7 Top Hip Strengthening Exercises for Runners

Your hip muscles work hard when you run. They lift your feet off the ground and swing them back and forth, they allow you to keep your balance, and they control the position of your legs as they extend and contract. And this is why hip strengthening exercises are so useful for runners. By doing hip-specific exercises, you’ll make these vital muscles stronger, and you'll also experience a variety of benefits for your running more generally.

In this guide, you’ll find a series of hip strengthening exercises for runners that you can add to your training routine. But first, let’s learn a little more about your hips, how they help you run, and the benefits of hip strengthening exercises.

Quick overview of hips for runners

Your hip joint is a ball and socket joint that connects your thigh bone to your pelvis. There are over 20 muscles that are connected to this part of the body. But for the purposes of this guide, there are three important groups that come into play when you run:

• Hip flexors: These are muscles at the front of your thigh, which help to pull your leg up off the ground, and swing them back and forth.
• Hip extensors: These are muscles at the back of the thigh - mainly your hamstrings and gluteus maximus (buttocks). They help to extend the hip when you run.
• Adductors: These are muscles on your inner thigh, and they help bring the leg back into position when your running shoes hit the ground, and through the thigh swing. They stop your thigh from ‘bending’ too far inwards or outwards over the knee.

Hip strengthening exercises are intended to develop these muscles so they are stronger and more coordinated.

What are the benefits of hip strengthening exercises for runners?

Have you ever noticed soreness, aches, or tightness in your hip muscles? You're not alone. According to US-based physical therapist Jay Dicharry’s book Anatomy for Runners, some 85% of runners experience tightness in their hip muscles.

There are several reasons you may experience hip muscle problems when you run. You may be overextending your strides, or your hips may be moving too far inside or outside the knee when running. You may also have weaker hip muscles due to lifestyle factors - people with desk jobs often have shorter hip flexors and hip extensors since they spend most of their days in a seated position. Fortunately, many of these issues can be overcome by doing exercises to strengthen hip flexors, extensors and adductors. Of course, if you have severe pain or a running injury, you should first rest, then seek professional medical advice.

By working on your hip muscle strength, you can expect several benefits for your running, including:

• Better running performance: One academic study reported that people with stronger hip muscles appear to run more efficiently. More efficient running means you can run further and waste less energy - so could potentially improve your overall running times. A different study found that runners who said they had problems with tight hips tended to run less efficiently than those who didn’t have tight hips.
• May help reduce running injury risk: By strengthening your hip muscles, you can expect to run in a more stable, supported way. That can help avoid a range of common running injuries. Stronger hips mean that individual muscle groups don’t get so overburdened, which reduces the chance of developing various strains and syndromes. What is more, some research suggests hip strengthening exercises may even help treat running injuries in other parts of the leg - such as plantar fasciitis.
• Improved mobility and propulsion: Put simply, stronger hip muscles allow you to push off the ground and swing your legs with greater force.
• Balance, stability and form: Running requires you to continually shift your body’s weight from one foot to another. Strong hip muscles improve your stability, and mean you don’t need to overcompensate by moving your upper body for balance. That leads to better running form, more efficient movement, and less discomfort.

7 hip strengthening exercises for runners

There are numerous hip adductor, hip extensor and hip flexor strengthening exercises you can include in your running training routine. Try to set aside time for at least one or two hip strengthening exercise sessions each week. They don’t need to take a long time - you could spend just five to ten minutes doing these kinds of reps.

1. Hip march

A hip march is a simple but effective hip flexor exercise for runners. It mimics the movement your legs make when running, which helps build strength.

A simple hip march can be done anywhere, and involves:

• Standing up straight.
• Lifting one knee up until the knee is at 90 degrees.
• Holding the position for a couple of seconds before returning to standing.
• Repeat while alternating between your legs.

There are many variations on the standard hip march. These include:

A banded hip march. This adds more resistance, which helps with building muscles.

• Attach an exercise band to a secure anchor on the ground behind you.
• Loop the other end of the exercise band over the ankle of one foot.
• Lift the knee of the banded foot up to a 90 degree angle, while balancing on the other leg.
• Hold this position for at least two seconds, before slowly returning to standing.
• Repeat the movement five times, before switching to the other leg.

Seated hip march. This is a great option if you’re not so confident with balancing.

• Sit down on a stable chair with your back straight. Your upper legs should be horizontal to the ground.
• Hold onto the side of the chair.
• Lift one leg at the knee, as high as it will go.
• Alternate between legs.

2. Hip Flexor Stretch with Resistance Band

This hip flexion strength exercise is an excellent way to add resistance and build your hip muscles. It also requires you to engage your core, and work on your balance too.

• Grab an exercise band and anchor it to something close to the floor.
• Loop one foot through the resistance band, then step forward to engage the band.
• Once in position, bring the anchored foot forward, in a ‘kicking’ movement as far as feels comfortable. Your leg should be straight, with little or no bend in the knee. You will feel your hip flexors engage.
• The other leg and your core should stay engaged.
• Hold the position for a couple of seconds, then return to standing. Repeat several times, then switch legs.

3. Leg raises

Leg raises are a great exercise which enables both hip extensor strengthening and hip flexion strengthening. Here’s how to do them:

• Lie face down on the floor (place an arm below your forehead for comfort).
• Your legs will be pointed out flat behind you.
• Engaging your glutes (butt muscles), then lift one leg back off the floor from the hip while the other stays on the ground.
• Hold this position for at least five seconds, then slowly lower back to the ground.
• Repeat the move five times on each side.

4. Standing hip abduction

Hip abductions will help build strength in your adductors - the inner thigh muscles that help with balance and positioning when you’re running. They’re a great hip strengthening exercise for runners of any level.

• You may need a support to hold onto (such as the back of a chair).
• Stand up straight with your feet shoulder distance apart, with the support on one side (if you’re using one).
• Lift the opposite leg out to the side from the hip as far as is comfortable while holding it straight.
• Hold the leg in this position for five seconds, before slowly lowering. Repeat several times, before switching sides.

5. Glute bridges

Glute bridges are fantastic hip strengthening exercises, which mainly focus on your extensors (buttocks and hamstrings).

• Lie on your back (you could place a thin cushion or something soft beneath your head) on a matt.
• Your knees should be bent, so your feet are flat on the ground.
• Tilt upwards from your pelvis, while keeping your upper back firmly on the ground (you shouldn’t put any pressure on your neck). You’re aiming for a straight line down from your knees to your upper back.
• Hold this position for five seconds, then lower to the ground.
• Repeat the glute bridges ten times.

6. Clamshells

A clamshell is a great hip strengthening exercise which targets your glutes and hip adductors.

• Lie on one side with your legs together, and hold a bend in your knees.
• Engage your core muscles and glutes, and lift the top knee upwards while the foot stays down, then gently lower it, before repeating.
• Aim for two sets of 5-10 reps on each side.
• To make this hip strengthening exercise more challenging, place a resistance band around your knees.

7. Side leg raises

Side leg raises are another great all round hip strengthening exercise for runners, which focus on your adductors and glutes.

• Lie on your side with your legs together. You might find it comfortable to support your head on a bent arm.
• Slowly lift the ‘top’ leg as high as is comfortable. Keep the leg straight, with your toes pointing forward.
• Hold the leg at the top for a second, then slowly lower, before repeating several times on each side.
• To make the exercise more challenging, place a resistance band around either your ankles or knees.

Incorporating Hip Strengthening Exercises into Your Running Routine

When, and how often should you be doing hip extensor, hip adductor and hip flexor running exercises then? There’s no universal rule, and it largely depends on you and your needs. However, if you want to reduce hip tightness and improve your hip strength, try to include at least two hip exercise sessions into your training each week.

The good news is that it doesn’t need to take long. All hip exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home, with little or no equipment. If you go to a gym, you’ll find things like resistance bands there.

Some runners aim to do at least one dedicated strength-focused session each week. If that’s your approach, then it should be very simple to include a few different hip exercises into that session. If you don’t yet do this, then our strength training guide provides plenty of advice for general exercises for runners.

Hip strengthening exercises are very easy to do, so you could also try and fit them in around the rest of your day-to-day activities. For example, you can easily do many of the exercises listed above in your bedroom before going out to work, uni or school.

Preventing Common Running Injuries with Hip Training

Hip extensor, adductor and hip flexor running exercises are a useful tool for helping avoid several common running injuries. Multiple studies have found that internal hip rotation and hip adduction are among the top causes of running injuries.

Put simply, strong hips help to stabilise your body’s movement, which means that other muscle groups don’t have to overcompensate to help you maintain balance when running. That means you’re less likely to experience common overuse injuries, such as:

• Plantar fasciitis
• Shin splints
• Runner’s knee
• IT band syndrome

Hip strengthening exercises are undoubtedly a good, general method for reducing your risk of injury. That being said, it’s always a good idea to speak to a medical professional or physiotherapist for more tailored advice - particularly if you have already developed a running injury.

Suggested: How to avoid groin and hip injuries when playing sport

Make hip strengthening exercises part of your routine

There are so many benefits to including hip extensor, hip adductor and hip flexor strength exercises into your training routine. They help improve your form, reduce your risk of injury, and can make your running more efficient and comfortable. They’re also easy to do, and you only need to spend a few minutes performing them each week to start to see the benefits.

Get started with some of the hip strengthening exercises for runners we described above, and see how these simple movements can have a big effect on your training.