I’m a personal trainer in my 40s—these are the five moves I recommend to everyone to keep their hips feeling young

Last week, in the circuits class I run, there was one exercise that a few people struggled with.

It involved standing in front of a chair with your leg extended and your foot on the seat. You then raise your foot slightly to tap your heel on one side and then the other.

It challenges your balance and works your leg muscles. The men in the class found it fairly easy, but several women said they struggled to raise their leg high enough because their hips felt stiff.

I hear this often from my female personal training clients in their 40s and beyond. Hormonal changes around menopause can contribute to muscle and joint discomfort, while spending long periods sitting may leave your hips feeling stiffer.

The five moves below combine mobility, strength and balance to help you move your hips with more control and greater ease.

I recommend using them as a warm-up (by doing one round without weights), a finisher or a standalone circuit, building up to three rounds at a pace that feels comfortable.

If your hip pain persists, gets worse or affects your everyday activities, speak to a healthcare professional.

Five exercises for younger feeling hips

1. Plank walkout
2. Chair heel tap
3. Dumbbell lateral lunge
4. Dumbbell reverse lunge
5. Glute bridge march

For this workout, you’ll need a pair of dumbbells and a stable chair or low step. You can also perform the lunges without weights.

1. Plank walkout

Sets: 1-3 Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent.
• Hinge at your hips and place your hands on the floor.
• Walk your hands forward until you’re in a high-plank position with your shoulders over your hands.
• Pause briefly with your core engaged, then walk your hands back toward your feet with control.
• Return to standing.

How it helps: By folding forwards and returning to standing, you move your hips through flexion and extension, while the plank challenges your core muscles to stay steady. Bend your knees as much as needed to reach your hands to the floor comfortably.

2. Chair heel tap

Sets: 1-3 Time: 30sec each side Rest: 30sec

• Stand in front of a chair, with the seat facing you, and shift your weight onto your left leg.
• Raise and extend your right leg to place the heel of your right foot on the chair.
• Raise your right heel slightly to tap the two sides and middle of the chair seat in turn.
• Reverse the sequence and continue for 30 seconds before switching legs.

Trainer tip: If you cannot perform this without leaning back, use a lower surface or a stable surface to hold for support.

How it helps: Raising your foot toward the chair works your hip flexors and moving your foot from side to side builds control through the hips. Balancing on the other leg strengthens the muscles that stabilize your pelvis.

3. Dumbbell lateral lunge

Sets: 1-3 Time: 30sec each side Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell vertically with both hands at your chest.
• Step your right foot out to the side and push your hips back and bend your right knee to lower.
• Keep your left leg straight and both feet flat on the floor.
• Push through your right foot to return to standing.
• Complete all your reps on one side, then repeat on the other side.

How it helps: Stepping sideways moves your hips in a direction that many everyday activities miss. The bent leg works your glutes and thighs, while your straighter leg gets a gentle stretch along the inner thigh. Don’t step out too wide if you feel really stiff.

4. Dumbbell reverse lunge

Sets: 1-3 Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in each hand.
• Step your right foot back and bend both knees to lower.
• Keep your chest upright and your front knee tracking in line with your toes.
• Lower as far as feels comfortable and pause briefly.
• Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
• Alternate legs with each rep.

How it helps: Stepping back allows your rear hip to extend, while your glutes and quads in your front leg help to keep you upright. This builds strength in your hips. Your rear hip flexors might also feel a stretch if you keep your torso upright.

5. Glute bridge march

Sets: 1-3 Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
• Raise your hips, forming a straight line from your shoulders through your hips to your knees.
• Keeping your hips lifted and pelvis stable, slowly raise one foot, bringing your knee toward your chest.
• Lower it and repeat on the other side.

How it helps: Your glutes keep your hips lifted and stable as you alternate knee lifts. Your hip flexors raise each knee and by keeping your pelvis level, the muscles around your hips work harder to stabilize you.