Personal Trainer Alejandro

If you can do 10 reps of banded abductions, you’ll target your outer quads and glute medius.

If you can do 10 reps of banded medial leg swings, you’ll target your inner quads and adductors.

If you can do 10 reps of banded marches, you’ll strengthen your hip flexors.

And if you can do 10 reps of banded single leg kickbacks, you’ll strengthen your glute max.

Put all of those together and you’ll have a simple lower body warm up to activate your hips, glutes, and legs before your next leg day.

Don’t just jump into squats and lunges cold. Prep the muscles first, get blood flow into the joints, and your body will move and perform better.

If you can hold a high plank for 30 seconds, a low plank for 30 seconds, a side plank for 30 seconds on both sides, a reverse plank or reverse tabletop for 30 seconds, then perform 10 slow and controlled dead bugs, 10 bird dogs, and 10 seconds of bear crawls up and down the mat, you’ll have a complete core stability routine you can do in under 10 minutes.

This routine will challenge your anterior chain, posterior chain, obliques, shoulders, hips, and deep core stabilizers while also improving coordination and control. Remember, your core is more than just your abs. It’s your body’s ability to resist movement, transfer force, and stabilize your spine while you move.

Move slow, focus on control, and don’t rush the holds. Consistency beats intensity when it comes to building a strong and resilient core.

If you can hold the 90/90 position, you’ll improve your passive range of motion.
If you can internally and externally rotate the back leg, you’ll improve your hip rotation and overall hip mobility.

And if you can perform the 90/90 switch slow and with control, you’ll start building active range of motion instead of just flexibility.

Now progress to heel clicks for 10 reps on both sides. This will strengthen your hips’ ability to rotate, lift, and control movement.

Then progress to the figure four contour to challenge your glute medius, hip flexors, and rotational strength all at once.

These drills are designed to help you squat better, lunge better, and move better.

Your hips need more than flexibility.
They need strength, control, and rotation.

So start with the static 90/90 hold.
Then isolate internal and external rotation.
Progress to the 90/90 switch.
Then heel clicks.
And finally the figure four contour.

Master the regressions and build toward the progressions.

Want to unlock the V-Sit?

Start by mastering the horse stance. This will strengthen and lengthen your inner thighs and adductors while building strength through a deep range of motion.

Next, train your hips to rotate both internally and externally with the 90/90 switch. Move slow and with control.

Then perform hip CARs, or Controlled Articular Rotations, for 10 reps on each side to improve hip mobility and joint control.

After that, spend time stretching.

The tailor’s pose is great for opening up the inner thighs and adductors.

The runner’s lunge combined with a hamstring stretch will help open the front and back side of the hips at the same time.

For most people, the limiting factors in the pancake stretch are tight hamstrings, tight adductors, weak hip flexors, and limited hip rotation.

Train all of those consistently, spend time in the position, and your body will slowly adapt over time.

Can you do 10 reps of the single leg lift-off? This movement will strengthen your hip flexors, muscles that help with hiking, running, swimming, and lifting your legs with control.

Can you do 10 reps of the figure four contour? This drill will strengthen the internal and external rotation of your hips, helping improve hip mobility, stability, and rotational control.

Can you do 10 reps of the elevated clam shell? This movement targets the glute medius, an important muscle for lateral movement, single leg balance, and hip stability.

Can you do 10 reps of the single leg glute bridge? This exercise strengthens the glute max, helping with hip drive, posture, sprinting, and overall lower body strength.

Strong hips are not just about flexibility. You need strength, control, and stability through multiple ranges of motion.

Try this routine if you’re struggling with knee pain.

30 seconds of Chair Pose to build isometric strength around the knees.

10 reps of the single leg glute bridge to strengthen the glutes, which can help improve knee tracking and stability.

10 reps of elevated clamshells to strengthen the outer hips and support the knees.

10 reps of inner thigh lift-offs to strengthen the adductors, muscles that help with knee alignment and control.

And finish with 10 reps of the hovering tabletop to down dog to train knee extension, core strength, and posterior chain mobility.

Strong knees are not just about the knees. They depend on strong hips, glutes, inner thighs, calves, and good movement mechanics.

These exercises can help improve stability, control, and resilience over time. And as always, if you’re dealing with severe or persistent knee pain, make sure to talk to your doctor or physical therapist.

If you can do 10 reps of the runner’s lunge to hamstring stretch, you will not only actively stretch your hip flexors, but you will improve the flexibility and dynamic range of motion of your hamstrings at the same time.

And if you can do 10 reps of the moving figure 4 contour, you will improve the rotational capacity of your hips while building strength and control through movement.

And if you can do 10 reps of the 90/90 switch, you will improve the internal and external rotation of your hips, helping you move better in exercises like the squat, lunge, and even getting up off the floor.

And if you can do 10 reps of the bear plank to A-frame, you will improve your core strength, shoulder stability, overhead flexion, hamstring mobility, and knee extension all at once.

And if you can do 10 reps of the seated hip flexor lift-off over an obstacle on each side, you will strengthen your hip flexors while improving hip stability, mobility, and control.

Mobility is not just stretching. Mobility is strength, control, flexibility, and coordination working together.

Most people lose hip extension, shoulder stability, and posterior chain strength from years of sitting and inactivity.

The single leg glute bridge will help strengthen your triceps, glutes, and hips while teaching your body how to extend properly again. Focus on driving the hips up slowly and distributing your weight evenly between your hands and feet.

Once that gets easier, progress to the dancer’s bridge and the three point bridge.

The three point bridge places more emphasis on shoulder stability while continuing to strengthen hip extension.

The dancer’s bridge opens up the anterior chain, stretches the front side of the body, improves shoulder stability, and strengthens the glutes and hips at the same time.

And before you know it, you’ll be working toward the full bridge.

If you can hold a high plank for 30 seconds, a low plank for 30 seconds, a side plank for 30 seconds on both sides, a reverse plank or reverse tabletop for 30 seconds, and a V-sit for 30 seconds, then you will have trained your entire core in under five minutes.

This routine will challenge your deep core, obliques, shoulders, glutes, and low back while improving stability, posture, and endurance.

You do not need fancy equipment or an hour-long workout to build a stronger core. Sometimes all you need is five minutes and consistency.

If I only had 10 minutes to train mobility, this is exactly what I would do.

20 reps of heel clicks to train hip rotation and improve hip mobility.

10 slow reps of the cossack hover to strengthen and lengthen your inner thighs, glutes, and hips.

10 reps of tabletop to down dog with a reach to actively stretch your hamstrings, calves, and improve knee extension.

10 reps of the crab to extension to improve hip drive, pelvic stability, and scapular stability.

10 reps of thread the needle on both sides to improve thoracic spine rotation.

20 reps of goal post arms to open up the chest and strengthen the rear delts.

20 reps of octopus arms to improve internal and external shoulder rotation.

You do not need an hour to improve your mobility.

You need consistency.

10 minutes every day adds up fast.

If you can hold a yoga lunge for 20 seconds, you’ll improve knee stability, quad endurance, and hip extension.

If you can hold a sumo squat for 20 seconds, you’ll strengthen your inner thighs, build quad endurance, and improve hip mobility.

If you can hold a single leg hip hinge, you’ll improve hip stability, glute strength, and balance.

If you can hold a lateral lunge for 20 seconds, you’ll build stronger and more stable hips.

If you can hold a curtsy lunge for 20 seconds, you’ll strengthen your outer quads, glute medius, and improve knee stability.

And if you can hold the top of a calf raise for 20 seconds, you’ll build stronger ankles and calves.