5 Hip Mobility Drills to Unlock Tight Hips

Tight hips don’t just limit your squat depth—they can throw off your entire movement pattern, making lifts feel harder and increasing your risk of injury. If you want to move better, lift stronger, and feel good in your body, hip mobility isn’t optional—it’s essential.

These 5 drills will help you unlock your hips, improve your range of motion, and keep you lifting pain-free. We’ve kept it simple to not overwhelm!

1. 90/90 Hip Rotations

Why? Improves hip internal and external rotation, essential for deep squats and balanced movement.
How? Sit on the floor with one leg in front at 90 degrees and the other behind you at 90 degrees. Rotate side to side, keeping control.

2. Couch Stretch

Why? Loosens up tight hip flexors and quads, which can limit hip extension in lifts like deadlifts and kettlebell swings.
How? Place one foot against a wall (or on a bench or a couch) and step the other foot forward into a lunge position. Sit tall and hold. Breathe, baby. If your hips are tight like mine, this one is a doozy!

3. Prying Goblet Squat

Why? Helps open the hips while reinforcing proper squat mechanics.
How? Hold a kettlebell in a goblet position, sink into a deep squat, and use your elbows to press your knees outward. Shift side to side for extra mobility work. Want more intensity? While in this position, go up onto the tips of your toes. You should feel those adductors TURN ON!

4. Hip Airplanes

Why? Builds hip stability and control—key for single-leg strength and injury prevention.
How? Stand on one leg and hinge forward, keeping your back flat. Rotate your hip open and closed while maintaining balance.

5. Frog Stretch/Rock

Why? Opens up the adductors (inner thighs) and improves deep squat positioning.
How? Get on all fours with your knees wide apart and toes turned out. Sit your hips back slightly while keeping your spine neutral. Hold and breathe. You can also do this in a rocking formation (we do a lot of baby rocks here.)

Make It a Habit

Mobility isn’t just a warm-up—it’s part of strength training. There are MANY more stretches out there – we kept this list simple for you! Consider joining us on Saturday, March 22 at 10AM for a FREE Recovery 101 Workship with Dr. Grant from Summit Sports Health & Performance. We’ll discuss the importance of recovery, explore recovery strategies, and demonstrate some great examples of a perfect cooldown routine!