The Hip raise exercise is fantastic for your body as it enhances the glute muscles, which are the most significant muscle in the body. The glutes ensure you keep a good posture, take pressure away from your back, reduce risks of injuries, provided that you can walk more effectively, etc. I have been doing hip raises for a few years now and notice a reduced injury rate and feel far more robust due to the exercise. The exercise is an easy and safe exercise you can do without weights, making it critical for people with this condition., Not only does the hip raise work your glutes, but it increases muscles throughout your legs, core, and lower back. I would emphasize including this in anyone’s workout plan due to how it can improve one’s life.

Men’s Health describes how to do the exercise in an article named “The Hip Raise.” To do the exercise:

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor in front of you.
  2. Place your arms at your sides at about a 45-degree angle.
  3. Tighten both your core and glutes before doing anything.
  4. After, raise your hips as high as possible, attempting to form a straight line from shoulders to your knees.
  5. Hold the pose for approximately ten seconds and lower your body back to where you began.

I would recommend lowering your hips quickly since it is technically eccentric. Live Strong Women’s video “Lying Hip Raise,” gives a visual demonstration on how to complete this exercise. 

When performing the exercise, you must keep your glutes and core tightened the entire time to prevent damage and to work those muscles isometrically. You can complete this exercise on a yoga ball if you want to make it more difficult. You can also lift one leg and straighten it off the ground while the other leg remains on the ground holding you in place. When you raise your hip, hold that position for at least 10 seconds (more if you would like to challenge yourself). I usually complete 20 reps, take a break and repeat this cycle until I have done 60 of them. If you have a rubber band, you can put it around your knees and move your knees away from the body to utilize hip and glute muscles. I would recommend completing this exercise every day for tremendous benefits.

Hip raises a perfect exercise to introduce into an exercise program. It is an easy and safe exercise to work the hip, glute, and hamstring muscles with muscular dystrophy. It focuses on isometric elements with the holding of the pose after raising your hips and also the concentric elements by having you lift your hips in the first place. The exercise has helped me reduce pain in my lower back and walk for further distances without pain, and I want everybody to experience the same things I have.

The Hip Raise

  Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

  Place your arms out to your sides at a 45-degree angle.

  Brace your core–imagine you’re about to be punched in the guts–squeeze your glutes tightly. Then raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause for fives seconds–as you keep your core braced and continue to squeeze your glutes–then lower body back to the starting position.

  Key pointer: Your torso and hips should move as one unit. So the arch in your lower back should remain the same from start to finish. This way, you’re primarily doing the work with your glutes, not your lower back and hamstrings.