This 3-Minute Hip Stretch Feels Amazing After Sitting All Day

If you’re stiff and achy after sitting all day, this three-minute hip stretch will loosen you back up.

Sitting for long stretches of time wreaks havoc on the hips, but the pain and stiffness doesn’t stop there. The first thing to happen when we sit for a while is that the hips and hamstrings tighten up, and the abs become weak. This pulls the pelvis into an anterior tilt, causing tightness and pain in the lower back. The tightness continues up the body where the chest and shoulders begin to round; the head moves forward, and upper back and neck pain ensues.

If you find yourself regularly sitting all day, it’s extra important for you to include hip stretches into your daily routine.

Suffering from a sore neck, back and shoulders? Get our mobility guide to ease pain and soreness.
Get The FREE Mobility Guide To Fix Your Pain Today!

These are two of my favorite gentle and easy stretches to reverse the damages of sitting all day. I recommend doing them three times daily – in the morning, in the middle of the day, and in the evening. These stretches will only take three minutes and can be done anywhere. All you’ll need is an exercise mat or a folded up towel to cushion your knees.

---

3-Minute Hip Stretch

Standing Figure 4 | 45 sec per side

Practice this simple stretch to open the outer hips.

1. Stand up and place your left hand on the back of a chair or a wall. Engage your abs.
2. Pick up your right foot and bend the knee, crossing your right ankle over your left thigh. Flex your right foot.
3. Bend your left knee and sit your hips back like there is a chair behind you. Keep your spine straight. You should feel a nice stretch through your outer right hip.
4. Hold for 45 seconds, then switch legs.

Wall Runner’s Lunge | 45 sec per side

This feel-good stretch instantly reverses hip stiffness.

1. Lay a mat or folded towel on the floor against a wall to cushion your knee.
2. Kneel down facing away from the wall with your right foot between your hands and your left toes touching the wall.
3. Curl your left heel up towards your glutes and slide the top of your left foot up the wall. Make sure your right knee is stacked over your ankle and press your hips slightly down and forward. Engage your abs.
4. You can keep your hands on the floor framing your foot or walk your hands up onto your right thigh to lift your chest. Scoot your left knee a little bit closer to the wall to deepen the stretch.
5. Hold for 45 seconds, then switch legs.

Note: If the stretch feels too intense on your quads, simply keep the back foot down.

(Your Next Workout: 5 Stretches to Reverse the Damage of Sitting)