As you grow older, adapting your exercise routine to better accommodate your body’s changing needs is essential. Over time, the body often becomes less flexible due to shifts in both lifestyle and physiology. Much like the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and gray hairs, you may notice diminished strength and elasticity in your connective tissues and muscles, says David Kirschen, master flexologist for StretchLab with over two decades of personal training experience. To combat these shifts, David shares a preferred routine for building and maintaining strength in his 40s, emphasizing the importance of the hips.

“Since our hips are crucial for movement, they tend to be among the first to exhibit changes associated with aging, often leading to symptoms like reduced range of motion and back pain,” David notes. “Additionally, as we age, we might become less active, which accelerates the loss of function.”

The hips play a critical role in supporting weight and facilitating movement, as they connect some of the body’s strongest muscles, including the hip flexors and glutes.

“If you have been noticing back pain or difficulty getting around, the hips are probably your best bet to address first,” David tells us. “The following exercises will restore your range of motion, leaving you feeling less restricted.”

Below, David reveals his best hip-opening routine that keeps him strong, mobile, and pain-free. Begin by performing these stretches every other day. Like any workout, stretching requires proper recovery time—especially when you’re just starting out. As time passes, you can do these exercises daily as long as you’re not sore between sessions.

Lying Hamstring

“While your hamstrings are located on the backs of your thighs, their primary action is hip extension, making them an important muscle to address,” David points out.

1. Begin lying flat on your back.
2. Loop a yoga strap around your foot. (A belt or rope also works if you don’t have a yoga strap on hand.)
3. Lift your leg off the ground and use the strap to gently pull your leg toward your head, keeping your knee straight.
4. Hold the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds before switching sides.

Side Lying Quad

“Your quadriceps (specifically the rectus femoris) is another leg muscle that can tighten your hips due to its origin at the pelvis,” says David.

1. Lie on one side of your body—the opposite side you aim to stretch.
2. Bend your knee as much as you can.
3. Grab your ankle with your same side hand.
4. Pull your heel toward your buttocks while allowing your thigh to drift back.
5. Feel free to use a yoga strap by looping it around your ankle, then slinging the strap over your shoulder to bring your foot toward the buttocks.

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Figure 4

“The piriformis is a tough little rotator in the back of your hip, deep below your glute,” David notes. “When it gets tight, it can cause discomfort by creating a rotational force at the pelvis. Additionally, an inflamed or tight piriformis can place pressure on the sciatic nerve, causing a radiating pain down you hip and leg.”

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees.
2. Position the ankle of the side you aim to stretch on your opposite knee.
3. Keep your knee bent as you pull that opposite leg toward your chest, keeping your ankle on your knee until you feel a nice stretch in your buttocks region.

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Butterfly Stretch

“Your groin is home to your adductor muscles, which pull your legs toward each other,” David explains.

1. Begin seated with your knees bent and the soles of your feet pressed together.
2. Gently push your knees down toward the ground until you feel a solid stretch in your inner thigh.
3. If the seated position is uncomfortable, this exercise can be completed lying down, flat on your back, with your legs in the same position as the seated version.

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Hip Flexor

“Your hip flexors are located in the front of your hip, and pull your thighs up into a marching movement. When hip flexors are tight, they pull the front of the pelvis forward into anterior tilt, which is a dangerous condition for the lower back,” David tells us.

1. Lower to one knee, with your opposite foot placed in front of you.
2. Maintain a tall torso as you press your hips forward until you feel a nice stretch at the front of your hip on the trailing leg side.

Alexa Mellardo