{"id":18398,"date":"2025-07-23T17:41:08","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T17:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/18398\/"},"modified":"2025-07-23T17:41:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T17:41:08","slug":"this-hip-routine-got-me-stronger-at-47-no-gym-needed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/18398\/","title":{"rendered":"This Hip Routine Got Me Stronger at 47 (No Gym Needed)"},"content":{"rendered":"

As you age, your workout routine should be adjusted accordingly to best suit your body\u2019s needs. Over time, it\u2019s common for the body to tighten up due to changes in both lifestyle and physiology. Similar to spotting fine lines, wrinkles, and gray hairs, you may also experience decreased strength and elasticity in your connective tissues and muscles, explains David Kirschen, master flexologist for StretchLab<\/a> with 20+ years of personal training experience. To help address these changes, David shares one of his go-to routi<\/a>nes<\/a> for building and maintaining strength<\/a> in his 40s\u2014with a key focus on the hips.<\/p>\n

\u201cDue to our reliance on them for locomotion, our hips are usually one of the first areas to experience [the changes that occur with age], often resulting in symptoms like reduced range of motion and back pain,\u201d David explains. \u201cWe also have a tendency to move less as we get older, causing an even faster loss of function.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hips are essential for weight bearing and locomotion, as they attach some of the strongest muscles in your body, including the hip flexors and glutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have been noticing back pain or difficulty getting around, the hips are probably your best bet to address first,\u201d David tells us. \u201cThe following exercises will restore your range of motion, leaving you feeling less restricted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Below, David reveals his best hip-opening routine that keeps him strong<\/a>, mobile, and pain-free. Begin by performing these stretches<\/a> every other day. Like any workout, stretching requires proper recovery time\u2014especially when you\u2019re just starting out. As time passes, you can do these exercises daily as long as you\u2019re not sore between sessions.<\/p>\n

\tLying Hamstring<\/p>\n

\"WomanShutterstock<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile your hamstrings are located on the backs of your thighs, their primary action is hip extension, making them an important muscle to address,\u201d David points out.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e<\/p>\n

Begin lying flat on your back.
\nLoop a yoga strap around your foot. (A belt or rope also works if you don\u2019t have a yoga strap on hand.)
\nLift your leg off the ground and use the strap to gently pull your leg toward your head, keeping your knee straight.
\nHold the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds before switching sides.<\/p>\n

\u200b\u200b 5 Core Exercises Trainers Swear By for a Stronger Midsection<\/a><\/p>\n

\tSide Lying Quad<\/p>\n

\"side-lyingShutterstock<\/p>\n

\u201cYour quadriceps (specifically the rectus femoris) is another leg muscle that can tighten your hips due to its origin at the pelvis,\u201d says David.<\/p>\n

Lie on one side of your body\u2014the opposite side you aim to stretch.
\nBend your knee as much as you can.
\nGrab your ankle with your same side hand.
\nPull your heel toward your buttocks while allowing your thigh to drift back.
\nFeel free to use a yoga strap by looping it around your ankle, then slinging the strap over your shoulder to bring your foot toward the buttocks.<\/p>\n

If You Can Do This Combo Without Rest, Your Core Is Decades Younger<\/a><\/p>\n

\tFigure 4<\/p>\n

\"WomanShutterstock<\/p>\n

\u201cThe piriformis is a tough little rotator in the back of your hip, deep below your glute,\u201d David notes. \u201cWhen it gets tight, it can cause discomfort by creating a rotational force at the pelvis. Additionally, an inflamed or tight piriformis can place pressure on the sciatic nerve, causing a radiating pain down you hip and leg.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lie flat on your back with bent knees.
\nPosition the ankle of the side you aim to stretch on your opposite knee.
\nKeep your knee bent as you pull that opposite leg toward your chest, keeping your ankle on your knee until you feel a nice stretch in your buttocks region.<\/p>\n

These 2 Exercises Build Arm Strength Faster Than Traditional Workouts After 40<\/a><\/p>\n

\tButterfly Stretch<\/p>\n

\"butterflyShutterstock<\/p>\n

\u201cYour groin is home to your adductor muscles, which pull your legs toward each other,\u201d David explains.<\/p>\n

Begin seated with your knees bent and the soles of your feet pressed together.
\nGently push your knees down toward the ground until you feel a solid stretch in your inner thigh.
\nIf the seated position is uncomfortable, this exercise can be completed lying down, flat on your back, with your legs in the same position as the seated version.<\/p>\n

If You Can Pass This 30-Second Test, Your Body Is Decades Younger<\/a><\/p>\n

\tHip Flexor<\/p>\n

\"halfShutterstock<\/p>\n

\u201cYour hip flexors are located in the front of your hip, and pull your thighs up into a marching movement. When hip flexors are tight, they pull the front of the pelvis forward into anterior tilt, which is a dangerous condition for the lower back,\u201d David tells us.<\/p>\n

Lower to one knee, with your opposite foot placed in front of you.
\nMaintain a tall torso as you press your hips forward until you feel a nice stretch at the front of your hip on the trailing leg side.<\/p>\n

Alexa Mellardo<\/p>\n

\t\tAlexa is a content strategist, editor, and writer based in Greenwich, Connecticut. She has 11+ years of experience creating content for travel, lifestyle, fitness, wellness, F&B, home, and celeb news publications.\t\t\t\t\tRead more about Alexa <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As you age, your workout routine should be adjusted accordingly to best suit your body\u2019s needs. Over time,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18399,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[6647,102,8764,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-18398","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-strength-training","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom","13":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18398","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18398"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18398\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}