My hips tend to be a problem area. They’re stiff and tight, and my range of motion is poor even though I stretch regularly.
This TikTok post by physical therapy student Mircea Gavrila caught my attention because some of the stretches were new to me.
Instead of my faithful post-workout butterfly stretch or half-pigeon (which I am by no means bashing—I love them and they feel great), I realized that I could be doing more movement to improve my mobility.
But is this approach effective? I spoke to W. Zach Smith, the owner of HIDEF Physical Therapy, to find out.
W. Zach Smith is a doctor of physical therapy, with a bachelor's degree in exercise science. He is the co-owner of six physical therapy clinics in the Pacific Northwest and one in Southern New Mexico. He specializes in sports rehab and orthopedics, working with athletes of all levels.
“In general, I like to do dynamic mobility for the hips before exercise or activity and if I am going to do static stretching I will do it afterward for the cool down,” says Smith.
Static stretching is where you hold a fixed position for around a minute, which can help to reduce muscle stiffness. Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, involves controlled movement that takes a joint through a full range of motion.
Watch Gavrila's routine, then read on for Smith’s take and my experience of each exercise.
How to do this hip routine
@mirceathept ♬ sonido original - .
1. Hip CARs
The expert view: “People tend to believe that range of motion, especially in the hip, is limited due to tight muscles,” says Smith. “While this can sometimes be the case, it can also be caused by a dysfunctional muscle that is unable to move the joint through a full range of motion. Doing CARs can help to unlock some of this motion.”
What it’s like: I found this move surprisingly comfortable, although my left hip made some noises the first few reps. I felt the stretch along the outside of my hip and back towards my glute. It left me feeling warmed up and ready to jump into some squats.
2. Lunge hip rocker
The expert view: “A great movement, especially as [Gavrila] is introducing a slight amount of motion into the stretch,” says Smith. “This can help to get a deep stretch and full mobility without the muscle guarding [when the surrounding muscles tense to protect a muscle].
“If he were to just push to a high-intensity stretch and hold it, his hip flexor would likely guard against that stretch and it would reduce the benefit of the stretch.”
What it’s like: Again, I really felt this up the outside of my hip on the leading (moving) leg, and also felt a good stretch up my groin on the trailing leg. I thought I would struggle to maintain my balance, but I found the stance surprisingly stable, even when moving.
3. Deep hip rocker
The expert view: “This will encourage hip flexion and external rotation. Both of these movements aren’t common in day-to-day activity,” says Smith. “This is a hard position for most to get into so if you can’t do this you can hold onto TRX straps or even just hold onto a post or pole in front of you to help maintain balance and assist getting in and out of the position.”
What it’s like: I struggled with this movement and couldn't get my feet to stay flat on the ground without toppling over. I had to raise slightly onto the balls of my feet with a slightly narrower stance to stay stable without assistance, but still felt the stretch deep in my hips and my inner thighs.
4. Heel touch
The expert view: “The heel touch is another example of controlled mobility. This is working on activation of the hip muscles and being able to use your available passive range of motion, actively,” says Smith.
What it’s like: This was another movement that felt more stable than I expected it to, although I did have to take it slow to maintain my balance. It noticeably activated the muscles around my hip, which had to engage to keep my leg lifted, and I felt the stretch all around‚ in my glutes, upper thigh, inner thigh and groin.
5. Stiff-leg deadlift (SLDL) with internal rotation
The expert view: “You get a hamstring stretch (but probably more of a sciatic neural gliding) along with closed chain (weight bearing) internal rotation of the hip, which can be very beneficial for hip and low back mobility,” says Smith.
What it’s like: I felt this stretch in my lower back, as Smith predicted, as well my outer hips again. I used a 6kg kettlebell, which may have been a little too heavy, but it was what I had to hand.
My verdict
I’m always amazed by how a good stretch makes me feel, but these dynamic stretches were next level. Rather than feeling loose and relaxed after the routine, I felt warm and ready to work out. I’ll be incorporating these moves into my regular strength workout as a warm-up.
While the first few reps were difficult, and I struggled with the wide stance of the deep hip rocker, I felt my range of motion improve. I went for a walk after and my hips felt looser and more comfortable when walking uphill when they usually twinge a little. With regular practice, I’m hoping to get my heels on the floor in the wide hip rocker and improve my overall hip mobility further.
