The more and more I work with my clients, the more and more I understand the need to add in hip flexor mobility movements to their overall training. Hip flexors are important – they attach to your spine and pelvis, and play a big role in your posture.

Many people have tight hips and the root cause can wreak havoc on general movement and training.   

How do you know you have tight hips? 

• Does your lower back hurt or ache while you stand?
• Do you have neck tightness and stiffness?
• Do you feel tightness in your hips? 
• Do you have bad posture and find it hard to simply stand up straight? 

If you answered yes to One or All of these, then you may have tight hips! 

Watch this video for a quick and easy test to see if you do indeed have tight hip flexors:  

Simple Test To See If You Have Tight Hip Flexors

Loosening your Hips

So, now that you know you have tight hips, here are a few stretches to help you loosen them to gain more mobility. Do these stretches every day if you can. I bet you will see improvement within weeks! 

Spiderman Stretch

1. Assume the top of a Push-Up position or High Plank.
2. Step forward with one leg to outside of the same side hand.
3. Drive your hips forward into stretch and hold for a few seconds.
4. Maintain a braced core and squeeze your glute on the back leg while in the stretch.
5. Return to start position and repeat with your other leg.
6. Continue in alternating fashion for specified reps.
7. Perform 2 sets 8-10 reps on each leg.

Pidgeon Stretch
Sit with one knee bent to 90-degrees in front of you, and one knee behind you, rotating your back hip forward and backward.

• Start with your front knee bent to a 90-degree angle. The back knee can be as bent or extended as is comfortable for you.
  
• Rotate the back hip toward the front heel, and then toward the back foot.
  
• Keep the chest up tall, and only bear as much weight as you can comfortably.

Long Adductors

1. Kneel onto your right leg and place your left foot in front of you to assume the lunge position.
2. Slide your left foot out to the side and place both hands on the floor in front of you.
3. Try to straighten the left knee and lean your body forward while relaxing your hips.
4. Rocking the hips forward and back will  change the pull slightly to get all muscles.

Fire Hydrants

1. Position yourself on your hands and knees on the ground. This will be your starting position.
2. Keeping the knee in a bent position, abduct the femur, moving your knee away from the mid-line of the body.
3. Pause at the top of the motion, and then slowly return to the starting position.
4. Perform this slowly for a number of repetitions, and repeat on the other side.

Doorway Stretch

The stretch through the doorway has been validated, and is easier in terms of maintaining a stable pelvis. This stretch is performed by lying on the floor with one leg on the wall and the other flat on the floor through the doorway. Pull yourself closer to the wall as you feel a stretch. This hamstring stretching method has been shown to be just as effective as the standing hamstring stretch.

Stretching Hamstring using PNF Stretch

To perform a self PNF hamstring stretch (contract-relax antagonist-contract) using a strap to stretch the hamstrings in lying is another very effective method of stretching hamstrings. Lie on your back and loop the strap around the ball of your foot holding the ends of the strap with both hands. Be sure to keep your chin down and shoulders back. Exhale while pushing your heel up toward the ceiling. Hold this stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. Now push down with your heel into the strap toward the floor for 3 to 6 seconds. Then try and straighten your knee and actively push your foot up toward the ceiling contracting your quadriceps. Hold this for 3 to 6 seconds. Relax and hold your stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. You can add dimension to this hamstring stretch by bringing your heel to one side and then the other to target different parts of the hamstrings and posterior leg fascia.

Also, there are a ton of great moves demonstrated in this article: 
The 5 best stretches to open your hips before lifting

Don’t forget to check out my other blog post about using a Lacrosse Ball:
Relieve Muscle Soreness using a Lacrosse Ball

Disclaimer: Obviously I’m not a doctor and can not diagnose the exact root of anyone’s tight hip issues. So, as with any fitness approach, you should check with your doctor before starting or trying.