The Hidden Key to Better Squats, Deadlifts, and Everything In Between: Hip Mobility

Rising Sun Community Fitness | East Nashville

If you’ve ever struggled to hit depth on a squat, felt like your deadlift setup just doesn’t feel “right,” or wondered why your back keeps rounding during certain movements, the answer might not be in your programming—it might be in your hips.

Hip mobility is the unsung hero of functional fitness. While most people focus on building strength and conditioning (and yes, those are crucial), limited hip mobility can cap your progress, increase injury risk, and make even basic movements feel harder than they should be.

Why Hip Mobility Matters More Than You Think

Your hips are the engine room of human movement. They’re involved in nearly every exercise we do at Rising Sun—from air squats and box jumps to kettlebell swings and wall balls. When your hips move well, everything else falls into place. When they don’t, your body finds workarounds that often lead to compensation patterns and eventually, pain.

Think of it this way: if your hips lack the range of motion to squat properly, your lower back has to pick up the slack. Over time, this can lead to chronic low back pain, tight hip flexors, and a whole cascade of issues that limit your performance both in and out of the gym.

The Three Hip Mobility Movements Everyone Should Master

1. The 90/90 Hip Stretch

This is one of the most effective stretches for improving both internal and external hip rotation—two ranges of motion that most people desperately need.

How to do it: Sit on the floor with one leg bent in front of you at 90 degrees (knee and hip) and the other leg bent behind you, also at 90 degrees. Keep your chest tall and try to keep both glutes on the ground. Hold for 60-90 seconds per side.

Pro tip: If this feels impossible at first, sit on a yoga block or stack of plates to elevate your hips. As you improve, gradually lower the height.

2. World’s Greatest Stretch (Yes, It Lives Up to Its Name)

This dynamic stretch targets your hip flexors, hamstrings, thoracic spine, and ankles all in one fluid movement. It’s perfect as part of your warm-up before training.

How to do it: Start in a push-up position. Step your right foot up outside your right hand. Drop your left knee to the ground and sink your hips forward. Rotate your torso toward your right leg, reaching your right arm toward the ceiling. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Why it works: This movement pattern mimics many of the positions you’ll find yourself in during functional fitness workouts, making it incredibly practical.

3. Cossack Squats

This lateral movement pattern is often neglected, but it’s gold for improving hip mobility in the frontal plane—something most of us rarely train.

How to do it: Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Shift your weight to one side, bending that knee and keeping the other leg straight. Your straight leg’s foot should point up toward the ceiling. Push back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Progression: Start with bodyweight only. Once you can perform 10 reps per side with good form, add a light kettlebell or dumbbell held at chest height.

When to Work on Hip Mobility

The best time to improve hip mobility is before it becomes a problem. Here’s how to integrate these movements into your routine:

Before your workout: Use dynamic versions of these stretches (5-8 reps per side) to prepare your hips for the work ahead.

After your workout: Use static holds (60-90 seconds) when your muscles are warm and more receptive to stretching.

On rest days: Spend 10-15 minutes working through these movements as part of active recovery. Your future self will thank you.

The Bottom Line

Hip mobility isn’t flashy. It won’t give you the same rush as hitting a new PR on your deadlift or crushing a fast workout time. But it’s the foundation that makes all of those achievements possible—and sustainable.

At Rising Sun Community Fitness, we emphasize movement quality alongside intensity because we know that’s how you build long-term fitness that carries over into real life. Whether you’re picking up groceries, playing with your kids, or tackling our toughest workouts, healthy, mobile hips make everything better.

Ready to move better and feel stronger? Rising Sun Community Fitness offers group classes, personal training, small group training, and nutrition coaching designed to help you reach your goals while keeping your body healthy and balanced. Located in the heart of East Nashville, we’re here to help you build fitness that lasts.

Contact us today to schedule your free intro session and discover the Rising Sun difference.