Hip Stability

By: Aram Kumar, BA Exercise Science, CSCS

Your hips are at the center of all full body movements. Whether you are a competitive athlete, or just someone who enjoys doing physical activity, hips are extremely important for initiating movements and/or stabilizing the body. When the hips are both mobile and stable, then the body can efficiently move into positions that require large ranges of motion without collapsing. These positions might include a lunge or a squat. Being able to perform these movements pain free without fear of collapsing can benefit a person and enhance their quality of life greatly as they age. Hip stabilization exercises should be a staple in everyone’s workout routine.

A couple weeks ago, we highlighted knee stability, and I discussed how the knees are stabilized by the hips during movements like walking, running, jumping sitting down, and standing up. I provided a few examples of exercises that can be incorporated to help stabilize the knees by stabilizing the hips. You can check that article out HERE.

Another great hip stability exercise for anyone looking to add hip stability work into their program is the “Stork Squat.” This is a more advanced version of hip stability work, so it may be best to progress up to these using the exercises mentioned in the article above. Another variation of this exercise is known as “Running Storks,” and it is an excellent exercise for runners who may want to develop more hip stability during their stride. Check these videos out for a demonstration of these exercises:

“Stork Squats”

“Running Storks”