Hip Swing Stretch

The hip swing stretch is an activity you can incorporate into your dynamic warm-ups, which are performed before you begin a cardio, circuit or weight training workout. The stretch involves moving your upper leg about in a variety of directions. Athletes will use the hip swing before practice and games to get the muscles surrounding your hips warmed up and ready for strenuous activity.

  1. Forward-and-Back Technique

    • The hip swing is done in two separate parts. You’ll swing your leg from forward to back and then from side to side. To do the forward to back segment, stand sideways to a wall or other structure that you can place your hand on to stabilize yourself. Stand on the leg that’s farthest from the wall. Keeping your hips square and not allowing them to twist, swing your free leg up forward as far as you can and then immediately swing it as far back as you can. Continue in this back and forth manner until all repetitions are finished. Your body should stay upright, and your swinging leg should remain straight throughout the entire dynamic stretch.

    Side-to-Side Technique

    • To do the side-to-side segment of the hip swing, face the wall and place both palms against the wall at shoulder height. Stand on one leg. While keeping your hips square to the wall, swing the free leg across your body as far as you can and then swing it open away from you as far as you can. Continue in this back and forth manner until all repetitions are finished, and then switch legs.

    Benefits

    • By incorporating both the forward and back and side-to-side hip swing stretches, you’ll target all of the major muscles groups surrounding your hips. The forward-and-back segment will work your hip flexors at the front of your hips, and the hip extensors, which include your glutes and hamstrings. The side-to-side segment will warm up the hip adductors, which are located on the inside of your thighs, and the hip abductors, located on the outside of your thighs.

    Dynamic Stretching

    • The hip swing stretch should be scheduled within a dynamic warm-up segment. According to Dr. Jonathan H. Anning of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, dynamic warmup increases blood flow and body temperature and wakes up the neuromuscular system. When exercisers and athletes do dynamic stretches before their workouts or competitions, their muscles perform better. A dynamic warmup features a two-section structure, which includes five to 10 minutes of general warm-up activities, such as jogging, skipping, backward running, jumping rope and cycling. The hip swing falls into this section of the dynamic warmup. Perform 10 to 20 swings with each leg. The second section includes specific warm-up exercises that are meant to closely mimic what you are going to be doing in your workout or competition. For example, if you’re going running, you could do single-leg bounds.