Hip and Hamstring Stretches: a 10-Minute Mobility Routine

How to do the routine

Do the moves in order. Part one is movement, part two is stretches and holds. One-sided moves are done on one side first, then the other.

In the holds, go to the point where you clearly feel the stretch but it does not hurt, and breathe calmly. Do not bounce at the end position.

Ideally do the routine five days a week. Weekly total time matters more than the length of a single session, so a short routine on several days is a good way to build it up.

Part 1: open the hips with movement

Three dynamic moves take the hips through their full range of motion. Move slowly and with control, without swinging. This part also works as a warm-up before training.

1. 1

   Dynamic 90 90 Hip Twist

   • 10 reps
   • Hip rotation

   Internal and external hip rotation, alternating sides. A good opener because it warms up the whole pelvis without load.

   Instructions

   1. Sit on the floor without equipment in the 90/90 position so that your front knee and back knee are both bent at about 90 degrees, and keep your back long.
   2. Brace your core and lean slightly toward your front shin while keeping your hips on the floor.
   3. Rotate your hips dynamically and with control from side to side by switching the direction of your knees into the 90/90 position without letting your feet leave the floor.
   4. Return to the starting position and continue with rhythmic repetitions, alternating between both sides.

   Tip

   Keep your thoracic spine long and avoid rounding your back during the rotation. Slow the movement if your hips lift off the floor or your knees start to bounce.

2. 2

   Rocking adductor stretch on all fours

   • 10 reps per side
   • Adductors

   Rocking opens the inner-thigh adductors with a small movement, so the stretch is easy to dose.

   Instructions

   1. Start on the floor in a quadruped position and lower onto your forearms.
   2. Keep one knee and shin under your torso on the floor, and move the other leg out to the side with the knee bent.
   3. Keep your hips low and your upper body supported on your forearms, almost parallel to the floor.
   4. Rock your hips and torso gently forward and backward until you feel a stretch in the inner thigh of the leg opened to the side.
   5. Perform 8–12 controlled rocks, then switch sides.

   Tip

   Keep the movement small and controlled. Feel the stretch in the inner thigh without twisting the hips or forcing the position.

3. 3

   Low Lunge to Hamstring Stretch

   • 8 reps per side
   • Hamstrings and hip flexors

   Two in one: the front leg hamstring lengthens as the leg straightens, and the back leg hip flexor as you move forward into the lunge.

   Instructions

   1. Set up in a half-kneeling position on the floor with your back knee and shin down and your front foot placed in front of you.
   2. Shift your hips back and straighten the front leg, keeping the heel on the floor and the toes pointed up. Lean your torso forward and reach both hands toward the front foot.
   3. Move forward in a controlled way into a low lunge, bending the front knee and planting the whole foot.
   4. As you come forward, sweep your arms in front of you and then overhead while your torso rises taller.
   5. Return by sending the hips back, straightening the front leg, and lowering the hands toward the foot again. Repeat for 6–10 reps, then switch sides.

   Tip

   Keep the back knee and shin grounded throughout. Let the motion come from the hips, keep your spine long, and aim to feel the stretch in the hamstrings of the front leg as it straightens.

Part 2: stretches

Holds and slow stretches for the hip flexors, hamstrings and glutes. Holding under a minute per muscle group barely affects performance, but this part fits best after training or as a session of its own.

1. 4

   Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

   • 2 × 30 s per side
   • Hip flexors

   The hip flexors sit in a shortened position when you sit. Squeeze the glute of the back leg so the stretch lands in the front of the hip, not the lower back.

   Instructions

   1. Get into a half-kneeling position with your back knee on the floor and your front leg bent at a 90-degree angle in front of you.
   2. Brace your core and lightly squeeze the glute of your back leg to keep your pelvis in a neutral position.
   3. Slowly drive your hips forward without arching your lower back until you feel a stretch in the hip flexor of your back leg.
   4. Hold the stretch for 20–40 seconds and breathe steadily, then return to the starting position and switch sides.

   Tip

   Keep your chest up and your ribs down so the stretch targets your hip flexors rather than your lower back. Increase the stretch by raising the arm on the same side as the back leg overhead and gently side bending away from the stretching hip.

2. 5

   Seated Single Leg Hamstring Stretch

   • 2 × 30 s per side
   • Hamstrings

   Pull the toes of the straight leg toward you and keep your back long. Lean from the hip instead of rounding your back.

   Instructions

   1. Sit on the floor with one leg extended diagonally in front of you. Bend the other leg and fold it to the side on the floor.
   2. Pull the toes of the straight leg back toward you and keep that knee straight.
   3. Lean your torso forward over the straight leg. Reach with one hand to the foot or toes, and place the other hand on the shin or just above the ankle.
   4. Hold the stretch for 20–40 seconds with steady breathing. Increase the stretch only until you feel a controlled pull in the hamstring.
   5. Come back up smoothly and repeat on the other side.

   Tip

   Keep the stretch focused over the straight leg, using your hands only to assist the position lightly. Don’t force the range, and keep the foot flexed back toward you.

3. 6

   Lying Glute Stretch

   • 10 reps per side
   • Glutes

   The figure-four position on your back stretches the glute and hip external rotators without loading the back. A good way to finish.

   Instructions

   1. Lie on your back on the floor and lift both legs off the ground.
   2. Place the ankle of one leg across the opposite thigh just above the knee to create a figure-four position.
   3. Reach your hands between the legs and hold the back of the lifted thigh or behind the knee.
   4. Gently pull the leg toward your chest until you feel a stretch in the glute, then ease it slightly back. Keep the figure-four shape the whole time.
   5. Repeat for 8–12 controlled reps, then switch sides.

   Tip

   Keep your head, back, and hips relaxed against the floor. Do not force the crossed knee downward; let the stretch come from drawing the supporting leg in with your hands.

What stretching actually changes

Feeling stiff does not always mean a muscle is too short. Weppler and Magnusson (2010) reviewed the research and concluded that much of the mobility gained from stretching comes from increased stretch tolerance: the nervous system allows a longer range of motion before the stretch starts to feel uncomfortable.

That is why consistency matters more than how hard a single stretch is. In the review by Thomas et al. (2018), range of motion improved when stretching added up to at least five minutes per muscle group per week, and static holds produced the largest gains.

Strength training builds mobility too

In a meta-analysis by Afonso et al. (2021), strength training improved range of motion as much as stretching did. The key is to train through a full range of motion. These exercises take the hamstrings, glutes and hip flexors to long positions under load:

• Romanian DeadliftThe hamstrings lengthen under load as the hips move back.
• Dumbbell Single Leg DeadliftThe same hip hinge on one leg, plus balance and glute work.
• Dumbbell Bulgarian Split SquatThe back leg hip flexor stretches while the front glute works in a deep position.
• Nordic Hamstring CurlThe hamstrings brake in a long position. Demanding, so start with assistance.
• Dumbbell Goblet SquatA deep squat opens the hips and ankles, and the weight in front helps keep your torso upright.

Stretching in the app, based on your training

The SisuLift stretching section builds each session from what you have trained. Smart stretching prioritises the muscle groups with the most load this week, and post-workout stretching starts with the muscles you just trained.

The guided player shows an animation for every move, counts the hold with sound and vibration cues and switches sides for you. It uses the same exercise library as this page.

Frequently asked

Sources

1. Thomas E, Bianco A, Paoli A, Palma A. The relation between stretching typology and stretching duration: the effects on range of motion. Int J Sports Med. 2018;39(4):243–254.
2. Behm DG, Blazevich AJ, Kay AD, McHugh M. Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals: a systematic review. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2016;41(1):1–11.
3. Afonso J, Ramirez-Campillo R, Moscão J, et al. Strength training versus stretching for improving range of motion: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Healthcare. 2021;9(4):427.
4. Weppler CH, Magnusson SP. Increasing muscle extensibility: a matter of increasing length or modifying sensation? Phys Ther. 2010;90(3):438–449.

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