For many runners, knee pain, other injuries, and running performance issues are often a result of tight or weak hips, glutes, and other hip stabilizing muscles. Tight and weak muscles are often the result of overuse, too much sitting, or lack of strengthening. Fortunately, taking steps such as foam rolling and strength training can combat those issues.
Here are 5 hip strengthening exercises to help boost your injury resistance and improve your running performance.
Hip Bridges
If you’re doing these hip bridges correctly, you should feel the burn in your glutes and your hamstrings. This exercise is also great for improving hip mobility and strengthening your lower back, two things that runners can definitely benefit from.
1. Begin by lying flat on your back, with your knees bent and and your feet flat on the ground. Your arms should be at your side, palms down or resting above your head.
2. Your feet should be about hip-distance apart with your heels a few inches away from your butt.
3. Push through your heels to lift your hips off the ground so that your knees, hips, and shoulders form a straight diagonal line.
4. Squeeze your glutes hard and keep your abs tight.
5. Hold your bridge position for a couple of seconds before easing back down.
6. Aim for two sets of 10 bridges, two to three times a week, as part of your strengthening workout.
Side Planks With Leg Raises
These side planks with leg raises can help strengthen your core and glute muscles to help limit your body’s side-to-side motion when running.
1. Start in a side-plank position with your feet stacked, balanced on your bottom foot and forearm.
2. Squeeze your glutes and lift your top leg toward the ceiling as high as you can while keeping the rest of your body in a straight line.
3. Hold for a second, then slowly lower the top leg to return to start. That’s one rep.
4. Complete 15 reps, then perform on the opposite side.
Step-ups
All you need is a bench or a sturdy chair to this exercise, which helps strengthen your glutes, hips, and thighs, while stabilizing and strengthening your core.
1. Place your right foot on the bench with your left foot directly under your left hip.
2. Next, drive your left leg up to a 90-degree angle (don’t rest your left foot on the bench).
3. Slowly lower your left foot back to the ground. Repeat 10 times and then switch legs.
4. Complete three sets of 10 reps on each leg.
Side Step With Resistance Band
This exercise activates and strengthens the glutes that help stabilize the pelvis, making this a fantastic exercise for runners.
1. Place a resistance band just above your ankles. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. If it’s too tough to do the exercise with the band at your ankles, try moving it up a few inches.
2. While bending your knees in a half-squat position, take a lateral step (sideways). Make sure you don’t let the tension out of the band. To fully activate the muscle, be sure to step onto your heel, not on your toes.
3. Take 10 steps in the same direction, while keeping your hips level. Then switch directions.
4. Complete 3 sets of 10 on each side.
Side Leg Lifts
This simple exercise is a great way to build strength in the outer thighs and the hip abductors.
1. Lie on your right side with your legs straight and stacked on top of each other.
2. You can prop yourself up with your right arm, resting on your forearm.
3. Put your left hand on your hip or on the ground to help balance yourself.
4. Lift your top leg straight up as far as is comfortable, then lower back down.
5. Repeat for 15 total leg lifts and then switch sides.
6. Complete two sets of 15 reps on each side.
More Exercises for Runners:
- Upper Body Exercises for Runners
- Lower Body Exercises for Runners
- Yoga Moves for Runners
- Core Strengthening Move for Runners
Running coach, marathon runner, and fitness writer Christine Luff is an RRCA-certified running coach and ACE-certified personal trainer. Founder of the website Run for Good and author of the book Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, she coaches runners, from beginners to advanced, who are training for races, from 5Ks to marathons.
