Best 5 Hip Flexor Exercises to Ease Tightness and Build Strength

Highlights

• Hip flexors are more than flexible muscles. They play a key role in posture, pelvic stability, and efficient movement during daily activities and training.

• Weak hip flexors affect performance and comfort. Symptoms can include reduced stride length, lower back tension, balance issues, and early fatigue during workouts.

• Address recurring hip issues and improve long-term strength and mobility with Concierge Physical Therapy from Empower Fitness. Book a free consultation today!

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Hip flexor exercises are essential for maintaining efficient movement, athletic performance, and everyday comfort.

In this guide, you’ll learn how hip flexors work, why they become tight or weak, how to recognize the signs, and which targeted exercises can restore mobility, strength, and long-term movement quality.

Let’s start!

What Are Hip Flexors?

Hip flexors are a group of muscles located at the front of your hips that enable flexion, which is the movement of bringing your thigh toward your torso.

The primary hip flexor muscles include the iliopsoas (psoas major and iliacus), rectus femoris, sartorius, and tensor fasciae latae. Each muscle contributes differently depending on posture, speed, and load.

From a functional standpoint, hip flexors do far more than lift the knee. They play a crucial role in stabilizing the pelvis, coordinating with the core, and controlling movement during deceleration. This is especially important during activities such as running downhill, lowering into a squat, or changing direction.

Because flexors cross both the hip and, in some cases, the knee joint, their performance directly affects joint alignment. When they function optimally, movement feels smooth and efficient. When they don’t, compensations often appear in the lower back, hips, or knees.

What Is the Root Cause of Tight Hip Flexors?

The root cause of tight hip flexors is prolonged positioning combined with altered movement patterns and insufficient neuromuscular demand.

Modern lifestyles encourage extended sitting, which keeps the hip flexors in a shortened position for hours at a time. Over time, the nervous system adapts by reducing their ability to fully lengthen, creating the sensation of stiffness and hip pain.

However, tightness is not always a structural shortening. In many cases, the flexors feel tight because they lack strength or coordination, prompting the body to increase muscle tone as a protective response when force production is inefficient.

Another major contributor is movement imbalance. Weak glutes, delayed core activation, or limited hip extension place added demands on the hip flexors, increasing their workload and reinforcing tension over time.

High-intensity training without adequate recovery, repetitive sprinting, or poor lifting mechanics can further overload the hip flexors. Stretching alone may provide temporary relief but rarely resolves the underlying cause.

Neurobiologically, hip flexor activity is regulated by both central and peripheral nervous system components. - Michael Schwartz, Sylvie H Nadeau, Denis Gravel and Daniel Bourbonnais, health researchers

What Are the Symptoms of Weak Hip Flexors?

The symptoms of weak hip flexors commonly include:

• Difficulty lifting the knee during walking, running, or stair climbing.

• Reduced stride length or slower cadence during gait.

• Early fatigue during core-focused exercises.

• Lower back tension after prolonged standing or workouts.

• Poor balance during single-leg movements.

• Limited control when lowering the leg from a raised position.

• Decreased power during sprinting or agility drills.

The daily lunge-and-reach stretch can effectively improve hip flexor length and gluteal power, in the form of single-leg broad jump distance, in healthy young adults. - Department of Physical Therapy, Wichita State University

5 Hip Flexor Exercises to Relieve Tightness and Regain Strength

#1. Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch with Posterior Pelvic Tilt

This exercise improves hip flexor length while teaching pelvic control, which is essential for reducing compensatory strain. This variation reduces lower back arching and ensures the stretch targets the hip flexors rather than surrounding structures.

1. Start in a half-kneeling position with one knee on the floor and the other foot forward.

2. Gently tuck your pelvis by engaging your glutes and core.

3. Shift your weight forward slightly while keeping your torso upright.

4. Hold the stretch while breathing deeply for 20–30 seconds.

5. Switch sides and repeat.

#2. Supine Straight Leg Raise

This movement strengthens the hip flexors through controlled range while maintaining core stability. It also helps retrain hip flexor activation without excessive spinal involvement.

1. Lie on your back with one leg bent and the other leg extended.

2. Engage your core and press your lower back gently into the floor.

3. Slowly lift the extended leg to the height of the opposite knee.

4. Pause briefly, then lower the leg with control.

5. Perform 8–12 repetitions per side.

#3. Standing March with Resistance Band

This exercise builds functional hip flexor strength while reinforcing balance and coordination. The added resistance encourages proper muscle engagement while challenging postural control.

1. Anchor a resistance band to a stable surface behind you.

2. Loop the band around one heel and stand tall.

3. Lift the banded knee upward to hip height.

4. Pause briefly, then lower slowly.

5. Complete 10–15 repetitions per side.

#4. Active Lunge with Reach

A dynamic movement that  integrates hip mobility, strength, and thoracic movement. This one trains the hip flexors to lengthen and contract under load, which supports athletic performance.

1. Step into a forward lunge position.

2. Lower your back knee toward the floor with control.

3. Reach both arms overhead while maintaining an upright torso.

4. Return to standing and repeat on the opposite side.

5. Perform 6–10 repetitions per side.

#5. Seated Psoas Activation Hold

This exercise isolates hip flexor strength without external momentum. It’s particularly useful for individuals who experience weakness during prolonged standing or walking. 

1. Sit upright on a bench or chair with feet flat on the floor.

2. Lift one knee toward your chest while maintaining posture.

3. Hold the position for 10–20 seconds.

4. Lower the leg slowly and repeat on the other side.

5. Perform 3–4 holds per leg.

Regain Hip Strength and Mobility with Personalized PT Support at Empower Fitness

At Empower Fitness, we provide personalized physical therapy and fitness support. We help you move more efficiently, train with confidence, and overcome movement limitations that affect daily activities or exercise.

If you are dealing with hip pain, we can help you identify the movement patterns, strength imbalances, or coordination issues that place excess stress on the hips. The goal is to address the cause of discomfort, not just the symptoms.

Schedule a free consultation with Dr. Ezra Miller and his team, and learn how we can help you move better and feel stronger!

FAQs About Hip Flexors

Do Deadlifts Work Hip Flexors?

Yes, deadlifts do work hip flexors, but primarily as stabilizers rather than prime movers. During a deadlift, the hip flexors help control pelvic positioning and contribute to stability as the hips hinge under load. They work alongside the core to maintain alignment while the glutes and hamstrings generate most of the force.

However, because the hip flexors are not moving through significant hip flexion during deadlifts, this exercise alone does not fully address hip flexor strength or endurance. 

Can Weak Glutes Cause Tight Hip Flexors?

Yes, weak glutes can cause tight hip flexors through compensation patterns. When the glutes do not activate effectively during walking, lifting, or athletic movement, the body shifts workload to the hip flexors to stabilize the pelvis and assist movement. Over time, this increased demand leads to higher muscle tone and the sensation of tightness.

Is Walking Good for Hip Flexors?

Yes, walking is good for hip flexors when posture, stride length, and cadence are appropriate. Walking encourages cyclical hip motion and gentle activation of the hip flexors, supporting joint lubrication and blood flow. It also reinforces coordination between the hips and core during upright movement.