.^{[5]
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Use your hand to gently push your right knee away from you. Keeping your back straight, use your right palm to push your right knee away from you as far as it will comfortably go. You should feel your right hip rotating slightly. Try to relax your right leg so that it doesn't push back against your hand.^{[6]
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- Once you've pushed your knee as far you comfortably can, hold the stretch for about 15 seconds and release.
Gently move your knee towards and then away from you as far as you comfortably can. This will loosen up your hip flexors. Do this for about 30 seconds.
Use your hand to gently lift your right foot off of your left thigh, then straighten both legs in front of you. Next, bend your right leg and do the same stretch with your left foot on top of your right thigh.

Method 4

Method 4 of 6:

Butterfly Stretch

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Sit on the floor with your feet together and your knees falling apart. Bring the soles of your feet together so that your legs make a diamond shape in front of you. Then gently pull your feet towards you as close as you can without discomfort.^{[7]
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- If you're new to this stretch, you can start out by sitting against a wall. Set a pillow between your lower back and the wall for support.
To extend the stretch, you can put gentle pressure on both knees to force your hips to open further. Be careful not to go past what is comfortable for you.^{[8]
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Keep the outer edges of your feet pressed together and use your hands to “open” your feet upwards like a book. You should feel a slight stretch on the outer muscles of your calves.^{[9]
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Keeping your back as straight as possible, gently push your upper body forward as far as you can without lifting your sitting bones up off the ground. Hold your feet with both hands to keep them from sliding further away from you. Hold this stretch for at least 30 seconds, then come back up.^{[10]
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Method 5

Method 5 of 6:

Pigeon Stretch

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1
Sit on the floor with your legs crossed. Using a yoga mat if you wish, take a seat on the ground and cross your right leg over your left leg. Keep your back straight and try to keep both sitting bones level on the ground.
- If you are new to this stretch, you may want to place a pillow under your front leg between the knee and the hip.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Adam Shuty
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist

Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.} Keeping your legs and hips where they are, lay your hands on the floor and slowly walk them out to pull your torso forward. Go slowly and only stretch as far as feels comfortable. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds, then come back up.^{[13]
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Lift up your right leg and move it around to stretch out behind you. Leaning to your left if necessary, stretch your right leg out and move it around so that it stretches out behind you. Keep it as straight as possible, but don't worry if you have to bend it slightly to be comfortable.
- If this part is difficult for you, try rising up into a kneeling position. Move 1 leg back behind you to stretch.
Keeping your left sitting bone on the ground and your left leg bent on the floor in front of you, rotate your hips to bring your right hip forward as far as possible. You should feel a stretch both in the underside of your left thigh and in the top of your right hip.^{[14]
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Once you have rotated your hip forward as much as you can, let it fall back again. Move it back and forth slowly several times to become more comfortable in the stretch.
Once you have rotated your right hip back and forth for about 30 seconds, bring your right leg around in front of you and cross your legs again, this time with your left leg on top. Begin the stretch again with your left leg.

Method 6

Method 6 of 6:

Frog Stretch

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Squat with your feet as far apart as possible.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Adam Shuty
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist

Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.} Stand with your feet slightly further apart than your hips, and lower your legs into a squat. Once you are in a squatting position, step your feet out wider until they are as far apart as you can comfortably reach while still squatting.^{[16]
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- If your hips are very tight and you are having trouble squatting comfortably, you can place a rolled-up towel under your heels to soften the stretch.^{[17]
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- To make this stretch more difficult, extend one of your legs out to the side. Then, switch and extend the other leg.^{[18]
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  Expert Source
  
  Adam Shuty
  Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.}
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Walk your hands out in front of you to pull your torso forward. Slowly move your hands forward on the floor one at a time to pull your upper body forward through your knees. Try to maintain your squatting position as you bend forward, and keep your back straight. Hold this stretch for about 30 seconds.^{[19]
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- If you're having trouble reaching the ground, you can put your hands on a box or block instead.
You should be on all fours with your knees as far apart on the ground as you can comfortably reach and your arms supporting your torso. Keep your back straight and your head up.
Lower your elbows and chest in front of you until your forearms are resting on the ground. This will deepen the stretch for your back and hips.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Will doing the splits improve my hip flexibility?

Adam Shuty
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Adam Shuty is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and owner of ATOMIC Total Fitness, a fitness training studio in New York, New York. With over 15 years of experience, Adam specializes in weightlifting, strength and conditioning, and martial arts. Adam holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. In 2014, Adam appeared on the Live With Kelly and Michael Show as one of the top five fitness instructors in the country.

Adam Shuty

Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist

Expert Answer

Yes it will. However, I recommend you practice these other exercises first before attempting the splits.

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Question

Is it okay to do the stretches an hour after eating food?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Yes, but be sure to warm up the muscles first by doing some light cardio exercise and leg exercises like marching, heel kick backs and jumping jacks.

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Question

How can one improve flexibility for hip rolling and dance?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

These stretches plus stretches for the lower back, like Child's Pose and stretches for the abdominal muscles, such as Cobra Pose, will give you the flexibility needed for rolling the hips. Remember to strengthen all the core and hip muscles to properly execute hip rolling.

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