I\u2019m a certified personal trainer and a corrective movement and pre- and postnatal exercise specialist, so I\u2019m well-versed in addressing form and mobility issues, especially during the postpartum period.<\/p>\n
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When the usual tricks weren\u2019t fixing my squats and lunges, I decided to try something new\u2014I did the 90\/90 hip mobility exercise every day for two weeks to see if it would help.<\/p>\n
Before I started, I checked in with Dr Michael Wang, a physical therapist with New Care Physical Therapy<\/a>, for his thoughts on my experiment.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n \u201cThe 90\/90 exercise is an excellent exercise to help the hips move freely,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n He explains that sitting for long periods forces our hips to stay in one position, which can negatively impact their range of movement. This can lead to stiffness, irritation and muscle cramping\u2014so doing some mobility exercises to counteract this is a good idea.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 90\/90 exercise is safe to do daily if it can be done without sharp pain or if there are no pre-existing conditions,\u201d says Wang.<\/p>\n Though I\u2019d been sitting a lot since my son was born, I was able to do the movement without pain, so I was good to go.<\/p>\n I hoped that a fortnight of 90\/90 exercises would be a beneficial addition to my routine.<\/p>\n What to read next<\/p>\n How to do the 90\/90 hip mobility exercise<\/p>\n \u201cPeople who have hip conditions like hip impingement, sciatica or history of hip surgery should consult an expert before attempting this exercise,\u201d cautions Wang.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re injury-free you can consult a certified personal trainer or physical therapist to ensure you\u2019re doing the move correctly.<\/p>\n How to do the move:<\/p>\n Sets: 1-2 Reps: 5-10 each side<\/p>\n Sit on the floor with your left knee resting in front at a 90\u00b0 angle.Place your right knee at a 90\u00b0 angle on the floor to your right side.Raise your right knee, then your left, rotating from your hips, until your feet are flat on the floor.Continue rotating until your right knee is in front and your left knee to your side.Reverse the movement to return to your starting position.How I built mobility<\/p>\n Knowing my hips were exceptionally tight, I began my two-week experiment with just one set of five reps on each side.<\/p>\n Even this was a struggle at first, but by day four I started to move with more ease.<\/p>\n On day five, I upped my reps to eight, which felt great.<\/p>\n After a week, I was up to 10 reps and performing the exercise easily and smoothly.<\/p>\n Towards the end of the challenge, I decided to pay more attention to my pace.<\/p>\n I moved more slowly and intentionally through each part of the movement. This helped me identify trouble spots in my range that I\u2019d previously missed.<\/p>\n On day 11, I added another set of 10 reps and by day 14, my final day, my hips felt looser and more limber.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what I observed after doing this 90\/90 hip exercise every day for two weeks.<\/p>\n 1. Squats and lunges got easier<\/p>\n Poor squats and lunges were what motivated me to try this 90\/90 hip mobility challenge, so I\u2019m happy to report that both have improved.<\/p>\n The tightness and discomfort I was experiencing at the bottom of the squat and on the descent were easing by day three. I also noticed I wasn\u2019t shifting my torso forward as much\u2014with more space and comfort in my hips, I was able to sink lower and keep my back more upright and chest lifted.<\/p>\n Lunges felt smoother too and I was able to get my knee closer to the floor.<\/p>\n By day 14, I was even able to use heavier weights during both movements.<\/p>\n
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