It’s all in the hips

How working on hip mobility can improve your swimming, by personal trainer Liz Lowe

The hips are a powerhouse joint that play a key role in swim technique. Good hip mobility enhances stroke efficiency by improving trunk rotation for greater reach, enabling kick power, and supporting a streamlined position in the water. When the hips move well, there’s less risk of compensatory strain or injury in other areas, such as the shoulders, knees, or lower back.

As a ball-and-socket joint, the hip performs a range of movements:

Flexion – the thigh moves forward and up, towards the torso
Extension – the thigh moves backwards, extending away from the midline
Internal/external Rotation – the leg rotates in towards the midline or outward away from it
Abduction – the leg moves away from the midline
Adduction – the leg comes towards the midline
Circumduction – circular movement

It’s easy to visualise these movements being used in various swim strokes, and to see how working on hip mobility can help swimmers perform better and move freely.

Here are a few exercises to improve hip mobility and stability.

Be sure to stay in a comfortable range of motion and avoid anything that doesn’t feel right or causes pain.

Hip CARs

A CAR (controlled articular rotation) takes joints through their full range of motion with control.

• Begin standing or on all fours. Try to ensure the movement is all coming from the hips.
• Raise one knee towards the torso, then take it out to the side (’opening the gate’).
• Take the sole of the foot behind you, keeping the leg raised.
• Return to the start position.
• Repeat 5 times in each direction per side.

World’s Greatest Stretch

Great for thoracic mobility (upper back) and hip flexors, making it ideal for swimmers.

• Begin in a lunge, back knee lowered.
• Place both hands on the floor inside the front foot.
• Rotate torso towards the front leg, keeping one hand planted and raising the other to the ceiling.
• Let the front knee travel slightly forward to deepen the stretch.
• Hold for a few breaths and switch sides.
• Repeat 3-5 times each side.

90/90s

This move is great for improving internal and external rotation of the hips.

• Sit on the floor with both knees bent at 90 degrees – one in front and one to the side. • Keep feet grounded and use your hips to rotate both knees to the other side with control. Hands can be placed behind for support if needed.
• Repeat 5-10 times each side.

Disclaimer: if you have any hip issues, pain or a history of injuries, please consult a health professional before trying new exercises.