If you want to find out some great hip flexibility exercises for runners, then watch the video or read our summary below. We’ll explain three different ways that you can stretch the hips, which target slightly different areas of the joints.

Why Focus on Hip Flexibility?

Hips can get quite stiff, particularly if you’re staying in one position for a long time. If the joint is stiff, it doesn’t move well and the muscles around it can’t work as well as they could do.

To improve your running, you want to keep the different joints of the leg flexible, which can help improve your efficiency moving.

Hip Flexibility Exercises for Runners

1. Hip Flexor Stretch.  This targets the muscles at the front of your hip (your hip flexors).

Start in high kneeling, put your left foot in front of you, so you’re in a bit of a semi-lunge position. Keep hips facing forwards, sweep the right foot across the midline of the body. Tuck the tailbone underneath. Feel the stretch at the front of the right hip.

Extra: Sweep the right arm up and lean over to the left, feel an extra stretch down the right side of the body.

Hold 20 secs. Repeat 5 times. Repeat on opposite leg.

2. Pigeon Stretch. This works on both hips.

Start in four-point kneeling. Move your right knee up to the right hand, sweep the right foot across the midline of the body. Straighten the left leg. So you’ve got stretch on the front of the left hip, and you’re rotating at the right hip.

Only if you’re comfortable in this position, lower yourself onto your elbows.

Hold 20 secs. Repeat 5 times. Repeat on opposite leg.

3. Hip Rotation. This improves internal rotation at the hip.

You’ll need a stretchy-band and something sturdy to tie it to. Sit in a chair and loop the band around your ankle/foot. Start with the foot underneath the knee, keeping the knee as still as possible, let the band pull your foot away. Return it to the start.

Repeat 10-20 times. Repeat on the opposite leg.

Try It Out

Add one or all of these hip flexibility exercises runners to your weekly routine and see how you do.

Remember to listen to your body. If you’re getting any aches and pains or niggles, please get it checked out by a healthcare professional.

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What’s Next?

If you want to find out more information about some great drills you can do before you start your run, or some calf strengthening exercises, then read our other blogs or watch the videos we’ve got in this series.

Let us know if you have any questions, and forward the video or blog on and share it with anybody that you think could do with improving their hip flexibility.

Disclaimer:

As with all information given for exercises and exercise programs, when using our exercise videos or information, please use your common sense and don’t do anything that will hurt you. By performing any fitness exercises, you are performing them at your own risk. PhysioFit Health will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm you sustain as a result of information shared on our website or YouTube channel. This includes emails, videos and text. Thanks for your understanding.