Hip Joint Exercises?

[Ronin74]

I was wondering if anyone knew any hip joint strengthening exercises that I could do temporarily while I'm trimming back down.

I used to have a series of seated/floor-based exercises for the hips, and they did wonders for my stability, as well as dexterity in my kicks. However, a few years of more work and no play actually leaves me with a gut that won't allow me to do the exercises for now.

Any suggestions on any exercises that I could possibly do, preferably standing?

 

[seasoned]

Low horse or sumo stance. Feet twice shoulder width apart, squat down low, with back straight. Feet will point straight or at a 45% angle. Fold arms on your chest and relax, and work up to 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

 

[bluekey88]

Squats, dead lifts, various kettlebell excercises (kb swings for example)

Peace,
Erik

 

[Live True]

Do you have access to a multi-hip machine at the gym? It can work your hip from many different directions, and you work the machine standing up. It's pretty cool!


Also, don't forget to stretch those hip flexors, as they can tighten up pretty quickly.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[Marginal]

Low horse or sumo stance. Feet twice shoulder width apart, squat down low, with back straight. Feet will point straight or at a 45% angle. Fold arms on your chest and relax, and work up to 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

Be careful with this one. It messed up my right knee years back. Stood up, felt a twang like a rubber band snapping on one side followed by a similar twang on the other. My knee hurt for over a month after that. It's still not as stable as my left.

 

[seasoned]

Be careful with this one. It messed up my right knee years back. Stood up, felt a twang like a rubber band snapping on one side followed by a similar twang on the other. My knee hurt for over a month after that. It's still not as stable as my left.

Good point, I probably should not have used the "low" part. I would say to start high, and progressively go lower over a period of time. Listen to your body.

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

Swiss ball wall-squats:

 

[Ronin74]

Thanks guys. I've actually returned to doing a horse stance for helping with my training, and squats are a staple with my strength training, but I'm looking for the exercises that really isolate the hip joint itself.

Live True, unfortunately I haven't seen that machine at any of the gyms I've gone to (I'm a member a 24), but that's more along the lines of what I could use.

Do you guys think it the meantime, I should just try to go through my kicks on a slow count to work the hip joints? Perhaps even with ankle weights?

 

[Live True]

I know some folks here use ankle weights, but they can also add undue stress on your knee, so use caution. Also, keep in mind that some hip issues are sometimes caused by a front/back muscle imbalance (for examples glutes/abs, hamstrings/quads). So exercises that work those joints together might be useful, many of which you are doing (squats, deadlifts, woodchops....)

Good question though, makes me want to pull out my books and see if there are specific exercises focusing on the hips. I had a teacher who had a special strap he could attach to a cable machine (which is in most gyms) that he could lie on back and do pulls that worked glutes and hip flexor (front of hip)...I'll see if I can get more info on that.