4 Bed Exercises That Restore Hip Strength Faster Than Gym Machines After 60

By Alexa Mellardo

July 6, 2026

Maintaining strong hips should be a top priority for everyone as they age. After all, they stabilize your pelvis and are necessary for mobility, balance, and daily life. Strong hips can help protect your back and prevent injuries. On the other hand, weak hips can cause the pelvis to tilt. This places extra stress on your lower back and knees, which can create other health problems.

Whether you enjoy walking, running, hiking, or simply everyday living, you need strong, powerful, and stable hips. To ensure you’re including the right movement into your routine, we spoke with experts who recommend four bed exercises that can help restore hip strength faster than gym machines after 60.

What makes bed workouts so special? According to Heather Baker, Endeavor Health Physical Therapist, “Bed-based exercises are a safe and easy way to activate muscles and build strength in the convenience of one’s own home. The hip is a ball and socket joint so it has the ability to move in multiple directions. Since it has this ability, it is important to build strength in multiple planes to fully support the joint and give the joint the ability to move within its available range.”

Some exercises may become challenging for older adults whose balance is compromised due to health issues or injuries.

“The bed removes the balance requirement entirely. Underlying degenerative joint disease, or arthritis, can also make weight-bearing standing exercises intolerable and painful. Bed-based hip exercises can still create muscle activation, joint motion, and progressive loading without requiring standing balance or complicated equipment,” explains Dr. Natasha Trentacosta, MD FAAOS, Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician and Orthopedic Surgeon at Cedars-Sinai.

Below are four stellar exercises to add to your rotation.

Glute Bridge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp33YgPZgns

“The glute bridge is a beneficial exercise because it is weight bearing which is good for bone density. It also strengthens the muscle on the backside of the body which help to improve stability, balance and the ability to stand up and sit down out of a chair,” explains Baker.

1. Begin by lying flat on your back with bent knees and feet hip-width apart on the mattress, arms at your sides with palms pressing into the surface.
2. Press through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
3. Squeeze your buttocks, holding at the top for 3 to 5 seconds.
4. Lower your hips back to the start position.
5. Repeat 10 times, building up to 3 sets.

Clamshell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAAjOdwZdks

“The clamshell exercise targets the muscles on the back and side of the hip. These muscles are key for balance, knee health, and pelvic stability during walking,” Baker says.

1. Lie on your side with your knees stacked and bent.
2. Keep your feet together as you lift your top knee, like a clamshell opening.
3. Pull your belly button inward as you contract your abs.
4. Lower.
5. Avoid rotating through your lower back.
6. Repeat 10 times on each leg, working your way up to 3 sets of 10 reps.

Straight-Leg Raise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr-PtqcpeWM

“The straight-leg raise strengthens the lower abdominals and the muscles on the front of the hip and thigh. These muscles are imperative for advancing the leg during walking and climbing stairs,” Baker tells us.

1. Start by lying flat on your back with your arms extended overhead and legs out straight.
2. Activate your core as you lift one leg off the mattress, keeping it extended and your lower back pressed into the mat.
3. Hold for a moment at the top.
4. Use control to lower your leg.
5. Repeat 10 times on each leg, working your way up to 3 sets of 10 reps.

Side-Lying Hip Abduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9FtnmsIYgI

“The side-lying hip abduction exercise strengthens the muscle in the back and side of the hip. These muscles are important for stabilizing the hip, pelvis and knee and also help to maintain and improve balance,” Baker points out.

1. Lie on your side with your bottom leg bent and the top leg straight.
2. Keeping your leg elongated and aligned with your body, slowly lift it.
3. Repeat 10 times on each leg, working your way up to 3 sets of 10 reps.