hip focus
Standing Hip Circles
Lubricates the hip joint.
Key cue: Draw slow, smooth circles with the knee while your standing leg stays steady.
Area
hip
Level
beginner
Volume
8/direction/side
Goal
mobility
How to do it
- 1Stand tall beside a wall or chair and hold it with one hand.
- 2Lift one knee to about hip height, or as high as feels comfortable.
- 3Draw slow circles with the knee, as if tracing the inside of a large bowl, keeping your body upright.
- 4Do 8 circles one way and 8 the other, then swap legs.
Easier and harder versions
- Easier
- Keep the knee low, make smaller circles and hold on with both hands.
- Harder
- Rest just your fingertips on the support, staying within arm's reach, or make slightly bigger circles with the knee a little higher.
Helps with
Commonly used for:
General hip mobilityWarm-up before walkingStanding balance practice
Part of these condition plans
Where it fits in the step-by-step plans on our condition pages.
Benefits
- Improves hip joint mobility
- Warms up before workouts
- Improves single-leg balance
Muscles worked
Mobility. Gently moves your hip flexors, glutes and adductors.
Hip flexorsGlutesAdductors
Form tips
- Keep your standing knee soft and your body tall.
- Make the circles smooth and keep your pelvis still.
Common mistakes
- Leaning your body to make the circle.
- Gripping the support so hard that you stop using your standing leg to balance.
When to avoid or modify
- Balance problems: keep a firm hold of a support
- Pain at the front of the hip or a pinching feeling: make the circles smaller
- Recent hip surgery, unless your surgeon has cleared it
If in doubt, check with a qualified physiotherapist before continuing.
Where to go from here
The ladder