90-90 Side Foot Lifts
Flexopedia > Hip Internal Rotation
90-90 Side Foot Lifts
Flexibility Focus: Hip Internal Rotation
Muscle Group Strengthened: Hip Internal Rotators
Type of Stretch: Active Dynamic
Difficulty: All Levels
Suggested Prerequisites: none
This active variation of the 90-90 stretch works on strengthening our hip internal rotators while our leg is in an abducted (open out to the side) position. Even while we rarely use this amount of internal rotation in most stretches/poses, working on our hip rotation is important to help strengthen the stabilizing muscles in our hips, to allow us to stretch deeper in other hip positions.
How To
Step 1
Start in a 90-90 stretch: sitting on the floor (or 1-2 yoga blocks), splay your legs out like a pinwheel. Bring your left knee in front of your left hip, rotating your thigh outwards and splaying your foot across your body (this leg will be externally rotated). Bring your right knee out to the side of your right hip, with your thigh rotated forwards, foot kicked back behind you (this leg will be internally rotated). Both knees should be bent 90 degrees.
If this feels uncomfortable on your knees or pinch-y in your hips, sit on a yoga block or two (it’s fine if the front knee isn’t touching the ground.
Step 2
We’re going to work on the right leg (the internally rotated leg). Keeping the right knee on the floor, making sure it’s still anchored directly out to the side of your hip, try to lift your foot/ankle off the ground (rotating your right thigh towards the floor), then bring the foot back down. If it only lifts an inch or two, that’s great - we want this exercise to be challenging! If you can’t lift the foot at all, lean your torso off to the left (away from the working leg) until you can lift the foot.
Repeat for 8-12 reps.
Modifications
Need to make it easier?
Sit on 1-2 yoga blocks.
Lean away from the working leg.
Want to make it harder?
Sit as upright as possible.
Start with a block under the working foot (increasing the amount of internal rotation we’re starting with) and work to lift the foot off the block instead of the floor.
Related Content
Flexopedia: Seated Hip Internal Rotation with a Band
Flexopedia: Banded Windshield Wipers with Knee Lift
Blog Post: Strengthen While You Stretch: 6 Drills for Active Hip Internal Rotation
Blog Post: Gentle (Passive) Stretches for Internal Hip Rotation
Blog Post: 6 Exercises for Hip Internal and External Rotation
