10 Best Hip Stretches for Runners
Photo by Marques Jackson Photography.
By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach
These are the best hip stretches for runners to help you run strong and injury-free. Runners are notorious for tight hips, and when I’m coaching, I often get asked about hip stretches. These are my top picks for hip stretches to help ease muscle tension, improve flexibility, and keep you running strong. I have divided my list into dynamic stretches and static stretches. You can do dynamic stretches as part of your warm-up and static stretches after your workout, once your body is warmed up.
What Causes Tight Hips?
Tight hips can be caused by many aspects of modern living and even by the motion of running. If you sit at a desk all day or drive a lot for work, you most likely have tight hips. Cycling and running can also lead to tight hips.
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Your hip joint is a ball and socket joint that connects your torso to your legs. When you run, your iliopsoas muscles shorten. These muscles in your hip flexors help lift your leg and pull your thigh toward your body when you run. When they become too tight, you will have a more limited range of motion and cause strain on other lower body muscles.
Tight hip flexors can lead to poor running form and injuries. So it’s essential to release hip tension to prevent injuries. Improved range of motion in your hips allows your body to run more efficiently. Weak core muscles and weak glutes can also cause hip tightness in runners. Exercises like glute bridges strengthen your core and glutes, which can, in turn, help your hip mobility.
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Effects of Hip Tightness on Runners
Tight hips can cause a variety of problems for runners and can even lead to running injuries. If you have tight hips, you may experience knee pain, lower back pain, tight hamstrings, Achilles tendonitis, shin splints, and IT band syndrome. These hip stretches for runners will help prevent and ease hip tightness, allowing you to run strong.
Note: If you have hip pain, you should seek medical attention as you may have an injury or condition like osteoarthritis.
Best Dynamic Hip Stretches for Runners
Dynamic stretches involve movement and help prepare your body for exercise. These dynamic hip stretches will help ease hip tension before your run.
1. Glute Bridge
Glute bridges strengthen your glutes and stretch hips.
Glute bridges are one of the best glute strengthening exercises that also stretches your hips.
How to Do It:
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms by your sides.
Exhale and squeeze your glutes, pushing your hips up and pressing your heels into the ground. Continue to squeeze your glutes throughout the exercise.
Raise your hips until your body forms a diagonal line from your knees to your chest.
Inhale and lower your glutes back to the starting position.
Repeat to do 10 glute bridges.
2. Hip Circles
Hip circles help release tension from tight hips and improve your range of motion. You can hold onto a wall or tree if needed for help balancing.
How To Do It:
Stand with your score engaged and feet hip-width apart. Lift one leg. Use a wall, tree, or a heavy piece of furniture for support if needed.
Raise the other leg out to the side and move it in a circular motion.
Do 20 rotations and then repeat on the other side.
Frog stretch.
3. Frog stretch
The frog stretch helps you stretch your inner thighs and hips. It’s best to do this stretch on a mat or cushioned surface.
How to Do It:
Get on your hands and knees with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
Slowly bring your hips back, allowing your arms to extend forward and your chin to drop down in line with your collarbone. Tighten your core muscles.
Exhale and gently push your knees out, lowering your pelvis toward the floor until you feel a stretch through your inner thigh and groin.
Inhale and slowly bring your hips back to the starting position.
Repeat to go through the movement cycle 10 times.
Modification: Hold onto a bench or chair if you need help balancing.
4. Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
The lunging hip flexor stretch is a great way to loosen your hips before running. It also stretches your quads and glutes.
How To Do It:
Lunging hip stretch.
Begin by kneeling on your right knee. Engage your core muscles. Place your left foot on the floor in front of you with your left knee bent and your right thigh parallel to the floor.
Lean forward slowly to lunge, keeping your chest up and shoulders back. You will feel the stretch in your right hip.
Bring your hips back and return to the starting position.
Switch sides and repeat to do 10 on each side.
5. Cat-Cow
Cat cow is a yoga pose that stretches your hips.
This yoga pose targets your hips and core muscles and relieves tension. The breathing component is also very relaxing.
How To Do It:
Begin on all fours with your hands planted below your shoulders and knees bent on the floor.
Inhale while curving your lower back, bringing your head back, and tilting your pelvis up.
Exhale and draw your stomach in, arching your back and bringing your head and pelvis down.
Repeat to do 10 sets.
Best Static Hip Stretches for Runners
Static stretches involve standing, sitting, or lying still and holding a stretch for a certain amount of time, usually 20 to 30 seconds. Do these static hip stretches for runners after your run or workout, when your body is warmed up.
6. Butterfly Stretch
The butterfly stretch relieves tightness in your hips.
How To Do It:
Butterfly stretch.
Sit on the floor with your chest up and knees bent with the soles of your feet pressing into each other.
You can move your feet away from your hips if you’re a beginner or bring your feet closer toward your body for a deeper stretch.
Root down into your legs and sitting bones.
Elongate your spine and tuck your chin toward your chest.
Inhale and lengthen your spine.
Exhale and relax into the floor, sinking more deeply into the stretch.
Hold for 20 seconds.
Repeat 2 times.
7. Standing Lunge Stretch
Standing lunge stretch.
The standing lunge stretch is a beginner-friendly stretch that will loosen your hips.
How To Do It:
Stand with your chest up and feet together. You can place your hands on your hips for balance if you’d like.
Step forward with your right foot bending your knee to about a 90-degree angle, with your knee above your ankle (but not past it). Your left leg will remain behind you.
Engage your core and hold the stretch for 20 seconds.
Return to the start position.
Repeat to do 2 to 3 stretches on each side.
8. Lunge with Spinal Twist
The lunge with spinal twist opens up your hips and also strengthens your core.
Lunge with spinal twist.
How To Do It:
Begin from a standing position.
Step your right leg forward into a standing lunge position.
Tighten your core and rotate your body to bring your left arm down with your hand on the ground and your right arm up overhead with your chest facing forward.
Hold for 20 seconds.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat to do 2 on each side.
9. Standing Quad Stretch
Standing quad stretch.
This beginner-friendly stretch relieves tension in your hips and quads. You can hold onto a wall or tree if you need help balancing during this stretch.
How To Do It:
Stand with your core engaged and chest up.
Bend one knee and bring your same-side arm behind you to hold your ankle, and gently bring your foot back toward your body until you feel a stretch in your thigh and hips.
Hold for 20 seconds.
Return to the starting position
Do two reps on each side.
10. Lying Hip Flexor Stretch
This stretch will relieve tension in your hips, lower back, and glutes.
How To Do It:
Lying hip flexor stretch.
Lie on your back with your arms by your sides and legs stretched out.
Bend one leg and bring it toward your chest. Hold your bent leg and gently bring it toward your chest.
Keep your lower back relaxed (not arching). Breathe and hold the stretch for 20 seconds.
Straighten your leg and return to your starting position.
Repeat to do two reps on each leg.
Add at least 2 or 3 of these hip stretches for runners to your routine to increase your mobility and release tension in your hips. To improve your running form, check out the 10 Best Running Drills to Become a Better Runner.
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Related Posts: Dynamic Stretches for Runners, 5 Top Stretches for Runners
Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.
