These Hip Exercises Will Make Your Lower Body Strong

As far as physical activities are concerned, we often tend to focus on burning excess fats.

But hip exercises are important to our health. Most especially the lower body strength. It is essential in the effort and desire of that perfect body. 

Exercising to fortify the lower back can help to improve and prevent lower back-related pains.

Likewise, it reinforces muscles in the arm, legs, and core region. 

Importance of hip exercises for stronger lower body

Many of us find it very difficult to pay attention to exercises that focus on the lower body muscles.

Muscles such as main-string muscles and calves muscles. 

The likely reason for this is the fact that it takes more than expected to get the desired effect.

Thus, many people neglect exercise in this part of the body due to the lack of knowledge of the benefits.

Well, this section will be based on the benefits of exercising the lower body.

Some of these benefits are:

Reduce pain

Exercising the lower body helps to decrease all-around muscle pain. That is because weakness or soreness in the muscle tissue can result in painful contractions. 

If you are the type that lifts heavy weights or equipment, lower bodybuilding can help to manage stress levels. Back and neck pains are also managed effectively.

Asides from that, lower body building significantly helps to facilitate good posture.

This is a result of its ability to balance one’s entire core region. 

Improve bone health

Great lower body strength can manage arthritis pain and osteoporosis in older women. Pain in the joints and other bones in the body can be managed.

The likes of calf raises, leg presses, and deadlifts are effective in maintaining bone strength. Cultivate the habit of working out your lower body and save your muscles from damage. 

Improve metabolism and stamina

Even if you have got no plans to be an athlete, improving your stamina is quite beneficial as far as your daily routine is concerned.

Improved stamina is only gained from a well-built lower body. 

Firmly built hips and legs help you carry on with your day-to-day life with little struggle.

By exercising your lower body, you get to burn an increased amount of calories daily. This is an added advantage for individuals seeking to burn calories. 

Lower body strengthening undoubtedly requires hard work and consistency.

This proves more effective than cardio itself. Utilize this exercise to build those muscles and enhance your metabolism. 

Improve balance and agility

Many of the huge muscles in the body are located in the butt, hips, and legs. The primary muscles are amenable for stabilizing the whole body.

By reinforcing your lower body, you fortify your balance and agility. As a result of this, you will exercise more flexibility when carrying out your daily routine.

Also, you can prevent injuries or falls when exercising. Exercise your lower body to battle muscle imbalances. 

Related: Balance Workout Exercises: 7 Best Drills for Stability

Easy hip exercises for stronger lower body 

There are quite a number of medically approved exercises that facilitate a stronger lower body. Here are a few of them: 

1. Bridges

Bridges is a workout pose that helps to improve the huge muscle found in the buttocks.

The Gluteus maximus is an important muscle in the buttocks that needs to be kept strong. Keeping them strong upholds the lower back. 

A study has shown that bridges have a positive intervention on the walking ability of people, most especially recovering stroke patients. 

How to perform this exercise: 

• Lie flat on the floor with knees bent. 
• Place your feet flat on the ground at hip-width length apart.
• Stamp your feet into the ground with your arms by your sides.
• Lift your buttocks off the floor until your body is straightened from shoulders to knees level. 
• Compress your buttocks while your shoulders are still on the ground.
• Bring back your buttocks to the floor and relax for a few seconds. 
• Repeat

Related: 6 Best Exercises to Activate Your Glutes

2. Knees-to-Chest Stretching

Having knee-to-chest stretching as one of your workout routines helps to extend or widen the lower back. 

A study has conclusively revealed that stretches help to relieve tension and pains. 

How to perform this exercise: 

• Lay flat on the floor with your back.
• Have your knees carefully bent with your feet flat on the ground.
• Pull one knee to your chest with both hands, one at a time.
• Retain the knee against your chest for about 5 seconds.
• Ensure that your abdominal muscles are tight and your spine is pressed into the ground.
• Return to the first step.
• Re-do the same process using the second leg.

3. Pelvic Tilts

The pelvic tilts workout helps to improve flexibility in the body. Most especially the lower back region. It potentially makes and keeps tight back muscles flexible.

Research has revealed that pelvic stability exercise improves flexibility of the lower body, trunk, and hip muscles.

This is most evident in the daily activities of stroke patients. 

How to perform this exercise:

• Lie on your back on the ground with knees well bent and feet flat on the ground.
• Keep both arms flattened on respective sides.
• Carefully arch your lower back and push out your stomach.
• Remain in that position for 5 seconds and rest.
• Have your back flattened on the ground and pull your belly button in towards the ground.
• Remain in that position for 5 seconds and relax.
• Repeat all over again.

4. Lower-Back Rotational Stretches

This is one of the hip exercises that significantly improves the stable condition of the lower body. 

According to an International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, conclusions have been drawn that stretching exercises help to ease the tension in the trunk and lower back. It carefully stabilizes the muscles located in the core. 

How to perform this exercise: 

• Lay flat on your back
• Carefully bend your knees side by side and feet flat on the floor.
• Keep your shoulders firmly to the ground.
• Slowly roll both bent knees over to one side.
• Remain in that position for about 5-10 seconds.
• Get back to the initial position.
• Carefully roll your knees to the opposite side and maintain for the same duration.
• Repeat the process all over.

5. Draw-in Maneuvres

A study has shown that draw-in maneuvers work on the muscles located on the front and sides of the abdominal area. It ultimately stabilizes the lower back area and the spine.

How to perform this exercise: 

• Lie flat on your back with knees well bent and feet flat on the ground.
• Keep your arms to your sides.
• Take in deep breathes
• And while breathing out, pull the belly button in the direction of the spine.
• Ensure you tighten your abdominal muscles while keeping your hips up as well.
• Maintain the position for about 5 seconds. 
• Repeat.

Takeaway

Exercising muscles situated in your core region has numerous health benefits. It helps to improve stability, flexibility, increase metabolism and prevent pains and injuries.

People who often struggle with neck, back, and lower body pains should consider hip exercises.

Likewise, pay attention to how often you carry heavy objects and your overall body posture. These factors could be the root cause of your inconveniences.