If your lower back or knees ache at the end of a long day on the slopes, you may have limited hip mobility.

Compromised range of motion in the hips can be “a silent culprit” for pain elsewhere in the body, says Mandie Majerus, a physical therapist with in Kirkland, Washington, and co-founder of the , an online ski and snowboard training program designed by physical therapists to improve performance and reduce injuries. If you lack mobility in your hips, “your body is going to find it somewhere else,” Majerus says.

Majerus has been working on the medical team for World Cup ski races and training camps for 14 years. During that time, she has noticed a consistent trait in the athletes who top the podiums: “They wake up, do their hip mobility work, go ski, and then come right back to the gym to do their cooldown.”

For the rest of us, dedicating even a few minutes a week to improving our hips’ range of motion and stability can have a meaningful impact on ski performance, longevity in the sport, and overall health.

How Do Your Hips Move When You Ski?

Think of your hips as “the steering wheel of your lower body,” says Majerus. Each turn is initiated from the hips. As you carve, your hips alternate between abduction (the movement of the leg away from the body) and adduction (the movement of the leg towards the body), or external and internal rotation.

If your hip mobility is compromised and you can’t rotate well, you’ll be less effective at turning your skis, Majerus says. As a result, you’ll start relying on your back to power these movements, which can lead to aches and pains.

Similarly, if you’re lacking mobility and stability in your hip muscles (including the glutes, adductors, hamstrings, and hip flexors), “that load all goes into your quads and therefore your knees,” explains Majerus.

About one third of all alpine ski injuries occur in the knee, with the majority impacting the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), according to published in Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy. These injuries often occur when we catch or lose an edge in a turn, or fall backwards. But there’s evidence that strong hip muscles can lower your risk of knee injury. A 2015 study published in the found that lower preseason hip abduction and external rotation strength increased the risk of suffering a non-contact ACL injury during the competitive season.

Even if you stick to groomers, you’re likely to encounter some uneven terrain. Your hips are responsible for absorbing the shock of those bumps, maintaining your center of gravity, and helping you adjust quickly to ice and bare patches.

When Can You Work Through Discomfort and When Should You Seek Help?

If you experience a nagging ache while skiing or develop a new acute pain when you stand up at the end of aprĂšs, you may need professional help, Majerus says.

She suggests following a traffic light scale to determine if you can keep skiing or if it’s better to take a break. Green would be “no pain.” Yellow should register at about a four out of ten on the pain scale, when you can ski through a small amount of discomfort that doesn’t seem to be increasing. Red is when your gut tells you not to keep pushing, or when there is localized swelling, pain, or warmth; that’s when it’s time to rest and seek care from an orthopedist or physical therapist.

The Moves

Majerus suggests starting to work on hip mobility and stability at least two to four weeks before your ski season begins with two to three sessions a week, then repeating your exercises two to three times a week throughout the season. (The couch stretch can be done daily). You can do this routine—which promotes mobility, flexibility, and stability—in the morning or evening. Just be sure to do it at a time of day when you’re able to pay close attention to how your body feels as you move.

Before you head out for a powder day, be sure to do a dynamic warmup. Once you’re off the slopes, give your hips some extra care and attention.

“Instead of coming home from a day of skiing and then just grabbing a beer and sitting on the couch, do a couple of hip stretches and maybe some foam rolling,” says Majerus.

Hip Hinge

How it helps: Ensures your hips are hinging correctly before you load them with your body-weight while skiing

Begin by standing with your back to a wall or other vertical surface, like the side of a box. Step a few inches away from the wall (about the length of one of your feet). Your feet should be hip-width apart and your arms can be crossed over your chest or held straight out in front of you. Maintaining a straight back, bend slightly at your knees and hinge at your hips to push your rear back until it taps the wall, then return to standing. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings throughout the movement. If you are unable to tap the wall, try moving a little closer. Perform two sets of ten reps.

You can progress this movement by stepping farther away from the wall, or by holding a kettlebell at your chest.

Supine Hip Internal Rotation Stretch

How it helps: Improves internal hip rotation

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Your feet should be about two feet apart (if you’re on a yoga mat, they should be just outside the edges of your mat). Let both knees drop towards the same side until you feel a stretch on the outside of your hip. Repeat on the other side. Hold about five seconds for each rep, repeating ten times on each side.

Side Lying Hip Abduction with Wall Support

How it helps: Strengthens hip abductors

Lie on your side with your back pressed against a wall. You can either rest your head on your bottom arm or cradle it in your hand to support your neck. Straighten your top leg and allow a slight bend in your bottom leg. Raise your top leg up, sliding your heel along the wall, and stop before your upper leg rotates or pulls away from the wall. Then, lower it back down. You should feel this movement primarily in your glutes. Complete ten reps on one side before switching sides. Perform two or three sets.

To make this exercise more challenging, move your upper body slightly away from the wall but keep the heel of the top leg in contact with the wall as you raise and lower. When you’re ready to progress from there, you can try this move without wall support.

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How it helps: Improves hip rotation

Stand on one leg with a slight bend in your knee, hinge forward at your hips, and raise your opposite leg slightly so your foot hovers over the floor. Maintain tension through the raised leg. With your arms outstretched to the sides like airplane wings, twist your torso towards the standing leg, aiming for about a 45-degree angle, allowing the opposite hip to drop slightly. (If balancing in this position is challenging, try performing it next to a couch, chair, or countertop and holding on for added stability). Return to center, then twist and open your torso towards the opposite side, aiming for about a 10-degree angle only. You should feel this movement primarily in the glute, hamstring, and quad of the standing leg. Perform one set of ten reps, completing all reps on one side before switching sides.

Bulgarian Split SquatÌęÌę

How it helps: Teaches you to properly engage your glute muscles during movement

Stand about two feet in front of a bench or a chair, facing away from it, with your feet hip-width apart. Lift one leg, bend at the knee, and place the top of that foot on the flat surface behind you. You can cross your arms at your chest or extend them in front of you. Engage your core and begin to lower your butt towards the ground, bending the knee of your standing leg,Ìęand allowing a slight hinge at your hips. Your opposite leg should bend as well, but most of your weight should be in your front leg as you lower into the squat. Continue to lower, making sure the knee of your front leg stays in line with your ankle, until your front thigh is parallel with the floor. Press the foot of your standing leg into the floor to return to standing. Keep your back leg elevated on the bench throughout the entire set. You should feel this movement primarily in the quads, hamstrings, and glutes of your front leg. Complete ten reps on one side before switching sides. Perform two sets on each side.

You can make this movement more challenging by adding an isometric hold at the bottom of the last rep of each set for about 20 seconds.

Couch Stretch

How it helps: Opens up the hips and helps relieve tight hip flexors

Begin in a kneeling position facing away from a couch or chair. Bend one leg and rest the top of that foot on the couch or chair. Step your opposite leg forward to form a 90-degree angle, with your foot flat on the floor. Engage your core and glutes, keep an upright torso with your shoulders over your hips, and push your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip and thigh. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds for two sets on each side. You can do this movement daily to maintain flexibility in your hip flexors.

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When John Orth, a violin maker from Colorado, set out to break his own world record for the most pull-ups in 24 hours, he had no idea he was competing against a college kid from Virginia. And that kid, Andrew Shapiro, didn’t know Orth had his eyes set on the same number—10,000 pull-ups. No one had previously thought such a feat was possible, and as the two men grabbed their respective bars and started to pull, they would find a new limit to human endurance.

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You should do something that makes you sweat every single day, right?

At least, that very loose metric has long been the standard for anyone who wants to stay fit, live longer and healthier, and stave off any number of diseases that are associated with inactivity. According to in both the U.S. and UK, adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise (like walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (like running) each weekÌęto reduce the risk of long-term health issues like .

However, according to a journal from the American Heart Association, it might be perfectly fine to cram a week’s worth of exercise into one or two days. In fact, the study says that doing as much—becoming a “weekend warrior,” so to speak—can lower the risk of developing more than two-hundred diseases when compared to wholly inactive people.

The study, led by scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital, analyzed information from nearly 90,000 people enrolled in the UK Biobank project and categorized their physical activity as weekend warrior, regular, or inactive based on federal guidelines. Researchers found that weekend warriors’ approach of going hard on their days off seemed as effective at reducing disease risk as regular exercise spaced more evenly throughout the week.

“Because there appears to be similar benefits for weekend warrior versus regular activity, it may be the total volume of activity, rather than the pattern, that matters most,” the study’s co-senior author, Dr. Shaan Khurshid, said in .

It’s hardly a shock that doing something is better than doing nothing. But seeing the positive impact of just a few workout sessions per week backed by scientific research is reassuring, especially for people who may not have the time to get sweaty every day.

All that being said, don’t give in to the temptation to skip your warmup so you can pack all of your fitness goals into a compact timeframe.

“Even if your time is very limited, I would never tell an athlete to go into a workout cold,” says Mandy Gallagher, a level-one USA Cycling coach based in Durham, North Carolina. Gallagher also says you should still move your body as much as possible during the week, even if that just means taking a short walk every day, lightly stretching and loosening your body during work hours, or, if you’re a parent, getting outside and playing with your kids.

“Do something active during the week, even if it’s just for ten minutes a day,” she says.

Matt Sanderson, a human performance coach at the fitness company , stresses the importance of approaching a reduced workout load for exactly what it is.

“Don’t try and pack five days of working out into two days,” says Sanderson, who has a master’s degree in strength and conditioning and was previously a physical training instructor with Britain’s Royal Air Force. “Approach it as a two-day-a-week training plan.”

So how do you become a weekend warrior? How do you wring the most out of those 75 or 150 minutes? Here’s how to optimize your weekend workouts.

Change Up Your Zones

To get the most out of your two-day-a-week workout plan, both Gallagher and Sanderson agree that varying your level of intensity is key.

Alternating workouts between two of the five heart-rate training zones is an effective way to build aerobic and anaerobic fitness, Sanderson says. He recommends exercising in zone two, which is typically 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate, for one of your workouts. Then on the next day, try exercising in zone five, which should push you to 90 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate. (To calculate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example, a 35-year-old would have a maximum heart rate of 185 beats per minute).

If you don’t have a way to track your heart rate, Sanderson says you can estimate your workout intensity by your ability to talk. While exercising in zone two, you should be able to hold a conversation; a zone five workout will require “everything you’ve got,” he says.

Depending on your level of cardiorespiratory endurance, a zone two workout could be an hour of brisk walking, jogging, or alternating between walking and running at a leisurely pace. For another moderate intensity workout, Sanderson recommends rucking—an increasingly popular fitness trend that involves walking with a weighted backpack.

“Go ruck for 400 meters,” he says. “Then ditch your pack and walk for 400 meters. Then throw your pack back on for 400 more. Alternate that for an hour.”

Your zone five workout may include sprint repeats or shorter, max-effort runs. For these efforts, Sanderson stresses focusing on how close you are to your endpoint, whether that’s your home or your car.

“Pick a loop around your neighborhood or go work out at the local track,” he says. “The last thing you want is to have done hard efforts five kilometers down a trail only to say, ‘OK, I’m done,’ and have to walk five kilometers back.”

Ride Your Bike

If you’d rather spend your weekend cycling, Gallagher also recommends varying the pace and length of your bike rides.

“One day focus on endurance or a longer ride, one day focus on intensity or a shorter ride,” she says.

To build a strong endurance base, Gallagher recommends a 90-minute ride at a steady, conversational pace. Bookend that ride on either side with a 15-minute warmup and a 15-minute cool down and stretch. For your warmup, Gallagher suggests an easy ride peppered with some quick speed bursts, where you’re pushing your pedals over 100 RPM.

To increase your , your next workout should focus on intense efforts. For those, Gallagher recommends the following with the same warmup and cool down efforts.

“Find some short climbs, under three minutes, and do hill repeats,” Gallagher says.

She advisesÌęstarting with a set of three to five climbs with about two to three minutes in between efforts. As your fitness increases, you can add additional sets.

Gallagher also suggests finding some flat terrain and focusing on 15- to 30-second-long sprints. Start with five to eight sprints with about two to three minutes of moderate cycling in between efforts, and add more sprints as you are able.

Finally, Gallagher encourages one-to-one bursts, where efforts and rest come in equal measure. In other words, ride hard for 30 seconds and then rest for 30 seconds. As you gain fitness, increase to one minute on, one minute off; three minutes on, three minutes off, etc. Repeat the efforts three to six times per set with five to ten minutes of rest in between sets.

Keep It Fun

The key to staying consistent as a weekend warrior is having fun. If you don’t enjoy running, don’t run. If you have limited time to achieve your fitness goals, it’s best (and easiest) to get your exercise in by planning an activity you’ll look forward to.

“It’s essential to do something that you enjoy rather than something you hate that you think is going to be beneficial to you,” Sanderson says. “You have to think of it like, ‘What’s something I’m going to do for the rest of my life?’ rather than, ‘This is something that’s going to be beneficial to me over the next six weeks.’”

Sanderson also says that exercise can be a social activity. In particular, the conversational nature of zone two workouts allows you to connect with a workout partner in a way that intense efforts may not.

“Find a flag football league or a softball league, a running club or a cycling group,” he says. “That helps massively, not only for fitness but also accountability and mental health.”

If you enjoy your workout, it will feel less like work, Gallagher says.

“The big thing is that you don’t want to make it seem like another job,” she says. “If you’re out on your bike, that’s a good thing.”

Too often, we associate fitness with suffering in a gym or miles thumping underfoot. In reality, fitness can and should be fun. And when it is, you’re more likely to keep coming back to it, even if it is just for a few hours each week.

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If you’re used to following a fitness program, the prospect of taking a break over the holidays can feel daunting. Will all that time spent sitting in airport terminals or melting into the couch set you back in your training? Will you return from vacation a slower, weaker athlete?

Let’s start with the good news: A short break from working out can actually be helpful. “As long as you’re staying consistent before then, taking a three- or four-day rest is actually going to be a net positive because you’re giving your body that time to recover,” says Grayson Wickham, a doctor of physical therapyÌęand the founder of , a stretching app and website.

During a break from exercise, cardiovascular capacity typically declines faster than strength, but even that reduction in aerobic fitness takes longer than you may think. A 2024 meta-analysis published in the journal suggests that it takes at least 12 days of not training before your VO2 max starts to decrease. You have even more leeway when it comes to strength training. The researchers behind a 2024 study published in the say that people who lift regularly “should not be too concerned” about taking up to ten weeks off once a year.

But this doesn’t mean you should be sedentary for the duration of your vacation either, as prolonged sitting may lead to muscle and joint , which can make everyday tasks difficult or uncomfortable. A little movement can go a long way.

Yes, Body-Weight Workouts Still Count

Body-weight exercises might sound easy for experienced athletes. But there are three levers you can pull to make an on-the-road workout harder: eccentrics, isometrics, and plyometrics. “Varying your exercise choice, as well as tempo and speed, can make your workout more challenging and lead to increased strength, power, and hypertrophy,” Wickham says. Ìę

Eccentric training involves controlling a weight (including your body-weight) as it moves downward (think: lowering into a squat or a pushup, or bringing a weight back down after an overhead press). Focusing on the eccentric portion of an exercise can also lead to greater “as there is typically more muscle damage elicited during the exercise” rather than at a typical speed, Wickham explains.

Isometric holds involve while keeping its length constant. When performed at a joint’s end range of motion—like the bottom of a squat or the top of an overhead press—isometric holds “are very effective for improving mobility and range of motion,” Wickham says. This will then lead to increased joint stability and injury prevention potential, he adds.

—jumping movements that challenge you to quickly exert force and target your fast-twitch muscle fibers—“are great at improving power as you are now taking a movement and then increasing the speed at which you are performing it,” Wickham says. During this type of training, your muscles need to control the descent back to the ground, he adds. Plyometrics particularly benefit athletes whose sports rely on fast, forceful movements (think: tennis, martial arts, sprinting).

If you’re primarily focused on training for one sport, you can structure your body-weight workouts in service of that goal. Cyclists, for example, can focus on leg exercises and may want to do higher rep sets to improve muscular endurance.

If you’re a higher level athlete or otherwise concerned about straying from your usual schedule, plan ahead by building in a de-load or taper week to coincide with the holiday break.

The Moves

These exercises cover five fundamental movement patterns typically used while training and performing everyday tasks: squat, lunge, hinge, push, and pull.

Build your own workout(s) by choosing one or two moves from each category. Each basic exercise can be enhanced by slowing down the eccentric movement, holding an isometric pause, or adding a plyometric component.

Any amount of time spent working out is great, but try to fit in a session that’s 20 minutes or longer if possible.

For each exercise, complete three or four sets of eight to twelve repetitions with about 60 seconds between sets.

Squat

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hands by your sides. Engaging your core, hinge at the hips and bend your knees at the same time. As you lower into the squat, keep your arms straight and raise them to chest height. Keep your gaze straight ahead as you maintain a flat back and proud chest. When you’re ready to rise back to standing, press your feet into the floor and imagine that you’re trying to pull the floor beneath your feet apart. This will help keep your knees from caving in as you stand back up.

How to Make This Move More Challenging

Eccentric

Try lowering for a count of three.

Isometric

Hold a two-second pause at the bottom.

Plyometric

At the bottom of the squat, bring your straight arms slightly behind you, then quickly bring them forward and use them to help you drive your body up from the floor. Extend your legs as you rise so your ankles, knees, and hips are at full extension in the air. Land with control and then repeat.

Reverse Lunge

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides. Take a big step back with your right leg and bend both knees so your legs form 90-degree angles, bringing your arms to 90-degree angles by your sides. Your right knee should hover an inch above the floor, and the majority of your weight should be in your left leg (if you’re feeling this more in your right leg, try leaning your torso slightly forward). Press through your left foot and straighten both legs as you return your right leg to standing and let your arms hang by your sides. Complete all reps on one side before switching sides.

How to Make This Move More Challenging

Eccentric

Lower into each lunge to a count of three.

Isometric

Hold at two-second pause at the bottom of the lunge, keeping your back leg hovering just above the ground.

Plyometric

For this one, you’ll switch legs after each rep. At the bottom of the lunge, press into both feet and jump up, coming to full extension of the ankle, knee, and hip in the air. Land with the opposite leg in front and lower into a lunge on that side. Keep switching back and forth.

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a soft bend in both knees. Shift your weight to your left leg and hover your right foot off the ground. Engage your core and hinge at your hips as you kick your right leg back behind you. Lower until your torso and leg are in a straight line and parallel with the floor. You can keep your hands clasped at your chest for the duration of this movement. To make this move more challenging, hold a weight or another household item, like a water bottle or book, in each hand. Alternatively, you could hold a single weight in the hand on the same side as the elevated leg. Maintain a flat back throughout the movement. Switch sides.

How to Make This Move More Challenging

Eccentric

Lower to parallel to a count of three.

Isometric

Pause for two seconds at the bottom of the hinge.

Plyometric

Romanian deadlifts should be slow and controlled but you can similarly challenge your hip hinge with a box jump or broad jump. For a box jump, use a sturdy platform like a stair or bench. Stand with your feet parallel in front of the platform, bend your knees, and jump up, landing with your hips and knees in flexion. Stand up and step back down. For a broad jump, choose a spot on the floor in front of you, and bounding off both feet at the same time, jump toward that spot. Land with your hips and knees in flexion, then stand up, turn around, and jump the other way.

Push-Up

To do a standard push-up, begin on the floor on all fours, your hands shoulder-width apart. Step one leg back at a time so you’re in a plank position. Bending your elbows out to the sides, slowly lower your body in a straight line without arching your lower back or raising your hips. When your torso is just above the floor, press your palms into the floor and rise back up to plank position.

In addition to doing traditional modified push-ups on your knees, there are several other ways that you can make the basic push-up easier.

• Elevated push-up: Place your hands on a chair (as long as that chair is pressed against a wall) or similar elevated surface. To make this even easier, stand with your hands pressed into a wall.
• Banded push-up: If you have a resistance band, place it around both arms, just above your elbows (a long loop band may need to be wrapped around twice). As you lower into the push-up, the band will help you press back up to the top.
• : Begin by sitting on the floor on your knees. Walk your hands out in front of you until your back is flat, keeping your knees and toes planted on the floor. Bend your elbows and lower your body all the way to the floor. When your chest touches the floor, pause, lift your hands one inch off the floor, place them back down, and push yourself back up.

How to Make This Move More Challenging

Eccentric

Lower for a count of three (you can do this as a hand-release push-up as well).

Isometric

Hover just above the floor for two seconds before pressing back to the start position.

Plyometric

Plyometric push-ups are a particularly advanced move when done on the floor. Try this move first by beginning in an elevated push-up stance as explained above. Lower your chest towards the bench or other sturdy elevated surface, keeping your elbows pressed into the sides of your torso. Press your hands into the bench and try to explosively push your body away from the bench, extending your arms straight as you rise; your hands should be off the bench for a brief second before landing back into push-up position. That’s one rep.

Resistance Band Rows

Pulling pattern movements are going to be most effective with something to pull onto. If you can slip a long resistance band (loop- or handle-style) into your bag, there’s a lot you can add to your workouts.

You can do these two ways: horizontal row and vertical row.

For the horizontal row, attach one end of a resistance band to a sturdy anchor point at about chest height (this might mean kneeling to use a door knob or table leg, or standing and closing a door on the band). Grip the opposite end of the band in both hands, keeping your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Drawing your shoulder blades together and engaging your lats, pull your elbows back. Hold, then return to the starting position.

For the vertical row, stand with your feet hip-width apart, one end of the looped band under your feet. Grip the opposite end with both hands about shoulder-width apart. Keeping an upright torso, draw your elbows high, pulling the band up towards your chin. Hold, then slowly return.

How to Make This Move More Challenging

Eccentric

Resist the band for a count of three as you return to your starting position.

Isometric

Hold for a count of two at the highest point of your row.

Plyometric

Making a banded row plyometric is challenging (especially when it’s attached to the doorframe of someone else’s home). For a plyometric pulling exercise, try attaching one end of your band to the top of a door or, if possible, a tree branch outside. Hold the opposite end of the band with two hands, shoulder-width apart. As you would on a Ski Erg machine, in one quick motion, hinge at the hips and pull the band down with force, drawing your hands towards the outsides of your hips, as you might with a pair of ski poles.

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Touching your toes. The standing quad hold. The overhead tricep stretch. These are the static positions our high school gym teachers taught us to warm up with before engaging in any physical activity. But to adequately prime your body for movement—whether you’re biking to work or trekking up a mountain—you have to actually get moving.

“Why would you do something passive to improve something active?” says Grayson Wickham, a doctor of physical therapy and the founder of , a mobility and stretching app. Dynamic stretching, he explains, “happens when you are moving your muscles from a shortened to a lengthened position by moving your joint in a specific direction.”

Dynamic stretches are best for warming up. These controlled movements mimic the exercises you’re about to perform in your workout, with a slower, more deliberate pace. For example, before a run, you might do a few walking high knees and arm swings. If you’re climbing, you may spend more time practicing hip-opening rotations and shoulder rolls. These movements will increase overall blood flow and minimize muscle and joint stiffness, which can during exercise.

But dynamic stretching can also help you move more easily through everyday tasks like running errands or doing household chores. “Dynamic stretching should be done every morning, not just because you’re going to work out and not just because you’re athletic, but because you’re a human,” says Marnie Adler, a Pilates instructor based in Toronto, Ontario. For the last decade her work has focused on helping clients move with greater mobility and stability, beginning workouts with purposeful dynamic stretching before progressing into more difficult moves. “It’s about getting your body moving, no matter what your plan is for the day,” she adds.

Static vs. Dynamic Stretching: Which Is Better?

Most studies on the impact of different types of stretching have small sample sizes. But the available research indicates that dynamic stretching and increases your , which better prepares your muscles for action. By decreasing muscle stiffness and increasing joint flexibility, dynamic stretching also helps .

Analyzing more than two decades of research on the topic, the authors of a published in the European Journal of Applied Psychology suggest that an optimal warm-up should include low-intensity aerobic work, followed by both dynamic stretching and sport-specific dynamic movements.

Static stretching, on the other hand, involves “stretching out a muscle and joint and then simply relaxing into the hold,” Wickham says.

Although many of us were taught to hold these positions before exercising, a growing body of research suggests that this style of warm-up can force production, endurance, speed, . A 2012 study in the found that static stretching reduced cyclists’ mechanical efficiency and caused them to tire out faster.

“From a physiologic perspective, static stretching is just passively elongating your connective tissues,” Wickham says. “After static stretching you now have a more flexible, floppy joint that lacks end range of motion stability, muscle activation, and joint control. This is a great recipe for injury as you now have even poorer joint control while performing an exercise or athletic movement.”

Wickham doesn’t consider static stretching a critical part of post-workout recovery, either, but he notes that it can be added during a rest day as a relaxation strategy.

The Moves

Adler suggests performing this set of dynamic moves before any workout or choosing the ones that best support your activity. You can also do them upon waking and before bed to mitigate muscle stiffness from sleeping or spending time sitting. The static moves can be done on a rest day or after your workout is complete.

Quads

Dynamic: Lunge with Rotation

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Take a big step forward with one foot, and bend both knees as you drop into a lunge. Your knees should both be at 90-degree angles and your back knee should be hovering just slightly above the ground. Bend your elbows at your sides and twist your torso across your front leg, then across your back leg, then back to center. That’s one rep. Come back to standing and repeat on the opposite leg. Perform 10 reps on each side.

You should feel this movement primarily in the quad of your front leg. If not, hinge your torso just slightly forward to bring more weight into your front leg.

Static: Standing Quad Stretch

You can do this move free-standing or with one hand gently pressed against a wall or lightly holding a chair for balance. Standing with feet parallel, bend your right leg, bringing your foot behind you. Reach back with your right hand and grab hold of the top of your foot. Gently pull upwards on your foot, feeling the stretch in your quad. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds before switching sides.

Hamstrings

Dynamic: Hamstring Stretch

Stand with feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in the knees. Hinge at the hips and lower your arms and torso towards the floor, keeping your legs straight enough to feel a good stretch in your hamstrings. Once your hands touch the ground, lower your hips into a deep squat. From there, raise the hips without lifting the torso (try to keep your fingertips in contact with the floor). Lower right back down into the deep squat. Continue this motion of raising and lowering the hips for ten reps.

Static: Elevated Leg Stretch

Standing with feet parallel in front of a chair, couch, or bench, lift one leg and place your heel on the elevated surface. Keeping a soft bend in your standing leg and your lifted leg straight, reach your hands towards the foot of your lifted leg and hold for 30 to 60 seconds. You should feel a gentle stretch in the back of the lifted leg.

Hips

Dynamic: Hip CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations)

Begin on all fours. Keeping your torso centered and stable and without collapsing to one side, lift your bent right leg and draw the knee in towards your right elbow, then out to the side, then back, ending with your leg behind you, knee bent and heel pointed towards the ceiling. Bring the knee back to the ground to complete the motion. Then reverse it. You should feel this movement in your hip flexors and glutes, and it should feel like you’re rotating your leg through the entire range of motion of your hip joint. That’s one rep. Complete ten reps.

Note: You can also do this move standing if being on your knees is uncomfortable. You can gently hold onto a static object to help with balance.

Static: Wall V-Stretch

Lying on your back with your butt and legs pressed up against a wall, open your legs into a wide V position. You can gently press out on your inner thighs with your hands to deepen the stretch. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

You should feel a stretch in your inner thighs and hip flexors.

Shoulders

Dynamic: Shoulder Rolls

With your arms by your sides or outstretched, draw your shoulders up towards your ears, then down your back, feeling your shoulder blades rise and lower. After doing 10 reps backward, switch directions for 10 reps forward. Lastly, raise your arms overhead and draw your shoulders up, then release them back down. You should feel this in the front and back of your shoulders (anterior and rear delts) and your lats. Perform 10 reps overhead.

Static: Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch

Begin with your arms hanging by your sides. Raise and reach your right arm across your chest. Grasp your upper right arm just above the elbow with your left hand and gently pull your arm to deepen the stretch. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

You should feel this in the back of your shoulders and lats.

Core and Spine

Dynamic: Roll-Down and Roll-Up

Begin in a seated position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Your legs should be hip-width apart. Extend your arms in front of you. Begin to slowly roll your torso down towards the mat, keeping your core braced as you go, controlling through the entire range of motion. Once you reach the mat, inhale, exhale, and begin to slowly roll back up. That’s one rep. Complete ten reps.

This move should gently challenge your core stability and warm up the muscles that surround your spine. If you feel a strain or discomfort in your lower back, shorten your range of motion; instead of lowering all the way to the mat, stop about halfway down and then roll back up.

Static: Child’s Pose and Shell Stretch

Begin on the floor in a kneeling position. Bring your knees wide and your toes together, and sit your butt back on your heels. Walk your hands out in front of you until you’re folded forward at the hips. Maintain a neutral neck position, with your eyes looking at the floor directly beneath your head. Tilt your tailbone back towards your heels. Hold that stretch. Then reach your hands forward and let your tailbone rock forward. Hold that position. Repeat, shifting your tailbone back and forth with a hold at each end range, for 30 to 60 seconds.

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Now, as the leaves fall and winter looms, is a great time dial in your home gym. Spend your addressing any aches, pains, or muscle imbalances, so you can hit the trails stronger this spring. Working out at home offers loads of flexibility, and it doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are three exercises and three home gym equipment additions I’d add into a workout routine.

Adjustable step

The adjustable step is a highly versatile piece of gym equipment for hikers. Adjustable steps are usually between 3 to 4 inches on the lowest height and each additional riser adds 2 to 4 inches depending on the model. With the lower height, you can focus on form and movement control. As you get stronger, add risers to increase the range of motion and difficulty level. This will maximize your workout efforts and help reduce risk of injury on lots of different types of terrains and on-trail obstacles. One of my favorite exercises for hikers is the lateral step-down.

Lateral Step-downs

The lateral step-down will do wonders for your knee health by strengthening the hip and quad muscles. In addition, this movement can help reduce downhill hiking knee pain.

For hikers, start this exercise with three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions at the lowest step height. If you can maintain good form and control—meaning your knee stays in line with your second toe and doesn’t move inward—then you are ready to increase the step height. Add a riser, repeat sets and reps until proficient, then progress to add another riser. If you experience any knee pain during this exercise, try a lower step height.

1. Start by standing with your left foot on a step. Bending your left knee, slowly lower the right foot toward the floor and tap your heel. Try not to reach for the floor with your right foot; instead, lower yourself only with the left leg.
2. Press through the left foot to return to the start position. Slow and controlled is the key here; fast reps won’t do you any good. Aim for a three-second lower. Do 10 to 15 repetitions, then switch legs.

Try to keep your hips level during this exercise. Imagine two flashlights on the front of your hips, one on each side. As you raise and lower, you want the flashlights to shine straight forward during the exercise. By keeping your hips level, you will engage your side hip muscles, which are essential for healthy knees.

Adjustable Weights

Arguably one of the most versatile additions to any home gym would be a set of adjustable dumbbells. There are numerous brands available that allow for weight ranges from 5 to 90 pounds, and they don’t take up as much space as non-adjustable dumbbells.

There are no shortages for exercise options using dumbbells. There are lots of variations of squats, deadlifts, carries, presses, rows, and lunges to help you get stronger for both hiking and life demands.

Goblet Squats

Goblet squats are friendly for beginners and advanced gym-goers alike, and they offer many benefits for all skill levels, especially strengthening muscles in the torso, improving posture.

The goblet squat offers a slight variation on the traditional squat. Keeping your feet about shoulder width apart, grab a weight and hold it close to your chest as you perform a squat. Use a weight that allows you to complete the reps with good control. As you squat, keep your core engaged as you unlock your knees, bringing your rear toward the floor.

Maintaining an upright torso and engaged core, squeeze your glutes to return to standing. Avoid letting the knees move inward during the squat throughout the movement. By keeping the weight close to your chest, you engage more muscles in the mid-back and core, which will help you carry a loaded backpack on the trail.

Begin with three sets of 15. If you can complete the reps with ease, increase the weight until you find the last two to three reps more challenging.

Suspension Trainer

A suspension trainer or similar brand is another valuable piece of home gym equipment. There are so many benefits to suspension trainers: They’re portable, making them great for travel, and they’re quite versatile. Suspension trainers generally come with a door attachment that allows you to anchor the trainer in any room of the house.

With the suspension trainer in place, you can perform a variety of squats, lunges, rows, and presses. There are also a number of great core exercises you can add in such as fall-outs and plank variations. One of my favorite exercises for hikers are reverse lunges. Suspension trainer lunges are the same as a standard reverse lunge but your arms can now take some of the load as you descend and rise. With help from the arms, you’re putting less . Using the suspension trainer to modify the reverse lunge, hikers with ache-prone knees can build strength without adding too much pressure to the joint.

Reverse Lunge

, hold the suspension trainer straps so they are taut in front of you, keep your core tight and take a big step backward, lowering your hips to bring your back knee toward the floor. Keep your back knee directly below the hip in the bottom position of the lunge. Make sure your front knee stays stacked over your ankle during the lunge—it shouldn’t push forward.

Return to standing by squeezing the glute on your front leg while pressing through the front foot. Avoid leaning forward as you do so; keep your torso upright, your core engaged, and the suspension trainer straps taut the whole time.

Perform a set of 10 on each leg before switching to the other leg. Repeat three times.

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Calf strength and ankle mobility are crucial for all athletes but particularly runners. When your foot strikes the ground, the functional stability of the whole kinetic chain relies on a strong and agile base. Yet calf muscle exercises are often missing from training routines.

“The whole complex needs to work together all the way up the totem pole,” says , a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist with a doctorate in physical therapy.ÌęIf you have stiff ankles or calves, or significant lower-leg asymmetries, that could reverberate up the limb and causeÌępain in the knees, hips, and back, as well as limit your performance.

Along with the quads, the calves absorb the most impact when your feet land, whether you’re dropping a cliff on skis or pounding pavement. The calf muscle group is mainly comprised of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, which both connect to the Achilles tendon, on the back side of the lower leg. Your calves help bend your knees and are responsible for lifting the heel, a movement called plantar flexion (think of toeing when rock climbing). They also control the opposite movement, dorsiflexion, while they’re elongated. “Eccentric loading [when muscles elongate under load] imposes the highest forces on a muscle,” says Scott Johnston, coauthor of . “It’s the primary load that runners experience in their legs—and the reason you get sore calves and quads when you run downhill for 2,000 feet.”

There’s no one-size-fits-all training plan to build strength and resilience in the lower legs. Assess your general calf strengthÌęand ankle mobility—there’ s a helpful guide below—before you jump into the exercise progression, and don’t neglect the recovery moves.

Strength and Mobility Assessments

Single-Leg Heel Raise

What it does: Assesses your concentric calf strength.

How to do it: Stand barefoot on the balls of your feet with your heels hanging offÌęa step. Hold on to aÌęwall or doorframe for balanceÌęif necessary, but don’t use your hands for upward assistance. Lift one leg off the ground, and perform single-leg heel raises, also known as calf lifts, with the other. Move through a complete range of motion, from as low as you can go to as high as you can go. Try to do as many as you can with a full range of motion. Repeat on the other leg.

If you can perform tenÌęor more single-leg heel raises with a full range of motion, you have adequate calf base strength—for an endurance athlete—and can skip ahead to more sport-specific training (see the Jump RopeÌęexercise, below).

ButÌęif fatigue sets in and you start to lose your range of motion before tenÌęcomplete repetitions—perhaps,Ìęafter three or four reps, you can only lift your heel a couple of inches—you’re probably deficient in calf strength. If that’s the case, it’s time to get stronger! Follow the exercise progression below, starting with double-leg heel raises, twice aÌęweek for three weeks, then retest yourself. If you can now do tenÌęor more single-leg heel raises with a full range of motion, you’re ready to move on to sport-specific training, but if not, continue working on your general concentric calf strength until you can.

Weight-Bearing Lunge Test (Knee-to-Wall Test)

What it does: Assesses your ankle-joint mobility (dorsiflexion range) and symmetry.

How to do it: If you have a restriction, or stiffness, in one or both ankles, this can cause plantar fasciitis or problems in your calves, knees, hips, and back.ÌęYou can do this simple test to assess your ankle-joint mobility at home.

With your toes facing a wall, place one foot roughly a hand width away. Keeping your heel flat on the ground, bend your knee as if you were lunging into the wall. If your knee cannot touch the wall without your heel lifting, move it closer and try again. If your knee easily touches the wall, move your foot back and repeat. The idea is to find the distance where your knee can just barely touch the wall without your heel lifting. This is your dorsiflexion range.

When you find this point, measure the distance between your big toe and the wall. (If the wall has a baseboard, account for its width in your measurement.)ÌęRepeat with the other leg. A distance of five or more inches is considered a normal range of motion; anything less and you should add the Ankle Mobilization with Movement exercise, below, into your routine. Symmetry across your ankles is another key. If one ankle is stiffer than the other, you should work on ankle mobility until they’re even. If you have a good range of motion that’s symmetrical across your ankles, the Ankle Mobilization with Movement exercise isn’t necessary.

Calf Muscle Exercises

Double-Leg Heel Raise

What it does: Builds concentric calf strength (only necessary if you cannot do tenÌęor more single-leg heel raises with a full range of motion).

How to do it: AsÌęwith the assessment test, stand barefoot on the balls of your feet with your heels hanging off a step. Perform full-range-of-motion heel raises (with both legs) for four or five sets of six to tenÌęrepetitions, with a minute rest between each set.

“Don’t go until failure,” says Johnston. The purpose of this exercise isn’t to increase the size of the muscleÌębut to increase its strength, which means you don’t need to max out.

Once you can do tenÌęto twelveÌęreps comfortably, progress to the next exercise.

Heel-Raise Progression (Two Legs Up, One Leg Down)

What it does: Builds eccentric calf strength.

How to doÌęit: Continue with heel raises, but now use both calves to rise up, then lift one leg off the groundÌęand lower the other legÌęslowlyÌęforÌęthree to four seconds. Like before, perform four or five sets of six to tenÌęrepetitions on each leg, with a minute rest between each set.

Once this exercise begins to feel easy, retest yourself on the single-leg heelÌęraises. If now you can do tenÌęto twelveÌę(or more) single-leg heel raises with a full range of motion, you’re ready to move on to the sport-specific exercise below. If not, continue with this exercise.

Jump Rope

Only begin this exercise if you have developed enough general strength to complete tenÌęor more single-leg heel raises with a full range of motion (see above test).

What it does: Loads the calves eccentrically and increases sport-specific muscular endurance.

How to do it: Simply jump rope. Begin with four sets of 15 seconds, progress to six to eight sets of 30 seconds, and eventually plan on doingÌętenÌęsets of 60 seconds, with a minute rest between each set of jumping. Remember to land on your toes, not flat-footed.

Note: You don’t need a jump rope for this exercise—you can jump up and down on your toes in place—but a jump rope adds discipline and keeps you honest.

Walking Lunges with Windmill

What it does: Trains multidirectional, functional stability in the foot and ankle.

How to do it: PerformÌęthis exercise simultaneously with the calf-training progression. Stand upright with your feet together, holding a two-to-three-pound weight. Step forward with one foot as you reach your arms forward, and slowly lower into a lunge. (Keep your knee behind your toes on the front leg, and be mindful that your knees don’t collapse inward as you move because both patterns are correlated withÌęknee pain.)ÌęRotate your torso slowly to each side while maintaining a straight leg alignment. Then step forward with the trailing leg to bring your feet together again. Repeat with the other leg in front. Haas stresses the importance of focusing on proper mechanics—quality of form rather than quantity—before you build up the number of repetitions. “Train the pattern you want,” she says, “not the one that is the easiest.” Five or six repetitions on each leg is a good starting point.

Recovery

Roll Out

What it does: Myofascial release flushes tension in muscles and connective tissue to improve mobilityÌęand reduce inflammation created during exercise.

How to doÌęit: After a workout session or day in the mountains, use a lacrosse ball or myofascial-release tool (Haas recommends the ) to roll out the soles of your feet (plantar fascia), then work your way up the kinetic chain. Focus on your Achilles, calf muscles, and the muscle on the outside of your shin (anterior tibialis). Avoid rolling over any knobby bits or boney protrusions, since that’s often where sensitive connective tissue anchors and nerves hide, too. Spend a couple minutes on each leg to loosen tight tissues. You can also use a foam roller or massage stick.

“More is not better, as far as force,” Haas says. Too much pressure can trigger a fight-or-flightÌęsympathetic response. If you feel pain, your brain can interpret that as a problemÌęand involuntarily tighten those structures in an attempt to protect them. Gradually increase the pressure until it’s firmÌębut not painful.

Ankle Mobilization with Movement

What it does: Improves ankle-joint mobility (dorsiflexion range).

How to do it: If you have an adequate and symmetrical range of motion in both ankles, you can skip this exercise. But if you have a restriction in one or both of your ankles, perform the following exercise. (Use the , described above, to gauge your ankle mobility.)

Ìęan elastic band to an anchor at ground level, and stand facing away from the anchor. Loop the other end of the band over oneÌęfoot so that it sits in the crease of your ankle, below your ankle bones. With that foot, step forward to create moderate tension in the band. Gently drive your knee forward and over your toes in a straight line, pause, then return to the starting position. This results in a posterior glide of the talus bone—the joint mechanics necessary for dorsiflexion. Hold the tension for a few seconds,Ìęthen slowly return to the starting position. If your range of motion is really bad, Haas suggests placing your activeÌęfoot on a box to improve gliding during the mobilization. Complete tenÌęrepetitions on each side, once daily (ideally after exercise or on its own, but not right before activity until you build stability around the new joint mobility). You should not have pain during this exercise.

Calf Stretch and Ankle Mobility

What it does: Lengthens the calf musclesÌęand increases ankle and lower-leg mobility.

How to do it: Place the ball of your foot on the edge of a step, and lower your heel to gently sink into a calf stretch. Make sure you can relax into the position to optimize your tissue’s ability to let go. (Use your other leg as support to ease into the stretch.)ÌęHold the tension for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other leg. Haas adds that the key to incorporating an ankle-joint glide while stretching is having your toes upward (or heel downward)Ìęas opposed to your foot flat on the floor where this can get missed. If you’re outside, use rocks, tree roots, a curb, or even your other shoe to achieve the stretch.

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This article was originally published on .

If you are consistently active, you probably feel strong, healthy, and at times utterly invincible. This can make it doubly painful when your body does succumb to illness, which, let’s face it, happens to the best of us. Not only do you feel icky when you’re sick, but you’re also discouraged from doing the one thing that makes you feel great: exercise.

There are a number of infections we can pick up throughout the year, some worse than others. While we’ve always been told to avoidÌęworking out while sick, it’s tempting to askÌęhow sick is ill and what counts as “working out”? Is a light walkÌęOK, or should you avoid any activity altogether? Can you do weights at home? Here’s the real question: When (if ever) is it OK to exercise while you’re sick?

As it turns out, the question of whether you should work out while sick may depend on what you’re sick with and the severity of your symptoms. While a fever and upset stomach would stop most of us from even thinking about touching a weight, a stuffy nose or headache might actually be alleviated by a few minutes of movement. Here’s what you need to know to decide whether you should be working out while sick.

Avoid the Gym If You Have an Infection

Under “normal” conditions, exercise is an acute stress that can temporarily suppress your immune system. As , a lecturer at Edith Cowan University’sÌęSchool of Medical and Health Sciences, explains, this really isn’t as bad as it sounds. “Your body’s immune system usually recovers within a couple of hours, assuming you are healthy and not already battling an infection,” she says. Over time, this pattern can actually build a stronger immune system.

However, when your immune system is compromised (like when you’re already sick), exercise will only make things worse. “Rarely would I recommend working out while sick, especially if it is a viral illness,” Kendall says. Viral infections can be spread through the air or on surfaces, while bacterial infections are spread through direct contact. Since working out while sick puts you in close proximity to others touching the same equipment, it’s best to stay out of the gym when you’re sick, both for your own health and for others.

“Working out while experiencing symptoms of a cold or flu not only can slow down the recovery process, but it also can put those around you at risk,” Kendall says.

Infections that affect your respiratory system—chest cold, flu, pneumonia—are a whole other story. These types of illnesses can make breathing very difficult during exercise, so Kendall recommends waiting to work out until symptoms have passed completely. This is also another instance when your health can affect the health of those around you. If you have a respiratory infection and are coughing and contagious, stay away from public gyms. Nobody wants your germs.

If Your Symptoms Are Mild, Working Out May Be OK

If you’re experiencing a sinus infection or a head cold, you can start working out once your primary symptoms (headache, sinus pressure, etc.) subside. You may feel good enough to go for a walk or a light bike ride after five to seven days, although in some cases, cold symptoms can last up to two weeks.

As long as you’re not battling below-the-neck symptoms like fever, tightness in the chest, sore throat, or stomachache, a light workout might even help clear up some of that lingering congestion. On this point, Kendall agrees. “Once the heavy symptoms are gone, getting some fresh air, sweating a bit, increasing blood flow, and moving your body can actually feel pretty nice,” she says.

Don’t Forget to Assess Your Overall Health

Another thing to consider when deciding if you should work out is whether other health factors might be off. As Kendall points out, in addition to making you feel crummy, illness can throw your sleep schedule, hydration, and eating patterns off.

“Poor sleep, inadequate nutrition, and dehydration only compound the negative effects of working out while sick,” she says. So not only will your performance during the workout suffer, but you’ll also probably do more harm than good and lengthen the time it takes your body to recover. The takeaway message? You really won’t see any improvements in performance and/or physique if you exercise while sick.

In Many Cases, Prioritizing Sleep Is Your Best Bet

Use this downtime to sleep, hydrate, and recover. According to Kendall, if you allow your body to fully rest and recover, you’ll gain back any fitness losses more quickly than if you try to push through.

“Rest does a body good,” she says. “If you let your body fully heal, it’s also less likely you’ll catch another cold/virus in a couple of weeks.” So take a week off—no big deal!

If you absolutelyÌęmust exercise, you can get outside (not in a public gym where you can spread germs) and do some light exercise once your symptoms subside. When in doubt, check with your doctor for their recommendations and to learn how long you might be contagious. They’ll definitely let you know when you can safely return to the gym.

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In this era of wellness, you might engage with multiple health professionals—from your primary care physician and dermatologist to your therapist and dietitian—to take care of all aspects of your body. That may soon include a physical therapist.

“I know a number of clinics that are trying to implement an annual visit to a physical therapist—similar to how you would see your primary physician for a yearly physical,” says , a professor of physical therapy at California State University, Northridge.

What Is Preventive Physical Therapy?

Typically, you go to physical therapy because you’re trying to recover from an injury. But at a preventive physical therapy check-up, you can expect to take similar tests of strength, flexibility, balance, and gait. The results of these assessments determine where you could be prone to injury when walking, running, playing sports, or even just performing daily chores, Flores says.

In the same way that tests at your annual physical might indicate high blood pressure or an irregular heart rate, the results of these evaluations can do the same. “For instance, , cognitive decline, fall risk, and even mortality,” Flores says. Once you identify these problem areas, your physical therapist can develop an action plan.

However, that doesn’t mean your calendar is about to be full of ongoing sessions. According to , a physical therapist for , preventive physical therapy isn’t meant to be perpetual.

“We don’t want clients to be coming to physical therapy forever, especially if they don’t have an injury,” MacMillen Sitagata says. “We do, however, want to have them coming in for checkups—or to get the groundwork that they need to properly do their exercises and go on from there.”

How Much Does Preventive Physical Therapy Cost?

Unfortunately, there’s no industry standard for how much you can expect to pay for preventive physical therapy. A single appointment could run you between $150 and $350, MacMillen Sitagata says. However, your insurance may cover these sessions—especially if you have a referral from your primary care physician.

If that sounds steep, consider the costs of injury, particularly if you’re a competitive athlete. “Even though insurance does not cover it all the time, preventive physical therapy could save you so much money,” MacMillen Sitagata says. “Even if you did 12 sessions and paid more than $1,000, that’s still going to be less than if you had one surgery for a preventable injury.”

Do I Still Need Preventive Physical Therapy If I’m Cross-Training?

Sure, you may be dedicated to your cross-training regimen—but that won’t protect you from injury in the same way preventive physical therapy might.

“When I’m doing a physical therapy assessment, I’m not only looking at one part of the body,” says Angelica Alberto, a physical therapist. “I’m looking at how the rest of the body may potentially be influencing whatever ache or pain the patient is coming in with.” For instance, Alberto adds, if a client is experiencing knee pain, she’ll conduct tests to see what the source of the discomfort is.

Those are the types of questions that cross-training can’t answer. While this smart workout methodology can help you avoid overstressing the body with the same repetitive movements, it doesn’t address specific injury-prone areas, Flores says.

For the best odds of decreasing your risk of injury, combine your yoga and strength training efforts with some preventive physical therapy. Trust us: your body will thank you in the long run.

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Regardless of whether you’re a runner, skier, or climber, you’re likely overlooking a key muscle in your training: the gluteus medius. Located within the , alongside your gluteus maximus and the gluteus minimus, this muscle helps protect and drive your hips. You engage this critical mover on a regular basis—without even thinking about it.

What Are the Benefits of Gluteus Medius Exercises?

It’s about much more than developing lower body strength. Your glutes also help extend and stabilize your hips. While hip extension is primarily driven by the gluteus maximus, your gluteus medius is essential for hip abduction, the movement of bringing your leg out to the side of your body.

Weakness in this muscle can increase the risk of injury, including knee and hip issues, IT band syndrome, and lower back pain. Strengthening exercises that target the gluteus medius help avoid these issues by building stability in your hips.

How to Understand the Strength of Your Gluteus Medius

If you’re unsure about how strong your gluteus medius is, there’s a simple test you can do to see. One of the common indications of weakness in this muscle is the .

Here’s how to do it: Stand on one leg and have a friend look at your pelvis straight on. It should remain level. If your non-weight bearing hip drops down, that’s a sign of weakness in your glute muscles, particularly your gluteus medius.

What Are the Best Gluteus Medius Exercises?

To strengthen your gluteus medius muscle, turn to these exercises a few days a week.

1. Lateral Banded Walks

How to do it:

1. 1. Slide a small loop resistance band around your ankles. Stand upright with good posture. Place your hands on your hips.
   2. Your feet should be at least hip-width apart. Make sure there is tension on the resistance band. If the band is slack, swap your band out for one with more resistance or gradually increase the distance between your legs.
   3. Keep your core tight, glutes engaged, back straight, and chest up. Take a large lateral step out to the right with your right foot.
   4. Take a small step with your left foot to the right. There should be enough distance between your two legs to maintain tension on the band.
   5. Repeat this process. Continue taking small shuffle steps to the right. Allow for a slight bend in your knees.
   6. Take 20 to 30 steps to the right before repeating the same process on the left side.
   7. Complete three sets.

2. Frog Bridges

You may turn to a glute bridge as a go-to bodyweight exercise on your lower body days. And while this movement is useful for supporting the gluteus maximus, it doesn’t target the gluteus medius. However, this variation of the exercise does just that.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place your feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms over your chest.
2. Drop your knees out to the sides and position the soles of your feet together. Your legs should be in a
3. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips off of the floor. Your butt should be in line with your knees and your shoulder blades.
4. For a modified version, place your elbows alongside your body for added support.
5. Pause and squeeze your glutes for 3 to 5 seconds in the lifted position.
6. Slowly lower your glute

3. Side Planks With Side Leg Lifts

Sure, side planks are often a go-to exercise for working your core. However, adding a lateral leg lift also makes it a great gluteus medius strengthening move.

How to do it:

1. Start in a low side plank position. Your elbow should be directly under your shoulder. Stack your feet on top of one another.
2. Engage your core. Squeeze your glutes. Slowly lift your top leg a few inches up. Keep the leg straight.
3. Slowly lower back down.
4. Complete 15 leg raises. Keep your hips lifted throughout the movement.
5. Switch sides and repeat.

4. Lateral Lunges

In addition to strengthening the gluteus medius muscle, this exercise also works the adapters in your inner thighs, as well as your quads and core.

How to do it:

1. Stand with your hands at your sides and your feet hip-width apart. If you want an added challenge, hold a dumbbell at your right shoulder.
2. Step your right leg out to the right. Shift your weight toward your right side as you bend the right knee and drop into a side lunge. Keep your left leg straight.
3. When your right knee is bent to 90 degrees or more, press through your right foot to return to the starting position.
4. Complete 10 reps.
5. Switch sides and repeat.

5. Side-Lying Leg Raises

For an added challenge with this exercise, add ankle weights.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your right side with your legs straight and stacked on top of one another. Prop your head up with your arm.
2. Lift your top leg as high as you can.
3. Slowly lower it back down.
4. Complete 20 reps.
5. Switch sides and repeat.

6. Fire Hydrants

Like the previous exercise, add ankle weights to make this movement more challenging.

How to do it:

1. Start in a tabletop position. Keep your core tight and back flat.
2. Engage your core to stabilize your hips. Lift your right leg out to the side. Keep the leg bent at a 90-degree angle. Stop when the knee is parallel with your shoulder.
3. Pause for 2 to 3 seconds at the top.
4. Return to the starting position.
5. Complete 15 reps.
6. Switch sides and repeat.

7. Single-Leg Balance

This movement may seem simple, but it can be very helpful for strengthening the gluteus medius, particularly for runners, hikers, and cyclists.

How to do it:

1. Stand on one leg with a small bend in your standing leg.
2. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds. To make it more challenging, close your eyes. For added support, hold onto a wall.

8. Clam Shells

How to do it:

1. Place a resistance loop band around your thighs, just above your knees.
2. Lie on your left side. Stack your knees on top of each other. Bend your legs at a 90-degree angle.
3. Lift your right knee toward the ceiling, pushing against the resistance of the band. Rotate your hip to open your groin.
4. For an added challenge, squeeze your heels together and lift your feet a few inches off of the floor. Keep your feet in this position throughout the exercise.
5. Complete 10 to 15 reps.
6. Switch sides and repeat.

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