5 Hip-Strengthening Exercises for Runners

Getting or remaining fit while avoiding injury is always at the forefront of a runner’s mind. Your hips play an important role in running with proper form, improving run speed, and not getting sidelined with injuries. So keeping your hips strong and healthy is key to optimal running performance.

Why Hip Strength Is Important

Hip muscles are often the weak link for runners. “The hip abductors and adductors (groin and inner thigh) work together to stabilize your hip during running,” says Melissa Baudo PT, DPT, SCS, MTC, who specializes in sports physical therapy at One on One Physical Therapy in Atlanta. “So, if there is weakness in one or both of those muscle groups, the runner may experience pain.” The abductor’s and adductor’s roles make it crucial for runners to keep them engaged and strong in order to do their job.

Weak hip muscles can compromise the mechanics of running, which may strain other muscle groups. This can cause overuse injuries, as other muscles work to compensate to stabilize the hip. Weak hips, especially in the gluteus medius (abductors) can lead to:

“When you run, there are a lot of shearing forces that go through the body specifically in the hips, pelvis, and sacroiliac (SI) joint,” says Baudo. “The stronger you are and the more optimal your running mechanics are, the more you minimize the impact of the shearing forces, which can prevent injury.”

Beginner or recreational runners often don’t understand the proper way to run. As with other sports, such as tennis or golf, runners can prevent injuries and learn how to keep hips healthy at the outset by seeking professional coaching on running mechanics.

Are Your Hips Weak?

It may be challenging to determine if a weak hip is a source of running pain, dysfunction, or performance issues. While a physical therapist or orthopedist can best identify where the problems lie, Baudo says there are two simple tests you can try at home.

The Standing Deep Squat Test

The standing deep squat test is a good way to test hip range of motion and muscle strength. First, spread your feet to just wider than hip-width. Keep your arms straight up reaching above your head. Squat down as far as you can. From there, see if you can get your butt down to your heels into a deep squat position without leaning forward or falling backward. If you can’t get all the way down, there is likely some muscle tightness, joint stiffness, or weakness limiting your motion. 

Hip Bridge Test

The hip bridge test is a good way to measure endurance in the region.Another technique is to lay on the floor with your heels hip-width apart and fairly close to your hips. Perform a bridge lifting your hips off the floor. Stay as steady as you can, and try to lift one leg a few inches off the floor without your hips and pelvis dropping. If there is any sagging or dropping of your hips, there is likely some weakness in the hips. 

5 Hip-Strengthening Exercises

A 2013 study shows that the ideal hip-strengthening exercises activate the glutes while minimizing activation of the tensor fasciae latae (TFL), a thigh muscle that stabilizes the hip through various actions. Here are five hip-strengthening exercises that are great for runners and will allow you to put your best foot forward.

If you suffer from pain or an injury you should first speak to a physical therapist or orthopedist for an assessment on the source of your problem and suggestions on which exercises will best get your hips in optimal running shape.

Squats

The squat is a great overall hip-strengthening exercise because it targets all of the gluteal muscle groups: the gluteus maximus, and particularly the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. The gluteus medius is one of the key muscles surrounding the hip.

Squats engage your core, mobilize your hips, knees, and ankles, and build strength in your quads and hamstrings. Another great thing about squats is you can do them anywhere, even when standing in a line.

To do squats:

1. Stand and place feet between hip- and shoulder-width distance apart. Your spine should be neutral, shoulders back, chest up. Make sure you keep your heels down, and firmly planted throughout the squat.
2. Hold your arms straight out or clasp your hands in front of your chest for balance as you move up and down.
3. Sit back like you are sitting in a chair, leading with your butt.
4. Lower your body down towards the floor until your thighs are even with your knees (about a 90-degree angle). Keep your knees behind your toes throughout the move.
5. Stand back up and repeat.

Clamshell

The clamshell targets the gluteus medius. Focus on using your leg during this exercise and not engaging your low back during the movement.

To do a clamshell:

1. Lay down on your side with your hips, ankles, and knees stacked on top of each other.
2. Bend your knees at a 45-degree angle with your feet behind you. Your bottom arm will support your head and your top arm will rest on your top hip or at your side.
3. Keep your feet together while raising your top knee. Pause at the top, then lower the knee and repeat.

Banded Side Step

The banded side step is excellent at activating and strengthening your gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. These are the most important gluteal muscles for hip and pelvis stabilization.

To do a banded side step:

1. Take a resistance band, and place it right above the knee.
2. Do a slight squat and slightly bend at the hips to activate the glutes.
3. Take a step to the side one leg at a time, bringing the legs together between steps. Be sure to keep your feet forward and knees out versus locked in a straight position. You want to maintain solid band tension when stepping, which requires keeping your legs a good width apart.

Bridge

Bridging targets the posterior chain, which refers to all of the muscles on the back side of your body. The posterior chain includes the glutes, low back muscles, and hamstrings. All of these muscle groups are important to a runner’s health and performance.

To do a bridge:

1. Lay on the floor with both feet flat and knees bent and hip-width apart. Hands are at your sides.
2. Use your feet to press up and raise your glutes off the ground.
3. Pause at the top of the movement and lower your glutes back to the floor.

Quadruped Hip Extension

The quadruped hip extension is a well-regarded overall exercise for runners. This exercise targets the gluteus maximus on the leg that’s extending and also some of the gluteus medius for hip and pelvis stabilization.

1. Get down on the floor on all fours in tabletop position.
2. Keeping your arms straight and both knees bent 90 degrees, squeeze your glutes and lift your left heel up toward the ceiling. Maintain a 90-degree bend in the knee as you fully extend the left hip. Be sure to focus the movement on the leg that’s moving and not engage the back.
3. Pause at the top of the movement, and then lower your left leg back down to the ground.
4. Repeat on other side.

A Word From Verywell

Hip strength and flexibility go hand in hand in helping runners avoid injury and remain on good footing. Tight hip flexors restrict runners’ range of motion and can cause low back pain. So be sure to make time to stretch your hips and surrounding muscles regularly, too.