Standing exercises for hip strength after 60: 5 moves

Your hips deserve special TLC during your workout.

Your hips may not be the first body part that comes to mind when it comes to optimizing your workout — but they deserve some special TLC. Hip strength due to the natural loss of muscle mass (known as sarcopenia), decreased physical activity, and changes in joint mobility with age. Over time, the muscles around your hips become less efficient and less active, which can lead to weakness and stiffness, he explains. Josh YorkFounder and CEO of GYMGUYZ, the largest home and on-site personal training company in the world.

Strong, healthy hips help you perform everyday tasks, such as lifting heavy objects and balancing while walking. Any reduction in strength can affect your control and balance.

“This can make everyday movements feel less stable and increase the risk of falls, which can ultimately affect independence as everyday tasks become more difficult,” York told us.

So we learned five standing exercises that can help restore strength faster than sports training after 60.

Standing hip extension

“Hip extensions strengthen the hamstrings, which are the main drivers of hip strength used to walk, stand, and climb stairs,” York tells us.

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
2. If necessary, hold onto a sturdy chair or wall for support.
3. Activate your core.
4. Shift your body weight to one leg.
5. Extend the opposite leg straight behind you and lift it a few inches off the ground.
6. Squeeze your bottle at the top.
7. Slowly down.
8. Repeat on the other side.

Standing hip abduction

“This exercise targets the outer hip muscles, which stabilize the pelvis and help maintain balance during single-leg movements,” says York.

1. Start by standing tall with your feet at your sides and your arms at your sides.
2. Engage your core and shift your weight to your left leg.
3. Keep your right leg straight and toes pointing forward as you lift it out to the side as high as you can.
4. Hold at the top for a moment before lowering for 3 seconds.

Diagonal step access

“The diagonal step exercises the hips through different angles of motion, which improves coordination, weight transfer, and actual motion control,” notes York.

1. Start standing tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
2. Engage your core and keep your chest high.
3. Step one leg diagonally forward and reach the opposite arm across your body towards that leg.
4. Drive through the front leg to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat on the other side, continuing to alternate with each step.

Keeps a side step

“Lateral stepping maintains lateral stability and control when changing direction by building strength on one side of the load, which helps to step to one side, maintain balance, and shift weight into rotation.”6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

1. Start by standing tall with your feet at your sides.
2. Activate your core.
3. Next, put one leg out to the side, assuming a comfortable and wide stance.
4. Put your body weight on the foot and bend that knee a little.
5. Hold this position, maintain a high position.
6. Press through your bent leg to return to the starting position.
7. Repeat on the other side.

Standing hip circles

“Standing circles improve hip mobility and enhance control through circular motion patterns,” says York.

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart.
2. Lightly hold on to a sturdy chair for support.
3. Activate your core.
4. Shift your body weight to one leg.
5. Bring the other knee up to hip level.
6. Slowly trace a circle with that knee using control.
7. Reverse the motion.
8. Repeat on the other side.

Alexa Mellardo