Hip Hurdle Mobility Drill: A Simple Drill for Healthier Hips

Throughout my career as a professional basketball player, I’ve learned that hip hurdle mobility is one of the most underrated keys to athletic performance and injury prevention.

The hips are the central hub of human movement, responsible for running, jumping, squatting, and maintaining balance.

Yet they’re often neglected in training routines.

When the hips lack flexibility and control, the body compensates elsewhere, placing extra strain on the knees, lower back, and ankles.

The standing hip hurdle mobility drill is a simple yet powerful way to restore functional range of motion in the hips while strengthening the stabilizing muscles that control each stride and landing.

This drill improves coordination, posture, and muscular balance, making it valuable for both athletes and everyday movers.

Whether your goal is to improve athletic performance, relieve hip tightness from long hours of sitting, or prevent future injuries, developing better hip hurdle mobility can drastically improve how efficiently and comfortably your body moves.

Benefits of Good Hip Mobility: Why Should You Do the Hip Hurdle Mobility Drill?

Strong, mobile hips are the foundation of powerful and pain-free movement.

Whether you’re sprinting down a basketball court, lifting weights in the gym, or simply getting up from a chair, your hips drive nearly every major motion your body performs.

Unfortunately, many people develop stiffness or weakness in this area due to prolonged sitting, repetitive training patterns, or lack of targeted mobility work.

The hip hurdle mobility drill directly addresses these issues by improving joint flexibility, muscular control, and coordination.

It teaches your body to move through a full range of motion with strength and stability, qualities that improve performance and protect against injury.

Regularly incorporating the hip hurdle mobility drill into your routine can help unlock greater athletic potential, smoother movement patterns, and better overall hip health.

Improved Athletic Performance

Improving hip mobility directly contributes to improved athletic performance.

Flexible and strong hip muscles allow for a greater range of motion, which is essential for activities like running, jumping, and lateral movements.

With better hip mobility, athletes can achieve more powerful strides, higher jumps, and quicker directional changes, leading to better overall performance in sports and physical activities.

Injury Prevention

Hip mobility is also key to injury prevention.

Tight or weak hip muscles can lead to compensations in other parts of the body, increasing the risk of injuries, especially in the lower back, knees, and ankles.

I deal with hip tightness due to extensive traveling hours during our basketball seasons, and incorporating hip mobility exercises helps ensure that my hips move efficiently, which reduces the strain on other joints and muscles.

Better Quality of Life

Improving hip mobility isn’t just about athletic performance; it’s about moving through daily life with less pain and more freedom.

Healthy hips allow you to walk, climb stairs, bend, and sit comfortably without stiffness or discomfort.

When your hips move well, the rest of your body follows; posture improves, lower back strain decreases, and overall energy levels rise because each movement becomes more efficient.

For many people, consistent hip mobility work reduces chronic tightness caused by long hours of sitting or repetitive motions.

The hip hurdle mobility drill helps reintroduce natural motion patterns, making simple tasks like reaching, standing, or lifting feel smoother and more effortless.

Over time, these benefits translate into a better quality of life, allowing you to stay active, independent, and pain-free as you age.

How to Do the Standing Hip Hurdle Mobility Drill

Tips for Proper Form

• Maintain Balance: Keep your core engaged and focus on a fixed point in front of you to maintain balance.
• Controlled Movements: Ensure each movement is slow and controlled to maximize the stretch and strength benefits.
• Proper Breathing: Inhale as you lift and rotate your leg, and exhale as you step down and return to the starting position.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Starting Position:
   • Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
   • Engage your core and maintain an upright posture.
   • Shift your weight onto your left leg.
2. Lift and Rotate:
   • Lift your right knee towards your chest, creating a 90-degree angle with your hip and knee.
   • Slowly rotate your knee outward, opening up your hip.
   • Imagine you’re stepping over an invisible hurdle to your side.
3. Step Down:
   • Extend your leg and step down on the other side of the imaginary hurdle.
   • Ensure your movements are controlled and deliberate.
4. Return to Start:
   • Reverse the motion by lifting your leg back over the imaginary hurdle.
   • Rotate your knee back inward and lower your foot to the starting position.
5. Repeat:
   • Perform the movement for 30 seconds on the right leg, then switch to the left leg.
   • Complete 2-3 sets on each leg for optimal results.

Adjusting Speed for Different Benefits

Incorporating slow, controlled movements and moderate-speed, rhythmic variations into your routine can provide a more complete approach to improving hip mobility.

This variety ensures you gain the full spectrum of benefits, from better muscle activation and stability to dynamic flexibility and cardiovascular fitness.

Slow and Controlled Movements

Performing standing single-leg hip hurdles slowly and deliberately can significantly improve your hip mobility and strength. Slow, controlled movements focus on:

• Muscle Activation: Engaging and activating the muscles around your hips more effectively.
• Precision: Ensuring each part of the exercise is performed with correct form, maximizing the stretch and strength benefits.
• Stability: Improving balance and coordination by forcing your stabilizing muscles to work harder.

Moderate Speed and Rhythm

Alternatively, performing this exercise with a moderate speed and a good rhythm can offer different benefits, such as:

• Dynamic Flexibility: Increasing the dynamic flexibility of your hips, which is crucial for athletic movements that require quick changes in direction.
• Cardiovascular Fitness: Elevating your heart rate slightly, contributing to cardiovascular fitness and overall endurance.
• Functional Strength: Enhancing functional strength and agility, which translates well into sports and other physical activities.

Additional Hip-Hurdle Mobility Drills

There are several variations of this basic hip hurdle mobility drill, and incorporating a variety of hurdle mobility drills into your routine can further increase hip flexibility, strength, and overall performance.

By integrating these additional drills into your training regimen, you can achieve a well-rounded approach to hip mobility.

These exercises complement the standing single-leg hurdles, ensuring comprehensive improvement in hip flexibility, strength, and overall movement efficiency.

Here are a couple of additional exercises to consider:

Hurdle Walks

Description:
Hurdle walks involve walking forward with high knee lifts, simulating the motion of stepping over hurdles.

Begin by standing tall, lift one knee high, and step forward as if stepping over a hurdle.

Continue this motion in a controlled manner, alternating legs with each step.

Benefits:

• Balance and Coordination: This exercise improves balance and coordination by challenging your body to maintain stability while performing dynamic movements.
• Flexibility: Hurdle walks stretch the hip flexors and extensors, promoting greater flexibility.
• Functional Movement: This drill mimics real-life movements and athletic activities, enhancing functional fitness.

Standing Hurdle Stretch

Description:
To perform the standing hurdle stretch, stand at hip height next to a sturdy hurdle or a similar object (I usually use a set of stairs).

Place one foot on the hurdle, keeping the leg straight, and gently lean forward to stretch the hip and hamstring.

Hold the position for a few seconds, and then switch legs.

Benefits:

• Increased Flexibility: This stretch targets the hip flexors and hamstrings, reducing muscle tightness and increasing flexibility.
• Injury Prevention: Regularly stretching these muscles can prevent injuries by maintaining their elasticity and strength.
• Improved Recovery: Incorporating stretches into your routine aids in muscle recovery, especially after intense workouts or athletic activities.

Additional Exercises for Better Hip Mobility

While the hip hurdle mobility drill is one of the most effective ways to improve hip flexibility and control, combining it with other targeted movements can create even greater results.

Exercises like 90-90 hip mobility drills and Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs) strengthen the deep stabilizing muscles of the hips while restoring smooth, functional motion through all planes of movement.

Incorporating these drills into your weekly routine builds long-term resilience, balance, and comfort in both athletic and everyday activities.

90-90 Hip Mobility Drill

The 90-90 hip mobility drill is a classic movement that develops rotational strength and flexibility in the hips.

It targets the internal and external rotators simultaneously, which are two areas commonly restricted from sitting or repetitive lower-body training.

How to Perform It:

• Sit on the floor with both knees bent at 90 degrees, one leg in front and the other behind you.
• Keep your torso upright and gently lean forward over your front leg to feel a stretch in your glute.
• Then, rotate your torso and hips toward the back leg to activate the opposing side.
• Switch legs after 30–45 seconds.

Benefits:

• Increases rotational mobility and control in the hip joint.
• Helps correct imbalances between internal and external rotation.
• Increases comfort and efficiency in squats, lunges, and athletic movements.

The 90-90 position also helps you identify and correct side-to-side mobility differences, improving symmetry and reducing strain on the knees and lower back.

Hip CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations)

Hip CARs are one of the best tools for maintaining long-term joint health and movement capacity.

They involve slow, controlled circles of the hip joint designed to strengthen the muscles that stabilize and guide the femur through its full range of motion.

How to Perform It:

• Start standing tall and hold onto a wall or chair for balance.
• Lift one knee toward your chest, then slowly rotate the leg outward and back, tracing a large circular path with your knee.
• Move only as far as your body allows without compensating through the spine or pelvis.
• Perform 3–5 circles in each direction per leg.

Benefits:

• Maintains and improves joint capsule integrity and strength.
• Promotes smoother, pain-free hip rotation and stability.
• Improves body awareness and coordination, which carry over into athletic and everyday movements.

Practicing hip CARs consistently trains your nervous system to control the full range of your hips, helping you stay mobile, strong, and confident whether you’re on the court, in the gym, or simply going about your day.