It’s about stability, before flexibility:

Time to leverage what you have

For most people, our hips feel tight not because they lack flexibility, but because our core isn’t giving the hips enough stability to move safely, so the tightness keeps returning.

Stretching feels good temporarily, but our hips tighten again when our core can’t control the pelvis, so the body “protects” the hips by limiting range.

Some exercises to fix that:

• Hip extension—dead bug: lie on your back with your legs at 90° and your arms above your shoulders, then slowly lower one arm and the opposite leg while keeping your abs tight and your lower back pressed into the floor—this teaches your hips to move while your pelvis stays controlled.
• Hip extension—bird dog: from all fours, brace your abs as if someone is about to poke your stomach, then extend one leg back and the opposite arm forwards while keeping your lower back still and your hips level—this connects your glutes with your deep core.
• Hip flexion—hollow hold with alternating hip flexion: lie flat, reach your arms overhead, tuck your pelvis, press your lower back into the floor, then lift and hold the hollow position while bending one leg at a time—your goal is to keep your body steady, not to lift high.
• Hip flexion—supine march with band: loop a light band around your feet, lie on your back, keep your lower back pressed down, then extend one leg forwards against the band while keeping your opposite leg completely still—this builds controlled hip flexion with deep-core support.
• Hip abduction—side plank with top-leg raise: hold a side plank on your forearm, lift your top leg slowly, and keep your core tight and your hips steady—this strengthens the muscles that open your hips without letting your pelvis wobble.
• Hip abduction—seated band abductions: sit tall with a band above your knees, press your knees outwards, and return slowly while keeping your pelvis still—this builds side-to-side hip control in a grounded position.
• Hip adduction—side-lying active internal rotation: lie on your side with your top leg bent at 90° in front of you, then rotate that leg so your foot lifts—this targets the small inner-hip stabilisers responsible for internal rotation and centred hip movement.
• Hip adduction—standing band adduction: attach a band to your ankle, stand tall, brace your abs, and pull your leg inwards without leaning or twisting—this trains real-world hip control for walking, running, and squatting.

For more on all of this plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like:

The Most Underrated Hip Mobility Exercise (Not Stretching) ← if you only want to do one thing, not eight, then make this it 😎

Take care!

Sometimes, less is more:

Slow and steady wins the race?

Here’s the rundown… Slowly:

1. You burn more body fat: running at 50-60% of max heart rate primarily burns fat without having the usual compensatory metabolic slump afterwards, unless you go for a very long time.
2. You can build more muscle: lower-intensity workouts improve muscle recovery, which is essential too.
3. You can reduce muscle soreness: light jogging helps clear lactic acid faster (10almonds note: muscle soreness after exercise isn’t about lactic acid)
4. You avoid injuries: less impact on joints reduces injury risk.
5. You learn the proper form: running slowly allows better focus on technique.
6. You can enjoy it more: slower pace lets you take in surroundings and boosts mood.
7. You still improve your cardiorespiratory fitness: strengthens heart and lungs over time.
8. You’ll burn more calories than you think: can burn 200–400 calories per 30 minutes.
9. You’ll improve your mobility: gentle movement supports joint health and collagen production.
10. You can improve your performance: builds endurance and strength for faster running

For more on each of these, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like:

How To Rebuild Your Cartilage

Take care!

Not every increase in health and fitness needs to look like a training montage from the “Rocky” movies!

Making progress every day

We’ll not keep the 15 habits a secret; they are:

1. Follow the one-minute rule: commit to just one minute of action—this makes starting easier, and often you’ll end up doing more once you’ve got started.
2. Make the habit exciting: add fun elements to make the habit more enjoyable, like using new gear or accessories.
3. Do it first: prioritize new habits by doing them early in the day to ensure they get done.
4. Share the love: pair new habits with activities you already enjoy, where practical, to do “temptation bundling”.
5. Embrace the uncomfortable: get used to discomfort daily to grow and build resilience for bigger changes.
6. Do as little as possible: start small with habits, to minimize resistance and focus on consistency.
7. Think how to be lazy: simplify processes and use shortcuts; there are no extra prizes for it having been difficult!
8. Make the appointment: schedule habits with set dates and times, to increase accountability.
9. Let habits evolve: adapt habits to fit current circumstances; that way you can still stay consistent over time.
10. Plan ahead: prepare in advance to avoid setbacks—what could stop you from succeeding, and how can you pre-empt that?
11. Pause to reflect: regularly evaluate what works and what doesn’t, to adjust and improve.
12. Shut off your brain: avoid overthinking and start taking action now, not later, to build momentum.
13. Question and learn: stay curious and open to learning, or else you will plateau quickly!
14. Ask why: understand the deeper reasons behind any resistance, and make clear for yourself the value of the habit.
15. Love your failures: embrace any setbacks as learning opportunities and, as such, stepping stones to success.

For more on all of each of these, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like to read:

How To Really Pick Up (And Keep!) Those Habits

Take care!