5 Hip-Strengthening Exercises for Beginners to Increase Strength and Mobility

Hips are a part of the body that most of us don't think much about until they start to bother us. When you go to the gym, they probably aren't at the top of your list of things to work on.

However, if you spend most of your days sitting, you are probably aware of the pain and tightness in your hips that comes with it. You may have even incorporated a few light stretches into your routine to help with this. Working on this part of your body will not only make you feel better, but it will also help you move better.

Hip-Strengthening Exercises for Beginners

1. Double Banded Pull Through

The pull-through, which is also sometimes called the glute pull-through, is a compound exercise that works the hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and lower-back muscles.

To do this exercise:

Attach a long resistance band to the ground behind you, that is low to the ground. You can also use a cable instead.
Stand in front of the band with your feet about shoulder-width apart and a looped mini resistance band just above your knees.
Push your legs slightly apart to keep the band tight, and keep your knees from giving way.
Turn your hips forward and push your butt back as you bend your knees to reach down and grab the long band between your legs.
Your hamstrings and glutes should feel a stretch.
As you stand back up, keep your chest up and your back flat.
Push your hips forward and squeeze your glutes at the top. This marks the end of one repetition.
Repeat the movements 12 to 15 times.

2. Banded Hip March

The banded psoas march employs glutes to work the core muscles to make them stronger and more stable.

To do this exercise:

Stand up straight with your feet about hip-width apart, your core engaged, and your chest up.
Wrap a mini resistance band around the balls of both feet and loop it around the middle of both feet.
Slowly move your right knee up and out in front of you, stopping when it reaches hip height. (Depending on how well you can move, you might not be able to lift that high.)
You should feel your flexors working in the leg that is lifted and your glutes working in the leg that is stabilizing.
Focus on keeping your foot right under your knee, your pelvis level, and the knee, hip, and ankle of your standing leg in line.
Slowly put your leg back where it was to finish one repetition.
Switch sides and do 5–8 reps on each leg.

3. Bulgarian Split Squat

As a lower-body exercise, the Bulgarian split squat strengthens the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. This is because when you stand on one leg, your core has to work very hard to keep you balanced.

To do this exercise:

Stand with your back against a bench or other raised area.
Place the top of your right foot on the bench, shoelaces down, with your left foot on the floor a few feet in front of the bench.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
To do a split squat, keep your core tight and bend your knees.
Your left knee should be bent at a 90-degree angle so that your thigh is parallel to the ground, and your right knee is just above the floor.
Quickly check that your left foot is far enough from the bench so you can do this without letting your left knee go past your left toes. If you can't, hop your left foot farther away from the bench.
Using your left heel, stand back up to where you started to complete one repetition.
Each leg should have 12–15 reps.

4. Step Up to Reverse Lunge

The core, glutes, and hamstrings all get a workout when you do reverse lunges. They are easier on your joints and make your front leg a little more stable. This is great for people with knee problems as well as those who have trouble staying on their feet.

To do this exercise:

Face a box, step, bench, or chair with your back to it.
Step onto the box with your right foot and drive through your right heel and glute to bring your left leg up to meet your right.
Keep most of your weight on your right foot and let your left foot float.
Step back down with your left foot, then step your right foot back about two feet behind your left foot and drop down into a reverse lunge.
Push through your left foot to stand back up (that's one rep) and go right into the next step-up.
Each leg should have 12–15 reps.

5. Kickstand Romanian Deadlift

The Kickstand RDL is great because it lets you build strength in each leg separately from the other. This exercise also teaches you how to load the hips in a good way, and it doesn't require much space.

To do this exercise:

Stand with your feet about the width of your hips apart and one foot about 6 inches in front of the other. Put a dumbbell or kettlebell by each foot.
You should put most of your weight on your front leg.
Rise up on the tips of your back foot and use it as a kickstand to help you keep your balance, but don't put too much weight on it.
Turn your hips forward, push your glutes back, and bring the weights down toward the floor.
Keep your back flat and your shoulders back, and don't round your lower back forward or arch it.
To get back to where you started, press through your front foot. This marks the end of one repetition.
Do 5–8 repetitions on each leg.

Takeaway

Most functional exercises, like squats, hinges (like deadlifts), lunges, and step-ups stretch and strengthen your hip muscles in some way. So, if you do strength training and a variety of these kinds of moves, you're probably working these important muscles without even realizing it. However, the key is to keep changing the exercises you perform. This will help you keep challenging your hips!