A Pilates instructor recommends these five beginner-friendly moves to stretch and strengthen tight hips

Undo the damage of sitting with this Pilates routine

woman doing a forward lunge wearing black leggings and blue crop top on a green mat with a living room setting behind her
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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The hips can be a sensitive area for many people. Maybe yours have become tight over the years, leading to stiffness in your lower body and back.

If you spend a lot of time sitting, the muscles around your hips can also weaken, which affects overall mobility and stability.

Incorporating hip mobility exercises into your routine can help counteract these negative effects, promoting joint and muscle health.

Pilates instructor Maia Henry, from workout app Ladder, has shared a simple routine designed to strengthen and lengthen your hips.

"Our hips are a central part of everyday movement. Whether you’re an athlete who is aware of the need for strong hip muscles or a busy parent chasing your children, your hips are a key part of daily movement and functioning," says Henry.

"Pilates is a great way to build hip strength in a low-impact way that isn’t overly strenuous on the rest of your body," she explains.

As you'll see in this workout, Pilates incorporates slow and controlled movements that build strength, improve your coordination and boost your posture.

Henry's routine includes both strength exercises and movements focused on mobilizing the hip joints and stretching surrounding muscles.

Maia Henry's five-move Pilates workout for hips

Glute bridge

Maia Henry pilates teacher doing a pilates glue bridge

(Image credit: Maia Henry)

Sets: 2 Reps: 12

  • Lie on your back with feet planted hip-width apart.
  • Press through your feet to raise your hips, pausing to squeeze your glutes at the top.
  • Lower your hips slowly to the starting position and repeat.

Fire hydrant

Maia Henry pilates teacher doing a pilates fire hydrant exercise from a tabletop position

(Image credit: Maia Henry)

Sets: 2 Reps: 12 on each side

  • Start in a tabletop position with your hands beneath shoulders and your knees under your hips.
  • Lift one knee to the side, while engaging your core and glutes for stability.

Clamshell

Maia Henry pilates teacher doing a pilates clamshell exercise

(Image credit: Maia Henry)

Sets: 2 Reps: 12 on each side

  • Lie on your side with hips stacked and knees bent.
  • Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee. Hold for a moment then lower it.
  • For an extra challenge, lift your hips too.

Lunge

Maia Henry pilates teacher doing a pilates lunge

(Image credit: Maia Henry)

Sets: 3 Reps: 12

  • Stand and step forward with one leg. Lower your hips until both knees form a 90° angle.
  • For an extra challenge, hold dumbbells while lunging.

Lying leg lift

Maia Henry pilates teacher doing a pilates leg lift

(Image credit: Maia Henry)

Sets: 3 Reps: 12

  • Lie on your side with your legs bent. Using your lower arm as support, push your torso up the floor at a 45° angle.
  • Straighten your top leg and lift it, so it's parallel with the floor. Lower with control then repeat.

Want more routines like this one? Try this Pilates for beginners routine, or have a go at these hip-strengthening exercises.

Alice Porter
Freelancer Writer

Alice Porter is a freelance journalist covering lifestyle topics including health, fitness and wellness. She is particularly interested in women's health, strength training and fitness trends and writes for publications including Stylist Magazine, Refinery29, The Independent and Glamour Magazine. Like many other people, Alice's personal interest in combining HIIT training with strength work quickly turned into a CrossFit obsession and she trains at a box in south London. When she's not throwing weights around or attempting handstand push-ups, you can probably find her on long walks in nature, buried in a book or hopping on a flight to just about anywhere it will take her.

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