Top 5 Exercises to Loosen Tight Hips and Strengthen Your Glutes

Tight hip flexors and lazy glutes are not mutually exclusive, they do not always go together, they are not even cause and effect, but I find most women have tight or confused hip flexors and need more glue engagement.

 This leads to tight hips (or hip flexors that just don’t know their roll because they are shortened most of the time) and underdeveloped glutes (unless you’re genetically gifted or purchase implants).

So here we are.

If that sounds like you or you just want to add some new work to your regime and grow a booty, you’re in the right place.


Add these to the end of your warm up or between lifting sets, like a superset –

BULGARIAN ROCK BACKS

These will light you up if your quads or hip flexors are tight. We pray for you. Make sure the bench is below your knee. Control the movement.

2x10ea before a lift.

SAMSON STRETCH



This can be a static or dynamic stretch with active reaches overhead. Up to you.

I put these between squat sets in Built By Annie and with some of my One on One clients and they all LOVE THEM.

Get the pelvis in a posterior tilt, and keep the spine tall. Reach over to the opposite side and look for a stretch through your quad, hip flexors and core.

Hold for two minutes per side or do 15 long reaches per side.

The next three are a superset with little to no rest. You can always increase reps as your glute endurance improves. 

FROG PUMPS



I personally like these for loosening up my hip flexors WHILE getting my glutes to burn.

Find a position that is comfortable for you, play with the set up on this, and go to town.

2×30-50 reps FOR SURE.

BANDED GLUTE BRIDGE



Focus on the squeeze, pushing through the heels and keeping the ribs pinned down. You can do this with your back on a bench or the floor. Whichever you prefer. The elevated position is more difficult. How many reps you’re able to do will highly depend on the strength of the resistance of your band.

2×15-25reps 

LATERAL BAND WALKS



The holy grail of glute warm ups. Been doing these bad boys or some variation for a solid seven years now. The key with these is control and angles. Keep the toes straight forward, soft knees, butt back and hips level (avoid teeter tottering side to side as you step). These will light up the glute med.

2×10-20 steps each side.

Here’s to chilling our hip flexors and quads out and building that peach. With anything it is important to be consistent and mindful. Don’t do this one or two times and expect to be fixed forever. Ain’t. Gonna. Happen. Do the work. Be consistent, and enjoy.

Source: Annie Miller Co.