Standing Hip Circles – Dynamic Stretching Technique
This page provides details for Standing Hip Circles. This dynamic stretch is used in order to loosen and open up an athlete’s hips and groin. This stretch is used by martial artists to improve flexibility when stretching in preparation for high kicks (i.e. high roundhouse kicks).
Standing hip circles involve raising a knee up to the level of the stomach, rotating the knee outwards as wide as possible and then returning the leg to the initial standing position. This exercise can also be reversed where the leg moves outside first before being raised to the level of the stomach.
All stretches and exercises should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor in order to prevent injuries and to ensure the proper technique is utilized. For additional information on stretches and flexibility training, please visit the main Stretching section.
Instruction Video for Standing Hip Circles