Daily Hip Stretches Suggested by a Mobility Coach: Examining Their Effectiveness
In a recent development, mobility coach Charlotte Hazelwood has shared a daily routine that helped her unlock tight hips in just three minutes. For those finding Hazelwood's exercises challenging, here are some beginner-friendly alternatives that focus on building comfort, strength, and passive mobility safely.
- Supported 90/90 Seated Hold
Instead of the heel taps or dynamic movements in a deep 90/90 position, simply sitting in the 90/90 posture with your hands behind you for support helps build comfort and mobility without strain.
- Prayer Squat with Modifications
This squat position mobilizes hips while allowing support. If heels don’t reach the floor comfortably, placing a rolled blanket or small platform under the heels supports the position and reduces strain.
- Seated Forward Leans on a Chair
Sitting with knees wide but feet flat and leaning forward with a straight back teaches hip hinging gently and is accessible to those with tight hips and hamstrings.
- Chair Squats
These are beginner-friendly weight-bearing movements that help build hip and leg muscle strength and encourage stability without requiring deep hip flexion.
- Bridges and Clamshells
Exercises like glute bridges and clamshells performed lying down target hip stability and strength without deep hip mobility demands.
These options allow gradual progression toward deeper or more intense hip positions like those in Hazelwood’s program by building comfort, strength, and passive mobility safely.
For those looking for a more accessible alternative to the seated good mornings, consider swapping them with seated forward leans. This change provides a gentler way to practice hip hinging and forward folding, without placing too much strain on the lower back.
McCulloch, director of YOUR Personal Training, provides entry-level alternatives for building mobility safely. By incorporating these beginner-friendly exercises into your routine, you can start improving your hip mobility today and work your way up to more challenging exercises over time.
- Beginner-friendly exercises like supported 90/90 seated holds, prayer squats with modifications, chair squats, bridges, and clamshells target hip health-and-wellness and can be incorporated into a fitness-and-exercise routine to gradually build comfort, strength, and passive mobility for individuals who find deeper or more intense hip positions challenging.
- For those who find the seated good mornings challenging, a gentle alternative is the seated forward lean, which provides a way to practice hip hinging and forward folding while reducing strain on the lower back.
- McCulloch, director of YOUR Personal Training, encourages a safe approach to improving mobility by offering beginner-friendly alternatives like these exercises, which can help individuals progress toward more challenging exercises over time and contribute to overall mental-health and wellness.
