HOW: Get set-up in a half-kneeling position with something under your knee for comfort. Tuck your tailbone, keep your low back flat and chest up, and shift your weight forward to get a stretch on the hip flexor. Then straighten your other knee, hinge at your hip with your chest up, and shift your weight backward to get a hamstrings stretch. Repeat.

 

FEEL: The side with the knee down is going to be the side you feel the hip flexor stretch on in front of your hip and maybe even down into the front of your thigh. The opposite leg you will feel the hamstrings stretch behind your thigh.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not arch or bend excessively at your back, move from your hips to drive the motion.

HOW: Begin on your side, then bring the leg that is elevated over and across your body. Hold this leg onto the floor with the opposite arm. Make sure to keep the knee close to your chest to avoid motion coming from the low back. With the arm closer to the ceiling alternate between reaching in front of you and reaching back towards the floor. Perform slowly and attempt to reach as far back as you can towards the floor. Exhale as you are rotating. While laying on my left side shown here, I am working on my Right rotation.

 

FEEL: You will feel a stretch in the middle of your back, specifically the thoracic spine. You may additionally feel a stretch in the front of the shoulder reaching back towards the floor.

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your knee bent up as you rotate back. Keep your lower body stable.

HOW: Get set-up on your hands and knees, on the side you want to perform the stretch kick your leg out to the side with the knee straight and foot lined up with your other knee. Find a neutral pelvic position with your low back relatively flat. While keeping this position, push yourself back with your hands and shift your butt backwards as far as you feel comfortable with. Return to starting position and repeat.

 

FEEL: You will feel a stretch on the inside of your thigh and your groin on the leg that is kicked out.

 

COMPENSATION: Take your time with this exercise and try to keep a relatively flat back. Do not excessively arch or bend your back. Do not move your leg

HOW: Begin by lying on your back with a band around your feet. Bring both knees up to where they are straight up from your hips. Keep one leg there as you kick one leg out against the resistance of the band. Alternate kicking out each leg and returning for the prescribed amount of reps. 

 

FEEL: You should feel your hip and core muscles working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your knee straight up from your hip as you kick the other down, don’t let it drop.

HOW: Anchor a band at hip height.  Walk out as far as you feel comfortable facing away from the anchor and grab the band with both hands between your legs. Start in an upright, tall position. Hinge at the hips while keeping your back flat. Your hands will go in between your legs. Move your hips back and slightly bend your knees as the band pulls you down. Squeeze your glutes and return to the starting position using your back. 

 

FEEL: You should feel your glutes, core, and hamstrings working.

 

COMPENSATION: Don’t arch your back during the exercise, keep it flat. Keep your neck in a neutral spine, don’t look down or up too excessively during the hinge. Don’t bend your knees too much as you hinge forward, let your low back and glutes do most of the work.

HOW: Get set-up flat on your back with your feet supported on an elevated surface with the knees straight. While maintaining a flat low back, push into the elevated surface to bridge up and lift your hips off the ground. Your body should create a straight line from your shoulders to your feet. Slowly lower down and repeat.

 

FEEL: You will feel the muscles behind your thigh, knee, hip, and butt muscles working hard with this exercise. You may also feel your core and back muscles working too.

 

COMPENSATION: Limit excessive arching of your back, keep your hips level with the ground. Do not let your hips drop or rotate. 

HOW: Get set-up laying on your side with your elbow directly under your shoulder. Have your forearm facing out, and bend your knees so that your thighs are at a 45-degree angle. Place a band around your knees. Place your top hand on your hip for body awareness. While keeping your feet together, push your forearm and knee into the ground to lift your hips up into the air. Push your hips up and forward as high as you can and hold this position. While keeping your feet together, perform a clamshell exercise by lifting the top knee as high as you can to spread it apart from the other knee, slowly bring it back down and repeat. Perform on both sides.

 

FEEL: This should feel like a full-body exercise. Your shoulder and shoulder blade muscles will be working as well as your hip, back, and stomach muscles. You will feel both sides of your hip muscles working, especially your right hip and core muscles working if you’re laying on your right side. Follow the video for other cues and tips.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not let your hips or shoulder sag, stay strong through your core. Do not let your hips roll back either, keep them stacked and stable.

HOW: Begin the exercise in a tall plank position with the knees straight. Perform the exercise by moving at the hip joint to lift one leg into the air while keeping the knee straight, hold that position, then return to starting position and repeat on the other side.

 

FEEL: You will feel your glutes and quads working to lift the leg as well as the rest of your body and core muscles working to maintain the tall plank position.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not arch your back to drive the leg lift. Focus on lifting each leg while keeping the knee straight and the rest of your body still in the tall plank position