My hips have always been tight but they feel worse this time of year. I work long hours at my desk & the stiffness builds up quickly. I take shorter steps when I walk and feel twinges when I run. Standing up after sitting too long brings that familiar ache. I know mobility work helps but it has to fit my schedule. When I’m busy I stick with routines under 10 minutes because they’re easier to do consistently. That’s why I tried a seven-minute hip mobility routine from Lindsey Bomgren who is a NASM-certified personal trainer. She posts as @nourishmovelove & promised the routine would loosen tight hips fast without equipment or taking much time. I did it regularly for three weeks and noticed three important things that changed how my hips feel every day.
Lindsey’s hip mobility routine includes seven exercises that each last one minute. Lindsey mentions in the video that you can pause at any point and spend extra time on exercises that feel especially useful. The routine features these exercises: 90/90 internal rotation knee drops and 90/90 pigeon pose and 90/90 rear knee and heel lifts and tabletop hip circles and frog rocks & v-sit leg lifts and cossack squats. This routine works well because it moves your hips through many different positions and patterns in a short time. The sequence works on both internal & external hip rotation. These movements often get ignored but they matter for comfortable walking and running & sitting. Exercises like the 90/90 variations reach deep into the hip capsule. The frog rocks and tabletop hip circles help improve your range of motion in multiple directions. The routine balances mobility work with strength training. The V-sit leg lifts and Cossack squats do more than just stretch your hips. They make your muscles control those extended positions and this helps your mobility improvements last longer. Here are three changes I have noticed since trying this routine.
My hips felt looser without forcing deep stretches
What caught me off guard was how fast my hips loosened up without that unpleasant feeling of forcing a stretch. The routine shifts between positions slowly & uses movements like 90/90 poses & hip circles that helped my flexibility improve in a way that seemed easy and not harsh. After the first week I could tell that regular activities like getting up from my chair or taking longer steps while walking felt smoother. Three weeks in I realized that stiff locked feeling I normally get after sitting all day had gotten much better and that felt like a real achievement.
It improved my hip mobility in more ways than one
This routine went beyond simple flexibility work. Movements like V-sit leg lifts and Cossack squats worked my hips through various ranges while requiring my muscles to stay active as I shifted into deeper positions. This meant I was building control rather than just stretching. During the three weeks I saw clear progress in exercises involving internal and external rotation which had always felt very restricted for me. My hips no longer felt temporarily loose for just an hour after the routine before tightening up again. Instead they began to feel more balanced and supported all day long.
The short length made it easy to stay consistent
Seven minutes might not seem like a lot of time but that is precisely why this routine was so effective. When my days were busy it felt doable instead of something I could skip. I managed to fit it in during work breaks or even before going to sleep at times when I would normally convince myself not to exercise at all. The regular practice made the most significant impact. Rather than completing longer mobility workouts occasionally I maintained this routine almost daily & the combined results after three weeks were much more apparent than I had anticipated.
My verdict
After three weeks this routine has become a regular part of my mobility practice. The length makes it easy to stick with while still being complete enough to create real results. This is especially true if you sit for most of the day. If you want a new method to loosen up tight hips this is an easy & accessible routine that deserves your attention.
