Improving hip healthas you age is possibleeven if it’s something you’ve previously placed on the back burner.
But before we dive in, it’s important to know three key players contributing to healthy hips.
Focusing on these areas during your workouts is key to maintaining and improving your overall quality of life.
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“Having healthy hips means the bones around your hips are structurally strong.
This means you might do things like fully swing your legs forward, backward, and side to side.
Below, Angelino outlines 10 of his best exercises for strong, healthy hips as you age.
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“Increasing bone mass requires you to perform very heavy exercises,” Angelino points out.
Barbell Conventional Deadlift (3 sets, 4-6 reps)
Stand tall with your feet planted shoulder-distance apart.
Press your hips back and keep your torso straight as you lower to grab the barbell.
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Push your feet into the ground and straighten your knees to lift the barbell.
“Do not lean back once you are standing upright.
Standing in a neutral position, begin to return the bar to its starting position.
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Start the lowering motion by breaking at your hips and bending at your knees as appropriate.”
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2.
Unrack the barbell, and plant your feet outside shoulder-width.
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Squat down, lowering until your thighs become parallel to the ground.
Then, push through your feet to rise up to the start position.
Both knees should be slightly bent.
Press your hips back, keep your back straight, and lower the weights toward the floor.
Lower until your torso becomes parallel to the floor.
“This counters the natural effects of sarcopenia that affect you as you age.
This will further support your ability to continue performing [daily activities] as you age.”
Then, lie down with bent knees and your feet planted ahead of your hips.
“Continue until your hips are parallel to the ground.
Then, allow your hips to bend so that you lower the bar back down to the ground.”
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5.
Lift your leg laterally and position it on the surface.
Next, push through your foot to lift your body onto the surface until your raised leg is straight.
Return to the floor.
Complete all reps on one side before switching over to the other side to make one full set.
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6.
Keep your legs together as you lift them until they are above your hips.
Next, engage your core as you lower your legs to the floor without touching it.
see to it your head stays on the ground.
For the exercises in this third grouping, inhale and exhale regularly throughout each range of motion.
Press your hips back and bend forward to touch your toes or the floor.
Hold the toe touch for 30 seconds before releasing and repeating the exercise.
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8.
Lift one of your legs ahead of you and bend it.
Hug the leg to your chest.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds before releasing and switching sides.
For the exercises in this fourth grouping, inhale and exhale regularly throughout each range of motion.
Hold onto a wall or sturdy chair for support.
Swing one leg forward as high as it’s possible for you to, then swing it backward.
Return to the start position.
Perform all reps on one side before switching to the other side and repeating to complete one full set.
Hold onto a wall or sturdy chair for support.
Swing one leg out to the side as high as it’s possible for you to comfortably.
Then, swing it back toward the middle and across your body.
Return to the position you started in.
Perform all sets on one side before switching to the other side to repeat and complete one full set.
