My hips have always been tight, but they feel worse this time of year. I spend a lot of time at my desk, and the stiffness builds up quickly. I walk with shorter steps and feel pain when I run. Getting up after sitting for too long makes that familiar pain come back. I know that mobility work helps, but it has to fit into my schedule. When I’m busy, I stick to routines that take less than 10 minutes because they’re easier to stick to. That’s why I tried a seven-minute hip mobility routine from Lindsey Bomgren, a personal trainer with NASM certification. She goes by the name @nourishmovelove and said that the routine would quickly loosen up tight hips without needing any equipment or taking a lot of time. I did it every day for three weeks and noticed three big changes in how my hips feel every day.
Routine for Hip Mobility in Seven Minutes
There are seven exercises in Lindsey’s hip mobility routine, and each one lasts one minute. She says in the video that you can stop at any time to spend more time on exercises that you think will help you the most. The routine has:
- Pigeon pose 90/90
- Lifts of the 90/90 rear knee and heel
- Circles with your hips on a table
- rocks that look like frogs
- V-sit lifts for the legs
- Cossack squats
This sequence works because it quickly moves your hips through a lot of different positions and patterns. It works on both internal and external hip rotation, which are movements that are often forgotten but are very important for walking, running, and sitting comfortably. The 90/90 exercises go deep into the hip capsule, and the frog rocks and tabletop hip circles help the hip move in different directions. This routine balances strength and mobility work. The V-sit leg lifts and Cossack squats work muscles to hold positions for a long time, which helps improve mobility over time.
Three Changes I Saw After Following the Routine
I was surprised at how quickly my hips got looser without having to do painful deep stretches. The routine slowly moves from one position to the next, using 90/90 variations and hip circles to gently and effectively improve flexibility. After just one week, it was easier to do things like get up from a chair or take longer steps. By the third week, the usual stiffness that came from sitting all day had gotten a lot better, which felt like a real win.
Better hip movement in many directions
This routine is more than just basic stretching. V-sit leg lifts and Cossack squats are two examples of exercises that work your hips in different ways while keeping your muscles active in deeper positions. I saw progress in movements that used to feel limited, like internal and external rotation, over the course of three weeks. Instead of feeling loose for a short time after one session, my hips now feel balanced and supported all day.
Short Duration Promotes Consistency
Seven minutes may seem short, but that short amount of time makes it easy to stick to the routine. On busy days, it was easy to fit in during breaks at work or even before bed, when I might not have worked out otherwise. Doing this routine almost every day made a bigger difference than doing longer workouts every now and then.
The Final Decision
This routine has become a regular part of my mobility practice after three weeks. It’s easy to keep up because it’s short, but it really works. This is a simple and effective way to loosen up tight hips and make it easier to move around for anyone who sits for most of the day.
