Revitalize Your Hips: 6 Morning Exercises That Enhance Strength More Efficiently Than Traditional Stretches for Those Over 55

Enhance your hip strength and maintain your health with these effective morning exercises.

As we age, keeping our hips strong and mobile becomes crucial. Hips play a vital role in daily activities such as rotating, walking, squatting, and running, providing the necessary balance and stability. Beginning your day with some movement is always beneficial, so we’ve compiled six exercises that can help you boost hip strength more effectively than floor stretches after the age of 55.

Simply relying on floor stretches may not adequately improve hip strength for those over 55. Stretches are designed to make your body feel good as you engage in exercises that utilize the full range of motion.

“These exercises are non-weight bearing. To build strength effectively, it’s wise to start with your own body weight, eventually incorporating resistance through dumbbells, resistance bands, cables, or other weights,” explains Stephanie Telibasa, Owner and Doctor of Physical Therapy at House of Physical Therapy.

“These are non-weight bearing movements. In order to build strength, a good place to start is with your body weight alone, progressing to adding resistance with dumbbells, resistance bands, cables, or weight of choice,” explains Stephanie Telibasa, Owner, Doctor of Physical Therapy at House of Physical Therapy.

In addition, weight-bearing exercise is essential to decrease your risk of osteoporosis.

“There is evidence that starting a strength training program 2-3 days per week will slow the progression of osteoporosis as well,” Telibasa says. “So, if you are worried about bone loss as you age, weight bearing and resistance training are beneficial over a stretching routine.”

John White, Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist, running expert, and qualified adult nurse, agrees, noting, “If you want better hip strength, and good long-term joint health, you need to rebuild muscle through smart (and consistent) resistance and balance work.”

6 Morning Exercises That Restore Hip Strength

As you age, you have to put more work into your fitness routine than you used to.

“[Exercises like the below,] combined with some stretching for flexibility, will help you keep your hips strong and mobile after you hit 55. As the exercises feel easier, try increasing the weight, reps and resistance to keep restoring and building muscles,” White says.

According to Julie Dermer, CPT, founder of The Reinvention Project and a longtime Master Instructor at SoulCycle, “What restores hips after 55 is gentle, strength, balance and coordination, done upright, the way your body actually moves. Stretching on the floor, while it has a place, does not rebuild strength. It may make your hips feel loose but not supported. Hips are meant to work standing—walking, stairs, balance—all upright.”

Below, experts break down the best exercises you can do to restore hip strength as you age.

Hip Hikes

“This movement is great for incorporating frontal plane movement since we operate in the sagittal plane most of our days—walking, sitting, etc.,” Telibasa explains.

1. Start with one foot planted on the edge of a yoga block or thick book, with the other foot lifted. (Place the surface near a wall for balance, if necessary.) Your standing leg will be the working leg.
2. Shrug your hip up toward the sky, maintaining level shoulders.
3. Release, letting your foot pass lower than the step.
4. In order to keep the movement in the hips, avoid bending your stance leg.

Slide Glides

“This is also a great motion for anyone experiencing stiffness in the lower back,” Telibasa shares.

1. Stand tall with both feet together, 1 to 2 feet away from a wall.
2. Lean your shoulder against the wall, positioning your outside hand on your hips.
3. Press your pelvis toward the wall.
4. Return to the start position.
5. Repeat.

Squats

Squats are an excellent bodyweight exercise. If you’re looking to progress the workout, place a resistance band around your knees to fire up the outer glutes. When this becomes less challenging, hold a dumbbell in each hand.

1. ​​Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Extend your arms in front of you or place your hands on your hips. Use a chair for support, if necessary.
3. Bend at the knees and hips as you lower into a squat.
4. Use control to descend until your thighs assume a “sitting” position or lower.
5. Press through your heels to return to standing.

Heel Slides

Heel slides fire up the inner thigh muscles while challenging core control.

1. Start by lying flat on your back with your legs on the mattress.
2. Place your arms at your sides and gently press your lower back into the mattress.
3. Slide one heel back toward your hips before lengthening it back out.

Lateral Lunges

“This is a great addition to a hip strengthening routine because as we age we lose frontal and transverse motion, meaning we are mostly moving in the sagittal plane front to back,” Telibasa points out.

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Take a big step out to the side with your left foot, press your hips back, and lower into a lateral lunge.
3. Press through your left heel to rise back up.
4. Repeat on the other side.

Sit-to-Stands

Dermer stresses to perform this move slowly.

1. Begin in a seated position at the front of a sturdy chair, feet hip-width apart under your knees.
2. Lean forward slightly.
3. Press through your heels to stand up without using your knees, hands, or additional support.
4. Pause for 1 to 2 seconds.
5. Use control to slowly sit back down, 2 to 3 seconds.
6. Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.