Brooke Ence's 5 dynamic movements to unlock your hips

Got tight hips? Here are 5 movements will help unlock your hips mobility without having to spend extra time stretching.

Dynamic movements like these help you build strength and control in deep ranges of motion, teaching your body to access and own those positions. This then gives you better mobility, more strength, and healthier joints.

1️⃣ Elevated Kettlebell Sumo Squat

• Setup: Stand with your toes on a small elevation (plates, step, or low box). Hold a kettlebell with both hands hanging between your feet, arms straight.

• Stance: Wide sumo stance with toes pointed ~45° outward; knees track over toes.

• Movement: Squat down deeply by pushing hips back and knees out, keeping torso braced and back flat. Go as deep as mobility allows (elevation helps depth).

• Return: Drive through the whole foot, squeeze glutes hard at the top, and keep knees outward throughout

• Targets: Glutes, adductors (inner thighs), quads.

2️⃣ Cossack Squat

• Setup: Stand tall with feet wide, hands can be at your chest (racked) or out for balance.

• Movement: Shift weight laterally to one side, bending that knee and sitting hips back while keeping the opposite leg straight and foot flat. Hinge hips, don’t round the back.

• Depth: Lower until the working thigh is near parallel and you feel a stretch in the adductor of the straight leg

• Return: Push off the working side to return to center; alternate sides or complete all reps on one side first.

• Targets: Glutes, quads, adductors; also improves lateral mobility and balance.

3️⃣ Zercher RDLs (Romanian Deadlift)

• Setup: Unrack a barbell (or hold a kettlebell/dumbbell) in the crooks of your elbows—Zercher position—with palms facing you and weight close to your abdomen.

• Stance: Feet about hip- to shoulder-width, soft knee bend, core tight, spine neutral.

• Movement: Hinge at the hips (not the lower back), pushing hips backward while keeping the weight close. Let the bar/kettlebell travel down your thighs as your torso folds toward parallel (or as mobility allows).

• Stretch: Feel a deep stretch in the hamstrings; don’t round the back.

• Return: Drive through the heels, extend hips forward, and stand tall by squeezing glutes.

• Targets: Hamstrings, glutes, posterior chain; front-loaded stance challenges core and upper-back stability.

4️⃣ Straight-Leg Fire Hydrants

• Setup: Start on all fours (quadruped): hands under shoulders, knees under hips, feet flexed, arms straight.

• Leg position: Straighten one leg out to the side, in line with your hip (do not bend the knee).

• Movement: Keeping arms straight and core braced, lift that straight leg directly out to the side toward the ceiling. Do not lean your torso to cheat height.

• Top squeeze: Hold 1–2 seconds, squeeze the glute, then lower with control and tap the foot down.

• Repeat: Complete all reps on one side before switching.

• Targets: Glute medius/minimus (hip abductors), outer glutes; improves hip stability.

5️⃣ Elevated Frog Glute Bridge

• Setup: Lie on your back with your upper back/shoulders elevated on a bench, box, or step. Place the soles of your feet together with knees bent outward in a “frog” position.

• Position: Arms by your sides for stability; core lightly engaged.

• Movement: Drive through the feet and squeeze the glutes to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.

• Top squeeze: Hold briefly and aggressively squeeze glutes at the top; avoid overarching the lower back.

• Return: Lower hips with control and repeat.

• Targets: Glutes (especially glute max), adductors; the elevation increases range of motion and glute activation.

This sequence is a glute/hip-dominant lower-body workout emphasizing depth (elevations), lateral mobility (Cossack), posterior-chain hinging (Zercher RDL), and targeted hip-abduction/external-rotation work (fire hydrants, frog bridge).