10 Hip Extension Exercises For Better Lower Body Movement

Let’s begin the list with walking lunges, a fantastic workout that can strengthen the lower body muscles by working the quads, hamstrings, and calves. The forward movements of the walking lunge also contribute to improvement in the range of motion.

This exercise combines the action of walking motions with a lunge, which ultimately helps to open up your hips with each stride.

Steps To Do:

• Begin by standing in an upright posture. The feet must be present at a hip width distance.
• Join your hands at chest level. You could carry a weight (like dumbbell) for more intensity.
• Take a step forward with your right leg while bending both knees.
• Bend until the front thigh becomes parallel to the ground and the back knee nearly touches the floor.
• Hold this lunge pose for a few seconds, then push through your left heel to stride forward into the next lunge. 
• Step your left foot forward and sink into another lunge.
• Conduct this alternate walking move for 5 to 7 steps.

The glute bridge is a popular hip extension exercise that helps stretch our hips with every successful lift during the workout process. It is also great for relieving lower back pain.

However, we must not overstretch or push hard while lifting our bodies, as this could lead to serious injuries.

Steps To Do:

• Lie down on a comfortable mat with a flat back and relaxed shoulders.
• The feet must be present at hip width distance.
• Bend both knees a few inches from the ground. The arms must be placed at your sides.
• Take a deep breath, and start lifting your hips from the ground. Press the palms and feet to help you in this lifting process.
• Lift toward the ceiling until the hips, knees, back, and shoulders come together in a straight line.
• Squeeze the glutes at the top of the pose. Stay here for 10 seconds.
• Then, slowly lower yourself down back to the floor. 
• Repeat this movement for 10 to 12 reps, feeling a deep stretch in the glutes, lower back, and legs.

This is another killer workout for improving lower body movement by stretching the hamstrings and glutes. Kickbacks help create a good angle between your joint and thighs, hence improving the range of motion with consistent practice.

Standing kickbacks might make you feel like a horse or a giraffe, as they use the backward kicking movement to show dominance or defend themselves.

Steps To Do:

• To begin this workout, stand 1 to 2 feet away from a wall, chair, or desk. They act as support for your body while doing kickbacks.
• Now, lean your upper body slightly in the forward direction. Keep the feet hip width apart.
• Raise your right leg by slightly bending the knee.
• Move the right leg backward. Go as far as you can. Try to extend the leg to a 60 or 90-degree angle.
• Hold at the top for a few seconds, then return to the starting position. 
• Continue kicking back the leg for 7  to 10 reps. Then, switch to the left leg.

Consistently doing hip thrusts will leave us feeling like our hips are opening up nicely. They are great for engaging the gluteal muscles, making them one of the best gluteus maximus exercises on this list.

Hip thrust could be done without a weight, however, we may use a loaded barbell (to ramp up more challenge).

Steps To Do:

• Lie down with your upper back and shoulders touching a flat bench.
• The hips must be initially on the ground, while the knees must be bent.
• Place a barbell over your hips. Hold the weight with both hands.
• Now, start pushing your hips up slowly and steadily. Keep the back straight during the lift-off.
• Continue raising the body till the hips, knees, and back are in a straight line.
• Maintain this straight line for 30 seconds.
• Then, lower your hips down to the original position.
• Repeat the hip thrust exercise for 10 to 12 reps.

Donkey kicks are just like kickbacks but practiced in a tabletop position. With each kick, we extend our hip joints to a certain degree, helping improve our range of motion.

This exercise is also fantastic for targeting hamstrings, core, and lower back. Just be sure not to arch your back too much during the movement.

Steps To Do:

• Get down on a tabletop pose with hands under the shoulders and knees under the hips.
• Keep the knees bent at 90 degrees. The hands should be laid shoulder width apart.
• Start lifting your bent right leg upwards. Maintain the bend while raising the leg.
• You should go up as high as possible. The soles of the feet must be pointing toward the ceiling at the top of the lift.
• Hold the raised leg for 10 seconds. Bring the leg down with slow, controlled motions.
• Next, lift your left leg and repeat the movement, alternating for 5 to 7 reps on each leg.

This hip extensor exercise is fantastic for engaging your posterior chain muscles quite effectively. They are a part of weight-lifting workouts that can be challenging for some beginners, especially if they try out with heavier weights. Perform the Romanian deadlift daily to promote good posture and get a well-shaped hip.

Steps To Do:

• Grab a barbell and stand tall, holding the weight with a firm grip.
• Start with a light or moderate weight to avoid putting stress on your wrists while holding it.
• Engage your core, push your hips backward, and make sure not to arch your back during the movement.
• The barbell will be lowered to the shin level after the hips have been pushed back.
• Stay in this bent pose for 10 seconds, then lift yourself back up again.
• Squeeze the glutes and thrust the hips forward as you rise up slowly.
• Continue repeating the Romanian deadlift for desired number of reps.

This is a more intense version of the traditional glute bridge. Unlike the glute bridge, where you lift both legs at the same time, this version isolates one leg at a time (just as the name implies).

It is important to keep the core engaged during the exercise. Also, avoid any sagging or twisting of the pelvis as it may lead to bad strain in the lower back muscles.

Steps To Do:

• Lie down in a supine pose with your knees bent, just like at the start of a traditional glute bridge.
• Place your arms at your sides, palms facing down.
• Next, raise your hips upward while lifting your right leg with controlled momentum.
• The left knee, back, and shoulders must be present in a straight line.
• Hold at the top for a few seconds, squeezing your glutes as you do.
• Then come down slowly to the original position. 
• Repeat this movement for 5 to 7 reps.

If we want to walk and run properly, stability ball rotations might be exactly what we need to stretch our hips and hamstrings in order to boost mobility.

To get the most out of this workout, we must focus on rotating our body using our core muscles. This helps prevent lower back strain while keeping the abs engaged. Also, be careful not to over-twist the body, as that may lead to injury.

Steps To Do:

• Start by lying down on the floor with a stability ball against your glutes.
• Your arms can be outstretched at your sides or placed comfortably near your body.
• Now, keep both legs on top of the stability ball, bending the knees slightly. The legs should be touching each other.
• Inhale deeply, and then rotate the legs to the left side. Hold at the left for 2 to 3 seconds.
• Return to the center. Then, rotate to the right side, maintaining the same momentum as before.
• Continue practicing this exercise for a few minutes.

Bird Dog is a great hip extension stretch that can help improve the hip joint’s range of motion while also strengthening the muscles, without putting too much pressure. Over-extension of the arms and legs is frowned upon, and the back should not be arched too.

Practice this workout if you want to improve your posture and hand-leg coordination as well.

Steps To Do:

• Get down on the tabletop pose with the hands directly under the shoulders.
• The knees must be bent at 90-degree angle. 
• Take a deep breath and raise the left arm and opposite leg (the right leg).
• Your left arm should be fully extended in front of you, while your right leg extends backward.
• Keep your extended arm, leg, and back in a straight line.
• Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Then, return to the starting position.
• Switch to the other arm and leg. Perform 10 reps for each side.

This exercise is an alternative to the barbell hip thrust if you find the latter too challenging or painful. It's performed in an upright kneeling pose, and you may use knee pads to resist the tension while staying in that position.

A resistance band would make the upright hip thrust more challenging, while also stretching your hip muscles and joints more effectively.

Steps To Do:

• Kneel with the legs bent at perpendicular angle. The toes should be touching the floor.
• Your arms must be resting on your waists.
• Tie a resistance band around your hips, then loop the other end around a sturdy surface (door knob or power rack) at hip level.
• Now, push your hips back till the buttocks nearly reach your calves.
• Squeeze the glutes and press your hips forward, maintaining tension in the resistance band.
• Continue this process for 10 to 12 reps, feeling a deep stretch in the hip area with each rep.

Trying to extend our hips can sometimes be risky since it involves frequent movement of the hip joints. A proper hip extension utilizes multiple muscles, hence, overextending can lead to strains, muscle tears, or other serious injuries.

That is why it’s crucial to be cautious when performing these exercises. Here are some safety tips we need to follow for a safe and effective workout session:

1. Incorporate A Correct Form

Proper form is the foundation of any successful exercise. Without the right techniques, a workout can end up being a waste of time and effort.

Start by understanding the positions you need to take at the beginning, where you need to move next, and whether the exercise requires you to hold a stretch. These details make all the difference, turning your workout into a productive session that benefits your overall well-being.

2. Practice Warm Ups

Warm up exercises help raise the body temperature, loosen the lower body muscles, and improve blood circulation. These factors make the workout session more productive and safe.

Gentle stretches such as knee marching, hamstring stretch, and light jumping can act as warm ups before performing the hip extensor exercises.

3. The Back And Pelvis Must Be Neutral

While doing the exercise for hip extension, remember to keep the back and pelvis neutral. We should not arch the back while working out, or even tilt the pelvis forward. This ensures a safe workout by decreasing the risk of a serious injury.

By keeping the back and pelvis neutral, we would also be focusing much of our engagement on the targeted hip muscles.

4. Take Rest

Proper rest is necessary to heal the sore muscles after an intense workout session. Once we finish our hip extension session, resting can help us recover from all the fatigue and discomfort in the muscles. 1 or 2 rest days can also be incorporated in our weekly schedule.

If we do not take proper rest, muscle soreness and fatigue will only intensify. Over time, this could lead to serious problems, possibly forcing a break from exercise for several weeks to recover from pain and discomfort.

There’s no foolproof way to completely avoid mistakes or injuries while doing the aforementioned hip extension workouts. Sometimes, we might unintentionally run into a tough situation. However, if that happens, it is crucial to consult a health professional right away.

Here are some situations that would warrant a doctor’s visit:

• Sharp Pain During Workout - When you feel sharp pain while doing an exercise, it may be time to stop and check the affected area. Initially, you can just take a rest. However, if the pain does not go away after hours of rest, see a doctor immediately.
• Lack of Physical Improvement - You may occasionally notice little to no improvement in your hip mobility once you exercise hip extension movements. If your range of motion hasn’t improved over the past few weeks, consider consulting a health professional. They can check for any underlying health issues or suggest adjustments to your workout routine.
• Persistent Muscle Tightness - Tight muscles are a real obstacle to effective exercise. While warm-ups can help loosen them, sometimes the tightness persists. If this keeps happening, it’s a good idea to visit a doctor to get to the root of problem.

Disclaimer: The content presented in this article is only intended to be used for information purposes. It should not be taken as a form of medical / clinical advice.