You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again: Stretching is essential for a well-rounded workout routine, especially if you ask a lot of your body. But if you’ve been doing the same cool-down routine since high school track, trainers say you may have hit a plateau— especially when it comes to your hips.
“Stretching and mobility are key to both injury prevention and the effectiveness of your workout,” says Bridget O’Carroll, founder of the Pilates streaming service Studio Qila. If you’re neglecting the mobility and flexibility of your hips, you may not be able to perform hip-reliant movements, such as squats. “When we’re limited in movement, our body figures out how to compensate for that limitation, which ultimately can lead to further problems due to this incorrect use or overuse of muscles and joints,” says Peter Donohoe, a strength and mobility coach.
And hear this: your lackluster hip stretching and mobility routine affects more than just that critical joint. It also may tweak your back. For example, sitting for hours at a time can shorten your hip flexors and weaken your hip muscles,…
