Tight hips and hip flexor muscles are a common complaint for dancers. When your hip flexors are tight they restrict your range of motion, particularly hip hyperextension, which is required for that beautiful arabesque line we all long for. But what are the hip flexors and how can we prevent tightness and restricted movement? The hip flexors are a collection of muscles around the top of the thighs and groin which connect the upper leg to the hip. These muscles allow you to raise your leg and bend at the waist. Some of the main hip flexor muscles are the rectus femoris, tensor fasciae latae, artorius and iliopsoas. Tightness of these muscles can be a result of gripping in the front of the leg or sitting for long periods of time. The tighter these muscles get, the less flexibility we have which can lead to pain and discomfort. To compensate for the restriction that occurs as a result of this tightness, dancers tend to rotate the pelvis incorrectly, which can lead to further injuries, including lower back pain. To loosen up tight hips and relax these muscles we’ve listed 5 easy exercises you can perform daily to promote flexibility and fluidity of movement.

Pigeon Pose

Commonly seen in yoga practices, this stretch can be used daily to improve mobility and flexibility of the hips and hip flexors.

Begin on your hands and knees in a table top position.
Bring your right knee forward and place it behind your right wrist. Then place your right ankle in front of your left hip.
Straighten your left leg behind you, making sure your left knee is straight and your toes are pointed.
Keeping your hips square, gently lower yourself to the ground.
Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.
If you’re comfortable with this you can lean the upper body forward over the bent leg to enhance the stretch, arms stretched in front of the leg. Hold for another 30 seconds.
Release the position by pushing up on your hands, lifting your hips and moving the legs back to the starting position on all fours. Repeat on the other side.

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

This stretch can be performed daily with the intensity increasing each time you perform the exercise.

Kneel on your right knee.
Place your left foot on the floor in front of you at a 90º angle.
Straighten your upper body and place both of your hands on your left knee.
Extended your right leg behind you with your knee and top of the foot resting on the ground.
Drive your right hip forward to slightly deepen the stretch. Ensure to keep your core engaged and back straight.
Hold for 30 seconds then release. Repeat on the other side.

Static Hip Flexor Stretch

Best performed when your muscles are warm this stretch lengthens out the hip flexor muscles.

Kneeling on your right knee, place your left foot on the floor in front of you at a 90º angle.
Leaning forward, place your hands either side of the left foot .
Lift the back knee off the ground so you’re in a lunge position, maintaining a 90º angle with the front leg.
Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds and then repeat on the other leg.

Butterfly Stretch

This is a great exercise to perform after sitting down for long periods of time or as part of your warm up or cool down.

Sit on the floor with both legs straight out in front of you.
Bring the soles of the feet together, moving your heels as close to the body as you can.
Lean your body forward over the feet with a straight back.
You can also push on your thighs with your elbows for a deeper stretch. Hold for 30 seconds.

Sitting Glute & Hip Stretch

The perfect exercise to do when you are watching TV, sitting at a desk or as part of your warm up/cool down.

Sit on a chair with your back straight.
Place your right ankle on your left knee.
Fold your torso forward until you feel a gentle stretch.
You can enhance the stretch by pushing down on the right knee with your right elbow as you’re leaning forward.
Hold for 60 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

If you feel your hips may need a little extra love, you can also incorporate the use of a foam roller or tennis ball into your warm up or cool down routine to assist with loosening the hip flexor muscles and surrounding muscles.

Emily wears the Lara Endurance Jacket, Dylan Legging and Neoprene Jazz Boot all in Black.

Hip flexibility and mobility is something that needs consistent work and attention. Some people will naturally have tighter hip flexors than others but that doesn’t mean they can’t also have flexible hips too. With regular stretching you’ll gradually start to see an improvement in your hip flexibility and strength which will flow into your dance ability.

For further tips and exercises to improve your flexibility and technique have a look at our Theraband Exercises for Dancers and Improving your Core Strength blogs.

Article by Sheree Ronai-Horvath
Photography by Elly Ford