If there was an equivalent of the “Dead Hang” but for your hips instead of shoulders, what would it be?

[718]

@pablotorres You should! As others mentioned it can be a real humbling 'exercise'. Trying to work up towards ~10 minutes is also a serious mental battle at some point haha.

 

[zhen]

@pablotorres Horse stance is fantastic. I always feel good after doing it.

 

[mudmixer]

@718 Back in my kung fu days we had a visiting teacher from Malaysia (Cantonese/southern style kung fu), who made us sit in the Horse stance for almost an hour. We were allowed to rest if it got too intense, but only in a full squat position which was also quite difficult for most of us. I remember getting down in the squat and turning to the guy next to me and saying "I don't know which position is better!" and he said the same. I felt like I was in a Jackie Chan movie.

Horse stance is a great exercise, but I would compare it more to a 90° lock off hang, since you are mostly relaxed apart from the grip in a dead hang.

 

[trainwidow]

@balabob I mean, walking really does do wonders for your biomechanics. I had chronic hamstring pain for like 18 months and then i just started walking like 2-3 miles a day and its mostly gone away.

 

[gottothinkpositive]

@balabob Deadlifts. They work your entire posterior chain.

Other than that there's not really a "one-size-fits-all" exercise, although there are countless good exercises for hip mobility - they're a pretty easy joint to hit.

I'll also say that usually mobility issues (tightness/stiffness, etc.) are usually caused by lack of strength, so anything that works the lower body will be beneficial. A comprehensive routine of squats, deadifts, kettlebell swings, etc. with some running added in (running is just constant unilateral leg work) will do wonders.

 

[ianf19]

@gottothinkpositive OP listen to this comment.

I'd add in squat stretches in general too....just hanging out as low in a squat as you can for as long as you can.

 

[gottothinkpositive]

@ianf19 Yeah I love this exercise. Just sitting in a deep squat for a minute plus a few times a day is fantastic.

 

[dboruff11]

@gottothinkpositive I think kettlebell swings is a great exercise that fits all of OP's criteria. Plus it's much easier for people to get a kettlebell vs barbell

 

[klunkit]

@balabob Glute bridges, especially with the heels elevated on a small step for increased range of motion, are a great exercise for stretching out the hip flexors, mobilizing the lumbar spine/SI joint, and also strengthening hamstring complex and glutes.

 

[kjvbeliever87]

@balabob You could try hip airplanes. It's a bit of a "trending" exercise at the moment but my experimentations with it so far have been beneficial.

 

[ckatiejo]

@balabob Reverse hypers, kettlebell swings, glute bridges. Yoga - down dog, fallen triangle, lots of poses really

 

[wajidshah]

@balabob Check out the GMB programs, especially "Elements". Not a single static exercise like dead hang, but overall it takes you through hip use at all kinds of angles and directions with simple movements like bear crawl. Much more effective than just stretching. I'm 49 with two babies under two and couldn't keep up without something like this.

 

[dawn16]

@balabob Inversion table

 

[tonta]

@dawn16 Surprised how far I had to scroll for this answer.

 

[deezynah]

@balabob Wall sits maybe?

 

[sarangapani]

@deezynah I’m surprised I had to scroll down this far.

 

[gardensparrow]

@sarangapani Same! This would be my #1 rec

 

[rayne19]

@balabob Third world squat.

 

[dawn16]

@balabob Squat sky reach?

 

[elizabeth101]

@balabob It’s key to work on improving strength and balancing the strength bilaterally and across all the muscle groups in your butt and back. A few places to start:

Google hip mobility for inspiration. Work toward deep squats (squatting with feet flat and torso erect), and learn to properly stretch your piriformis and front hip flexors (pelvic tilt matters!!)

Strength exercises for your glutes and lower back: one-leg bridges, banded side-steps, bird-dogs with or without a band, all manner of front pulls and band exercises that have you resisting a twisting force. One legged deadlifts. Anything that works your core, with special attention to pelvic floor. The possibilities are endless…

Yoga can be terrific, especially twisting and glut- activating sequences.