This Hip Routine Got Me Stronger at 47 (No Gym Needed)

As you age, your workout routine should be adjusted accordingly to best suit your body’s needs. Over time, it’s 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 with 20+ years of personal training experience. To help address these changes, David shares one of his go-to routines for building and maintaining strength in his 40s—with a key focus on the hips.

“Due 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,” David explains. “We also have a tendency to move less as we get older, causing an even faster loss of function.”

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.

“If you have been noticing back pain or difficulty getting around, the hips are probably your best bet to address first,” David tells us. “The following exercises will restore your range of motion, leaving you feeling less restricted.”

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

Lying Hamstring

“While your hamstrings are located on the backs of your thighs, their primary action is hip extension, making them an important muscle to address,” David points out.

Begin lying flat on your back.
Loop a yoga strap around your foot. (A belt or rope also works if you don’t have a yoga strap on hand.)
Lift your leg off the ground and use the strap to gently pull your leg toward your head, keeping your knee straight.
Hold the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds before switching sides.

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Side Lying Quad

“Your quadriceps (specifically the rectus femoris) is another leg muscle that can tighten your hips due to its origin at the pelvis,” says David.

Lie on one side of your body—the opposite side you aim to stretch.
Bend your knee as much as you can.
Grab your ankle with your same side hand.
Pull your heel toward your buttocks while allowing your thigh to drift back.
Feel 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.

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Figure 4

Woman doing figure four stretch exercise. Flat vector illustration isolated on white background — Shutterstock

“The piriformis is a tough little rotator in the back of your hip, deep below your glute,” David notes. “When 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.”

Lie flat on your back with bent knees.
Position the ankle of the side you aim to stretch on your opposite knee.
Keep 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.

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Butterfly Stretch

“Your groin is home to your adductor muscles, which pull your legs toward each other,” David explains.

Begin seated with your knees bent and the soles of your feet pressed together.
Gently push your knees down toward the ground until you feel a solid stretch in your inner thigh.
If 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.

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Hip Flexor

“Your 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,” David tells us.

Lower to one knee, with your opposite foot placed in front of you.
Maintain 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.