Mindset Fitness

6 movements to help with hip pain
If your hips have been feeling tight, weak, or uncomfortable, add these to your routine:
1. Hip flexor stretch – kneeling, step one foot forward, tuck your pelvis under to feel the stretch in the front of that hip
2. 90/90 stretch – seated, open your feet and rotate both knees to one side so each leg forms a 90 degree angle, chest facing forward, then switch sides
3. Glute bridges – on your back, heels pulled in, tilt your pelvis, lift your hips and lower back down with control
4. Clamshells – on your side, knees and hips stacked, feet together, open the top knee up and back down – add a band to increase resistance
5. Dead bugs – on your back, knees above hips and arms above shoulders, extend the opposite arm and leg away from each other and return
6. Split squats – one foot forward, one foot back, drop straight down and drive back up – use a wall for balance if needed
These target the muscles around your hip to build stability and relieve tension over time. Consistency is key.

Save this and work through it a few times a week.

Core training is not just crunches and sit ups — here is what your core is actually designed to do

Your core’s main job is to stabilize your spine while your arms and legs move. Crunches train flexion. Hollow holds train stability — and that is what carries over into every lift, every sport, and every movement you do in real life.

Here are five levels of hollow holds to build real core stability:

Level 1 — Lie on your back, bring your knees above your hips, press your lower back into the mat, extend your arms forward, and lift your shoulder blades off the ground. Hold.

Level 2 — Same position with knees above hips and lower back pressed down, but extend your arms overhead while keeping your shoulder blades lifted off the mat. Hold.

Level 3 — Knees above hips, lower back pressed down, arms up, but extend one leg out straight while keeping your shoulder blades lifted. Hold then switch legs.

Level 4 — Lower back pressed into the ground, extend both legs out, keep your arms down by your sides, and lift your shoulder blades off the mat. Hold.

Level 5 — Everything extends — arms overhead, both legs long, lower back pressing into the mat the entire time, forming a full banana shape from fingertips to toes. Hold.

Start at the level that challenges you and build from there. The lower back must stay pressed into the mat at every level — the moment it lifts you have gone too far.

Save this and start building real core strength today.

Day 18 sine mobility
1. Cobra 60 sec
2. Cat cow 15 reps slow
3. Seated spinal twist 45 sec each
4. Child’s pose 60-90 sec
5. Thoracic lifts 10 each side

Weak ankles could be quietly ruining your hips and knees and you might not even know it

Every step you take sends force up through your ankles first. When your ankles are weak and immobile that force does not absorb the way it should — and your hips and knees pay the price over time. Stretching alone will not fix this. You need to strengthen and mobilize them together.

Here are five exercises to build strong mobile ankles:

1. Ankle circles — slow and controlled, rotate through the full range of motion in both directions to improve joint mobility and increase circulation through the ankle
2. Toe walks and heel walks — walk on your toes for a set distance then switch to walking on your heels, targeting the muscles on both sides of the lower leg that support ankle stability
3. Toe raises — standing flat footed, lift your toes off the ground and lower back down, strengthening the tibialis anterior which is one of the most neglected muscles in ankle stability
4. Pogo hops or calf raises — pogo hops build reactive ankle stiffness and strength while calf raises build the muscle directly, both develop the ankle’s ability to absorb and produce force
5. Single leg balance and reach — stand on one foot and reach in multiple directions, forcing your ankle stabilizers to work continuously to keep you upright and in control

Your ankles are the foundation of every movement you do. Build them up and everything above them moves better.

Save this and add it to your next lower body or mobility session.

Day 17 shoulder mobility
1. Wall slide 10 reps
2. Behind the back stretch 45 sec
3. Doorway stretch 60 sec
4. Prone W press 10 reps
5. Cross body shoulder 45 sec each

Weak unstable hips increase your risk of injury — here are five exercises to fix that

Hip stability is not just a gym performance issue. Weak unstable hips affect how your knees, lower back, and ankles absorb force during every movement you do. Here are five exercises to build the stability your hips need:

1. Single leg balance — stand on one foot and focus on keeping your hips level, not letting one side drop. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds then switch. This exposes hip weakness immediately and builds the foundational stability everything else is built on top of.

2. Single leg reaches — standing on one leg, reach forward, out to the side, and behind you 10 times in each direction. Each reach challenges your balance from a different angle and forces your hip stabilizers to work continuously to keep you upright.

3. Step ups with knee drive — step up onto an elevated surface and drive the opposite knee up at the top before stepping back down. 10 times each leg. The knee drive adds a hip flexor and stability challenge that a standard step up does not.

4. Single leg Romanian deadlift — hinge forward on one leg, sending the opposite leg back, and hold for 20 to 60 seconds each side. This builds single leg hip stability, hamstring strength, and balance simultaneously.

5. Lateral Bosu ball step overs — step laterally over a Bosu ball, keeping your knees in alignment and controlling the step down on each side. The unstable surface forces your hips and ankles to work together to maintain control.

The workout
Perform 2 to 3 rounds of the following:
Single leg balance — 20 to 60 seconds each side
Single leg reaches — 10 reps each direction each side
Step ups with knee drive — 10 reps each leg
Single leg RDL — 20 to 60 seconds each leg
Lateral Bosu ball step overs — 10 reps each side

Rest 30 to 60 seconds between exercises.

Build stable hips now and your body will thank you for years.

Save this and try the full workout this week.

Day 16 hip complex
1. Pigeon pose 60 sec each
2. Frog stretch 60 -90 sec
3. Low lunge with side bend 30 sec each
4. Fire log pose 60 sec each
5. Lying figure four 60 sec each

Most people think poor posture is permanent — but these three exercises can fix it

Poor posture is not something you are stuck with. It is a muscle imbalance problem and that means it is a training problem. Here are three exercises that directly target the muscles responsible for holding you upright:

1. Floor isometric hold — lie flat on your back in a snow angel position with your arms out to the sides and the backs of your wrists on the ground. Press the back of your head, your wrists, and your heels into the floor and hold for 10 seconds. This activates the deep muscles of your upper back, neck, and posterior chain that chronic forward head posture and prolonged sitting switch off over time.

2. Reverse plank wall press — stand with your back against a wall, place something behind your head for padding, and walk your feet away from the wall. Press the back of your head firmly into the wall and hold. This trains your posterior chain and reinforces the upright position your posture needs.

3. Face pulls — anchor a band at eye height with a slight amount of tension. Drive your elbows back and above your ears as you pull the band toward your face, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the end of each rep. This directly strengthens the rear delts and mid back muscles that rounded shoulders switch off.

Do these consistently and your posture will change.

Save this and fix your posture today!

Day 15
1. Cat-cow 10x
2. Worlds greatest stretch 30-60 sec each
3. Forward fold 30-60 sec
4. Thread the needle 30-60 sec
5. Seated spinal twist 30-60 sec