4 Point Hip Stretch Series: Squat Prep Your Hips For Optimal Function

So as you’re sitting at your desk reading this you do so with the knowledge that today is going to be leg day and you’re probably wondering if there is a quality hip stretch you can do to prepare your body for the day’s training. However, your legs and hips feel tighter than a race car engine. How do you fix this? How do you pry those hips and stretch that which is so tight and so uncomfortable that you can even think about getting underneath a barbell after work? Well today I’ve got you covered if you’re sick of feeling that discomfort from sore stiff muscles.

The 4 Point Hip Stretch

The thing is that when it comes to squatting, deadlifting, and anything else that involves heavy movement with the legs the

hips are an integral part in the execution of such movement. If your hips are inhibited in any way there is a greater risk of injury due to a compensation occurring somewhere else in the body. I’ve been there and done that so I’m telling you this right here and now so that you can avoid the misery.

I can tell you firsthand that this will be the case. I’ve personally had both knees reconstructed due to my past athletic career and now at 41 years of age the thing I have to focus on stretching the most are my hips, glutes, and hamstrings. When it comes to smart strength and conditioning there is a saying that myself and many of my colleagues echo that states “We much strengthen that which is loose, and stretch that which is tight.” This golden rule, as simple as it seems, is basically how everything works in the world of strength and conditioning.

The point of today’s post is that we’re going to stretch that which is tight. The 4 point hip stretch is a method that I like to employ with my athletes that essentially involves stretching the 4 areas (or points) of the hip consisting of the anterior, posterior, lateral, and medial sides of the hip joint… hence the name the 4 Point Hip Stretch. These are just the thing you need if you’re feeling tightness, soreness, and inhibited in your mobility.

Hip Stretch: The 4 Point Hip Adductor

The 4 Point Adductor begins by getting on the floor and spreading the knees apart with your feet laying flat on the floor behind your body. From here the key is working to rock the hips back and forth slowly prying the groin and slowly working to get the knees further and further apart. The groin can be the most stubborn muscle in the human body so this is a stretch you can stay in for several minutes.

Hip Stretch: The 4 Point Hip Abductor

The 4 Point Hip Abductor is basically a simple variation of the Yoga Pigeon Pose. Granted this is my least favorite and is my biggest struggle, but when the practice is consistent I can get a lot deeper into the pose. This stretch attacks the abductors and gets the hips lax in order to take stress off of the lumbar spine.

Start this pose by getting into an upright push up position and simply sliding the knee of the lead leg between the hands. I like to work to try to keep the front knee in line with my back knee while also allowing my hips to fall straight down into the floor.

Hip Stretch: The 4 Point Glute/Hamstring

The 4 Point Glute/Hamstring stretch is basically a strict split that focuses on keeping the hips square (without abducting) as I settle into the stretch. In other words I don’t want to open the hips when in this stretch. The key is keeping the leg straight in front of the body and getting a hand on each side of the extended stretching leg.

By maintaining this strict position I can tell you that this is a very aggressive hamstring stretch. The key to really forcing muscles into a full ROM is making sure the stretch is done so that the muscles are fully challenged in extending into the full ROM.

Hip Stretch: The 4 Point Thigh/Hip Flexor

The 4 Point Thigh/Hip Flexor stretch is great for opening up the anterior point of the hip. This is the portion that obviously gets tight from hours of sitting at a desk, at school, or from driving. Hours of sitting causes the thighs and hip flexors to tighten. The only way to combat this is to work on opposing the normal ROM with a full ROM drill.

Tight hip flexor and thigh muscles can often cause low back and knee pain. This is due to restriction in the muscle. This stretch is a great way for you to obtain more laxity in your thighs. It will help you to get some necessary blood flow to the area. This is especially good if you happen to be recovering from a vicious leg day.

To perform this exercise you want to take a knee and reach back to grab the ankle of the leg with the knee that is on the ground. From here pull that ankle in turn pulling that knee further into flexion. When doing this the stretch can be enhanced further by firing and contracting the glute muscle on the stretching leg. You should feel a big stretch on the front of the grounded leg. This will run deep into that thigh and down the front of the leg possibly all the way to your knee.

In Closing

In order to perform and to get the most out of your program you’ve got to have mobile hips. Immobility is a flat out death sentence to your results. Mobilize first and strengthen second. Rinse and repeat with consistency and you’ll be on your way to Gainzzzville! Try to hold each stretch for 1 to 2 minutes minimum. Of course the tighter you are the longer you need to hold the stretch.

Are you currently experiencing stiffness and soreness on a frequent basis? 

Are you incorporating stretching into your strength and conditioning workouts on a regular basis? 

Which stretches do you use? 

Please post up and share below in the comments section here. 

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