01/08/2026
🦵⚡️ Pain at the front of your hip?
This is common not just in runners (or ultra-runners in Rebekah’s case), but also cyclists or anyone with a primarily sedentary job or lifestyle.
Tell me more:
With activities like running, walking, and cycling we repetitively over-use the muscles that advance the leg forward, aka flexing the hip, hence the hip flexor muscles. You have probably heard of the Psoas muscle, but there are 4 others, including a part of the Quadriceps muscle.
👀 Additionally, because we all have to do a fair share of sitting in our daily lives, these muscles can become chronically shortened and weak.
While stretching them is good, what they tend to really need is isolated strengthening. 💪
Here are my top 3 ways to strengthen the front of your hip to make YOUR everyday life & activities a little bit better:
1️⃣ Long Sit Straight Leg Raise 3 way
With your leg out straight, squeeze the quad and slowly lift your leg ~6” off the ground. Next, turn your toes inward and repeat. Last, turn your toes outward and repeat. We are emphasizing slight directional shifts to ensure we target all 5 hip flexor muscles.
2️⃣ Single Leg Bridge with Banded Knee Drive
This movement emphasizes the coordination of both legs, similar to the push off stage in running, where your rear glute propels you forward and the front hip flexors drive. Add a band to further challenge your strength.
3️⃣ High Step Lift Off
Placing the hip flexors in a shortened position at their end range of flexion reduces the length-tension relationship, making this movement feel more difficult than it should.
🏋🏼 Throw these into your lower body accessory work out and see how you feel! You may just realize you don’t need to stretch as much as you actually need to strengthen.
Ready to up your running game?
DM “RUN” to learn more 🏃♂️
Disclaimer: Tightness and weakness in the front of the hip can be referred from elsewhere or part of a larger underlying movement dysfunction. Social media is great but it doesn’t replace seeking care from a physical therapist to evaluate and treat.
