What are the best hip mobility exercises for beginners?

Hip mobility exercises for beginners: the short answer

Start with five hip mobility exercises for beginners you can do at home with no gear: cat-cow, glute bridges, a kneeling hip flexor stretch, a hip hinge and standing leg swings. The whole routine takes 5 to 10 minutes.

Why: stretching on a regular schedule improves how far your joints can move, and the people with the least flexibility gain the most.[1]

Next: do the routine below at least 2 or 3 days a week. Daily is fine too.

If you've had hip surgery, a hip replacement or a hip injury, check with your doctor before you start.

Your 10-minute hip mobility routine

Mobility means how freely a joint moves through its full range. Do these in order. Move slowly and breathe. You should feel a stretch, not pain.

Move	How to do it	How much
Cat-cow	On hands and knees, round your back up toward the ceiling, then let your belly drop and lift your chest.	8 to 10 slow rounds
Glute bridge	Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Squeeze your butt and lift your hips until your body makes a straight line from knees to shoulders. Lower slowly.	2 sets of 10
Kneeling hip flexor stretch	Kneel on one knee with the other foot in front. Squeeze the butt on the kneeling side and shift your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the front of that hip.	Hold 30 seconds, 2 times each side
Hip hinge	Stand with hands on your hips. Push your hips straight back with a slight knee bend and a flat back, then stand tall.	2 sets of 10
Standing leg swings	Hold a wall or counter. Swing one leg forward and back, small at first, then a little bigger.	10 swings each leg

For the hinge, "push your hips straight back, like you're closing a car door with your backside," says Jake Hay, NASM CPT.

Need more support? Do the hinge and leg swings holding a sturdy chair or counter. Keep each move in a range that feels okay.

How long to hold a stretch, and how often

The American College of Sports Medicine suggests about 60 seconds total per stretch, on 2 or more days a week.[2] Two 30-second holds get you there.

A 2025 analysis of 189 studies with more than 6,600 adults looked at how much stretching it takes.[1] Regular stretching gave a large boost in flexibility over weeks. Past about 4 minutes per muscle per session, or about 10 minutes a week, extra stretching added little. How hard people stretched didn't change the results much. Most people in those studies were younger adults, and most tested the backs of the thighs and the calves, not hips.

Why it works: one session helps a little, consistency does the rest

One stretching session gives a small boost in range of motion.[3] The bigger gains come from doing it again and again over weeks.[1]

That's why we'd rather you do 5 minutes most days than 30 minutes once in a while.

Strength training helps your hips move better too

You don't have to choose between stretching and lifting. A review of 55 studies found strength training improved range of motion about as much as stretching. Gains were bigger in people who were new to exercise.[4] A separate review of 11 trials also found no difference between the two.[5]

One catch: in the 55-study review, bodyweight-only strength work didn't show a clear range of motion gain. Training with added weight did.[4] So pair this routine with strength work that uses weights, like a squat holding one dumbbell at your chest, when you're ready.

U.S. guidelines suggest strength work for all your major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.[6]

When to stop and get checked

• A stretch should feel like gentle tension.
• Sharp pain, numbness or tingling means stop and check with your doctor.
• If you've had hip surgery, a hip replacement or a hip injury, get cleared by your doctor first.

Your one step for this week

Pick three days this week and put 10 minutes on your calendar for this routine. Right after you wake up or before a workout both work.

If you use SwipeHealth, tell your coach in the app how your hips feel, and today's workout adjusts.