The hip flexor muscles include the iliacus and psoas major. Together, these muscles are often referred to as the iliopsoas. As the name implies, the hip flexors "flex" the hip. This is a motion that causes your thigh to move toward your belly. To strengthen the hip flexors, you need to take their range of motion into consideration. Exercises using the weight of the body and added resistance are both effective.
Step 1
Perform several dynamic hip stretches before you exercise. Dynamic stretches are done in motion and they will loosen up your hip flexors and neighboring muscles. Reverse lunges with twists, forward and side-to-side leg swings, crossover reverse lunges and lateral lunges are all examples. Do 10 to 15 reps of each exercise.
Step 2
Utilize your body weight to strengthen your hip flexors. Lie on your back with your left leg straight in front of you, right leg lifted in the air and toes pointing toward the sky. Keep your leg straight as you move it around in big clockwise circles. Perform 10 to 12 reps, change directions and repeat. Lower your leg and work your left leg the same way. Wear ankle weights to increase the resistance.
Step 3
Stand with your back to a weight stack in a cable machine to do thigh lifts. Attach an ankle strap to your lower left leg and use a low setting on the machine. Keep your back straight and core tight as you pick up your foot and lift your leg in front of your body. Stop when your thigh parallels the floor, lower your foot back down and repeat. Do 10 to 12 reps and switch sides.
Step 4
Lie face-up on a bench to do leg raises with a dumbbell. Reach back and grab the end of the bench with your hands and pinch the dumbbell between your feet. Keep your hips and upper body still as you pull your knees up toward your chest. Extend your legs back out and repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions.
Step 5
Position a weighted bar on the floor parallel to a weight bench to do Roman chair sit-ups. This exercise works your abs and hip flexors. Sit on the bench and hook your feet under the bar. Scoot your butt back toward the edge of the bench and cross your arms over your chest. Lean backward until your torso is about parallel to the floor. Sit all the way up, hold for a second and repeat 10 to 12 times.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform your hip flexor exercises two to three times a week on nonconsecutive days and do three to four sets.
Things You'll Need
- Cable machine
- Ankle strap
- Weight bench
- Dumbbell
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