Standing hip stretch
A gentle stretch across the front of your hip, holding support.
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Captured movement, awaiting exercise review. Only the body is shown. Chairs, supports and equipment are not.
What you need
A kitchen counter or sturdy table
Getting into position
- Stand side-on to a sturdy counter, holding it with one hand, feet hip-width apart.
- Take a short step forwards with the foot further from the counter, keeping your feet hip-width apart, as if on two railway lines.
- Point both feet forwards and stand tall.
How to do it
Bend the front knee slightly, keeping the back leg fairly straight.
Ease your hips forwards a little until you feel a gentle stretch at the front of the back hip.
Hold, breathing normally.
Straighten the front knee and step your feet back together. Turn round to swap legs.
Keep in mind
- Stand tall, without arching your lower back.
- Keep holding on.
- Gentle stretch, never pain.
Where you should feel it
A gentle pull across the front of the hip of the leg that's behind you.
Stop or change something if you feel
Pain in your lower back, or in the kneeling knee.
A gentler starting point
Take a shorter step.
When it feels easy
Make the step a little longer, only while you stay steady.
Your next small steps
Change one thing at a time. Stay on a step until it feels steady, then take the next.
Hold a counter, take a short step forwards and bend the front knee slightly until you feel a gentle stretch at the front of the back hip.
2 holds × 20–30 s each side
Move on when: You stay steady and the stretch stays gentle, two sessions running.
Hold for longer.
2 holds × 30 s each side
Move on when: The whole hold feels comfortable and you breathe normally.
Make the step a little longer, only while you stay steady and the stretch stays gentle.
2 holds × 30 s each side
Move on when: The longer stance feels steady and comfortable, two sessions running.
- Next level up
- Standing hip-flexor stretch with adjusted stance coming soon
Levels in hip-flexor stretch
Each level is a separate variation. Move up when the last step on this page feels steady, and back down on a harder day.
- Level 1 · Supported startStanding hip stretch (this page)
- Level 2 · FoundationStanding hip-flexor stretch with adjusted stance coming soon
- Level 3 · More challengeSupported half-kneeling hip-flexor stretch coming soon
Explore related content.
- Everyday focus
- Walking and stairs
- Body area
- Lower body
- Muscles
- Front of hips
- Movement format
- Standing, Uses a support
- Starting point
- Starting a routine
- Age context
- Older-adult focused
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