Like most active people, I deal with my fair share of aches and pains. Going through pregnancy and childbirth this year made those issues worse, so my current workout routine has been all about rehabilitation and regaining my strength.
My hips have always been a trouble spot. They’re chronically tight, and that impacts everything from my lower back to my knees. Knowing I wanted to focus on improving my hip mobility, I searched Instagram for a quick routine I could add to my workout schedule.
I found personal trainer Alejandro Matias’ recent reel, which trains the hips for “longevity, stability and control.” It looked like it fit the bill perfectly, so I rolled out my yoga mat and gave it a try.
How to do Alejandro Matias’ hip routine
You won’t need any additional equipment for Matias’ workout. There are six exercises in the routine, each done for 10 reps. The exercises are:
- Hip flexor lift-offs
- Single-leg glute bridges
- Elevated clamshells
- Lateral leg raises
- Medial leg raises
- Heel clicks
“This routine covers every major function of the hips: flexion, extension, adduction and abduction,” Matias says in the reels’ caption. “It builds stability, control and longevity for your hips and lower body.”
I added these exercises to my warm-up, and it made a huge difference in my performance. Here are my other observations.
1. My knees felt better
IT band syndrome (an overuse injury that causes pain on the outside of the knee) has sidelined me numerous times. Whenever it pops up, I pull out my foam roller, stretch, rest and cross my fingers that it doesn’t come back again.
A recent bout of symptoms had forced me to pull back from running only weeks after I’d returned to it postpartum. Following Matias’ routine a few times allowed me to ease back into running without feeling any symptoms. This, paired with a few hip stretches, got me to a 5K, which is my longest run since having my baby, and it felt comfortably pain-free.
There are several theories as to the cause of IT band syndrome, but mobilizing and strengthening the hips is always a good idea.
2. I modified glute bridges
Matias includes a somewhat advanced version of a single-leg glute bridge in this workout, and while it definitely targets the hips and glutes, it may not be doable for beginners.
Despite a decade as a personal trainer, I’ve had to restart my fitness routine as a newbie. Trying to do the single-leg glute bridges as Matias demonstrated hurt my lower back and activated the wrong muscle groups, so I had to modify the form and keep my back on the mat.
I know how to modify movements appropriately, but most people don’t. If Matias had included a few options for beginners, it would make this workout more accessible to a wider range of fitness levels.
3. The heel clicks improved
When I first tried the heel clicks, I could feel just how tight my hips were. In fact, I couldn’t bring my moving leg all the way down onto the mat; I had to reduce my range and alter my positioning.
Luckily, the more I did the exercises, the more my hips opened up. By my fourth attempt, I was able to achieve the full “90/90” position, though it was pretty challenging. I’m sure I’ll notice an even greater increase in my mobility as I keep doing the routine.
If you have trouble with these moves at first, adjust them and keep trying. You may find that your hips open up relatively quickly.
4. My squats became pain-free
Squats are one of my favorite movements to build lower-body power. Unfortunately, I really struggled with them after having my baby. On top of feeling weak from pregnancy and childbirth, I experienced a lot of pain in my lower back and hips whenever I attempted the exercise.
Including Matias’ hip routine in my warm-ups helped me to get back to squatting regularly. I’m still taking things slow, but the fact that I can get through three sets of squats without worrying about injuries or needing to modify my form is a huge improvement.
Squats may be a "basic" move, but they require a decent level of mobility and strength. Training your hips with Matias’ program could help you build a better squat.
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