4: The Hips. Your Body’s Centre of Power and Postural Control
If there’s one area that truly connects the upper and lower body, it’s the hips. They’re involved in just about every movement walking, sitting, lifting, running, rotating. And yet, hip dysfunction is one of the most common things I see holding people back, both in training and in everyday life.
The hips are built for mobility. When they stiffen up or lose strength, the body has to compensate. This often results in pain or instability in the knees or lower back, even if the hips themselves feel fine.
What the Hips Are Designed to Do
The hips are a ball and socket joint, meaning they’re meant to move through multiple planes, forward, backward, sideways and in rotation. Their role is to generate force and control position during movement. That includes:
Driving powerful movements like squats, lunges, deadlifts and jumps
Stabilising the pelvis and lower back
Absorbing and redirecting force during running, cutting or twisting
Supporting balance in both static and dynamic positions
When they can’t move well or support load, other areas step in and often suffer as a result.
Common Hip Dysfunctions
1. Hip tightness
Sitting for long periods, repetitive training patterns, or general inactivity can shorten the hip flexors and reduce range of motion. This can pull the pelvis into an anterior tilt, contributing to lower back pain and reduced core stability.
2. Weak glutes and deep hip muscles
When the glutes are underactive, the stabilisers around the hip (like the deep rotators and lateral glute muscles) often struggle to keep the pelvis level. This creates instability during single-leg tasks and increases the risk of knee and lower back issues.
3. Imbalances between left and right
Whether from injury, habit, or dominant-side training, many people develop asymmetries. One hip might be more mobile, the other more stable. This affects gait, squatting mechanics, and even spinal alignment.
What Hip Dysfunction Looks Like
If you or your clients are experiencing any of the following, it could be coming from the hips:
Lower back pain during standing, walking or lifting
One knee caving in during lunges or squats
Pelvis shifting or dropping to one side during movement
Limited squat depth or pinching in the hip during flexion
Reduced power or speed despite strength training
Restoring Healthy Hip Function
1. Mobilise what’s tight
Use dynamic stretches, foam rolling, and joint mobility work to improve range in the hip flexors, rotators, and surrounding tissue.
2. Activate what’s switched off
Before training, focus on glute activation drills to reengage the posterior chain. Try:
Glute bridges
Clamshells
Monster walks
Side lying hip abductions
3. Strengthen in functional patterns
Once the hips are moving better and firing properly, load them with purpose:
Split squats
Hip thrusts
Deadlifts
Lateral step ups
4. Balance mobility with control
Being mobile is one thing, controlling that mobility under load is another. Prioritise stability in single-leg movements and rotational control work.
Final Thought
Your hips are the centre of everything. When they move well and do their job, they protect the spine, support the knees, and power up every step and lift. When they don’t, the whole system starts to compensate—and the problems stack up fast.
Treat your hips with the respect they deserve. Mobilise them. Strengthen them. Teach them to move and support you the way they were built to. Your whole body will thank you for it.
