Exercises for Stable and Supple Hips

These exercises are great if you are a rider who feels stiff and unstable through your hips when you ride.

Building strength and stability allows you to better control your hips. This will allow us to move with the horse with confidence and balance, more easily move our legs to give clear aids and help us maintain a neutral position in our pelvis.

Complete these exercises 2-3x a week.

LUNGE WITH CALF STRETCH

3 x 10 each

Start standing and step back with one leg into a lunge position. Tuck your back hip, opening up through the hip flexor at the front of the hip. Lower down into a lunge, opening up through the back hip and driving through the front leg. When you straighten the leg, also lower the back heel down to open up through the back calf.

SIDE PLANK PULSES

3x 10 each side

Lay on your side with your bottom leg bent and top leg straight, and lean on your forearm. Lift your hip up and away from the floor, making sure your body is in alignment. Feel the side of your core (obliques) and side of the glute lifting you up. Lower the hip down to the floor, stretching the hip, then raise back up again.

BAND GLUTE BRIDGE

3 x 60 sec

Place small circle band above the knees. Lay on your back with your knees bent hips tucked under and back flat to the floor. Lift your hips up off the floor, keeping your ribcage down and squeeze your glutes. For 20 seconds raise up and down. Then for 20 second hold and move your knees out and in against the band. For the final 20 seconds hold up and out as much as you can. Breathe through the exercise.