In 2025, I've integrated four key exercises into my running regimen to ensure my hips stay robust and injury-free.

Aiming to run more frequently or to accomplish a significant goal like your first marathon in 2025? Preventing injuries is crucial to start your journey right and keep your momentum going.

Integrating mobility exercises into your routine, in addition to your runs, can help you achieve this. I'm currently following a hip mobility routine recommended by a physical therapist to enhance my training this year.

While some top running apps offer strength and conditioning sessions for runners, these often require a premium subscription. If you prefer not to pay for an app, I've found a routine from physical therapist Dr. Lisa Mitro that I've grown fond of.

This straightforward, four-exercise routine targets hip mobility and can be done at home or in the gym. All you need is one of the top resistance bands and a foam roller.

Discover Dr. Lisa Mitro's four-step mobility routine!

The hips are vital in running due to several reasons. They act as the central pivot for the lower body, facilitating efficient movement and stability. Strong and supple hips lead to improved stride length and frequency, enhancing overall running speed. Moreover, the hip muscles, such as the glutes and hip flexors, are key for generating power and propulsion with each stride. Proper hip alignment helps maintain balance and reduces injury risk by ensuring coordinated body movement. Healthy hips are essential for peak running performance and endurance.

The hips are the foundation for effective movement and strength during running. As Dr. Mitro explains in her article, "the hip operates as a ball-and-socket joint, offering a broad range of motion while demanding substantial stability for running activities."

Dr. Mitro stresses the importance of hip stabilization to "avoid compensatory movements throughout the kinetic chain." Unstable hips can cause other body parts, like the knees, ankles, or lower back, to bear extra stress, increasing the risk of injury.

Hip stabilization is critical during the mid-stance phase of running. Dr. Mitro describes this phase as “the other leg swinging through while the stance leg prepares for push off.” Lack of hip stability during this phase can result in a weakened push off, negatively affecting your running form and efficiency.

With the hip-stabilizing exercises provided by Dr. Mitro, you can easily incorporate this into your routine.

View pictures in App save up to 80% data.

The first two of the four movements require no equipment, but using one of the