About This Hip Recovery Reset Routine
Long days of sitting or training leave your hips feeling stiff and disconnected. This hip reset routine combines stretching with activation work to wake up sluggish hips, restore their natural movement patterns, and leave you feeling refreshed and mobile.
What This Routine Targets
This reset addresses the full hip complex. You’ll mobilize the hip joints through standing work, stretch the adductors through side lunges and butterfly variations, activate the core that stabilizes your pelvis, strengthen the glutes through bridges, and finish with positions that release accumulated tension.
What’s Included
This six-minute routine includes nine exercises that balance mobility, stretching, and activation. The quick pace and varied positions create a comprehensive reset without requiring much time. Each element serves a purpose in restoring optimal hip function.
Who Should Try This
This routine works well for anyone whose hips feel locked up from too much sitting or fatigued from training. Use it after long flights, desk work, or workout sessions. It’s gentle enough for daily use and effective enough to make a noticeable difference.
Tips for Best Results
Focus on quality movement through each position. Even brief holds become effective when you engage fully. The standing work at the beginning helps warm your hips for the floor stretches that follow.
Standing Frog
Duration: 0:30
Lower into a wide squat and press your knees open to stretch your hips and groin.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Stand with feet wide and toes pointing outward.
- Lower your hips until thighs are roughly parallel to the floor.
- Place hands inside your knees and gently press outward while keeping your chest lifted.
Tips
- Keep your back straight and knees tracking over toes.
Adjustments
- Hold onto a chair or wall for balance if needed.
Wide Leg Bend
Duration: 0:30
Fold forward with legs wide to stretch your hamstrings, hips, and lower back.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Stand with feet wide and toes pointing forward.
- Hinge at your hips to fold forward, lowering your torso toward your legs.
- Relax your head, neck, and arms, aiming to place your palms on the floor.
Tips
- Lengthen through your spine as you fold.
- Keep legs straight but avoid locking your knees.
- Hold ankles and draw your head closer if you want more stretch.
Adjustments
- Rest hands on shins or blocks if the floor feels far away.
Side Lunge
Duration: 1:00
Sink into a side lunge to stretch your groin and hamstrings while building strength.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Stand with feet wide apart.
- Shift your weight to one side, bending that knee and keeping the opposite leg straight.
- Place hands on the floor for balance and lower your hips until you feel a stretch in the inner thigh, rotating the straight-leg foot so the heel grounds and toes point up.
Tips
- Lift your chest and keep your back long.
Adjustments
- Stay higher if the stretch feels intense.
- Hold a chair or wall for extra balance support.
Dead Bug
Duration: 0:30
Stabilize your core with controlled dead bug holds that challenge coordination and focus.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Lie on your back with arms reaching toward the ceiling and legs extended.
- Brace your core, lift one knee above the hip, and raise the opposite arm toward the ceiling.
- Hover the other arm and leg just off the floor and hold the position with steady breathing.
- Switch sides halfway through the set with the same control.
Tips
- Press your lower back into the mat to keep your spine safe.
- Keep hips square and avoid letting one side drop toward the floor.
Adjustments
- Work through a smaller range of motion if needed, lifting limbs only partway.
Reclined Butterfly
Duration: 0:30
Lie back and let your knees fall wide to gently open your hips and ease your spine.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat.
- Bring the soles of your feet together and allow knees to fall out to the sides.
- Rest your arms by your sides with palms facing up and breathe into the stretch.
Tips
- Let gravity open your hips without forcing them.
Adjustments
- Place cushions or blocks under your thighs for support if needed.
Reverse Butterfly
Duration: 0:30
Let your knees fall inward while your feet stay wide to give your hips a refreshing change of pace.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Let both knees drop toward each other, allowing the inner thighs to relax.
- Adjust the width of your feet to find a range that feels good and breathe into the stretch.
Tips
- Soften your inner thighs so the knees can fall inward naturally.
Adjustments
- Place a pillow or block between your knees if they do not touch comfortably.
Bridge
Duration: 0:30
Lift into a grounded bridge to awaken glutes and hamstrings while giving your spine a friendly stretch.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet hip-width, and arms relaxed by your sides.
- Press through both heels to raise your hips, creating a straight line from knees to shoulders.
- Hold the lift with glutes fired up and breathe into your ribs before lowering with control.
Tips
- Squeeze the glutes at the top so the work stays in the backside instead of the low back.
- Keep ribs down and core engaged to prevent excessive arching.
Adjustments
- Lift the hips to a halfway point if you want a lighter option.
- Rest your head on a folded towel when the neck needs extra support.
Single Knee-to-Chest
Duration: 1:00
Hug one knee at a time toward your chest to ease tension in your lower back and hips.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Lie on your back with legs extended and arms by your sides.
- Bend one knee and draw it toward your chest, clasping your shin with both hands.
- Gently pull the knee closer while keeping the opposite leg long and relaxed.
Tips
- Relax your head and neck on the floor.
- Keep hips square and lower back grounded.
Adjustments
- Hold behind your thigh or use a towel around your knee if reaching your shin is difficult.
Happy Baby
Duration: 0:30
Rock into happy baby to soothe your lower back and open your hips with a playful stretch.
Difficulty: Beginner
Instructions
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat.
- Lift your feet and draw knees toward your armpits.
- Grab the outer edges of your feet and gently pull your knees toward the floor while keeping your low back grounded.
Tips
- Press your tailbone toward the floor to keep the lower back happy.
- Relax your shoulders and jaw while you breathe.
Adjustments
- Hold your ankles or calves if reaching your feet is a stretch today.
Hips Reset and Ready
Stand slowly and notice how different your hips feel. A quick reset like this can change how you move for the rest of your day.
Use this routine whenever your hips need attention. It’s designed to be quick enough for busy schedules while thorough enough to actually help. Regular resets prevent the accumulated stiffness that becomes harder to address over time.
