Tight hips? These dynamic stretches are what you need to do today

Relieve tension and improve your flexibility with these stretches

Woman kneels on one knee on exercise mat, with her other leg extended to the side. She is in a domestic setting, with shelving and a TV behind her
(Image credit: bojanstory / Getty Images)

As a fitness writer and personal trainer it’s my job to test and coach different exercises and stretches. So I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this video by movement expert and yoga teacher Sonya, known as sonykca on Instagram, because there were a few moves I hadn’t tried before.

In the Instagram Reel, Sonya demonstrates how to do five dynamic poses that move the muscles and joints through their full range of motion. Not only is it a great way to mobilize the body and increase energy levels, this style of stretching helps you to get deeper into each movement, improving both mobility and flexibility. Scroll down to try the stretches and see how they feel.

How to do these dynamic stretches

Sonya recommends doing each movement for 30 seconds and holding for 30 seconds at the end of each one.

What is dynamic stretching?

Dynamic stretching involves repetitive movements that allow you to gradually increase the range of motion with each repetition, and is the type of stretch commonly used to warm up before a workout. It is different from a static stretch which is when you hold a muscle in its lengthened position.

Typically you will move through a dynamic stretch for longer than a static one, and this allows you to get deeper into the movement.

On another occasion, try these static hip stretches to see if you prefer one style of stretch over the other.

Maddy Biddulph

Maddy Biddulph is a journalist specializing in fitness, health and wellbeing content, with 26 years in consumer media working as a writer and editor for some of the bestselling newspapers, magazines and websites in the US and UK, including Marie Claire, The Sunday Times and Women’s Health UK.

She is a CIMPSA-certified PT and works one-on-one with clients, as well as running Circuits Club classes which mixes cardio and strength training and chair-based exercise classes for seniors.