Runners often concentrate on building strength in their calves, glutes, hamstrings and quads, but one crucial muscle group that's often neglected is the hip flexor muscles.

These muscles, positioned across the hip and spine, are crucial in terms of aiding leg lift as a runner. Pat Gillham, director and specialist physiotherapist at Driving Performance in Surrey, says that the main muscles – iliopsoas and rectus femoris – are large propulsive and decelerating force-producers that are particularly important for running, and doing regular hip flexor exercises to build strength can make a big difference to your running performance.

‘They work through a large range of motion of the hip specifically in a straight line, but they also contribute to external rotation of the hip, which helps in both the swing phase and contact phase of running,’ he says.

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They work collectively with other trunk and hip muscles, so Gillham stresses it’s important not to train them in isolation. ‘By incorporating them into your resistance training, you will directly contribute to improving your running performance.’

In Maintain the same starting position throughout. Repeat Maintain the same starting position throughout. Repeat Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, researchers set out to determine whether implementing an eight-week hip flexion resistance training programme could improve sprint, shuttle run and isometric (when a muscle contracts without changing length and the joint doesn't move) in physically active but untrained individuals.

Compared with the control group, the training group’s hip flexion strength improved by 12.2%, their 40-yard sprint times decreased by 3.8% and their shuttle run times decreased by 9%. And that’s just eight weeks after introducing hip flexor exercises – think what you could do when you make hip flexor exercises a staple feature of your training blocks.

And not only can you improve your running performance, but by strengthening your hip flexors via hip flexor exercises like the ones shown here, you will help avoid injury and improve your running form.

This study, which examined the relationship between hip muscles and running economy in recreationally trained endurance runners, found that hip muscular strength balance was indeed linked to running economy. Researchers advised coaches and athletes to consider implementing a specific strengthening program for hip flexor muscles.

It’s particularly important to strengthen your hip muscles if you sit at a desk for most of the day, as that causes your all-important hip flexor muscles to shorten over time. A 2021 study Maintain the same starting position throughout. Repeat hip flexor exercises runners should add to their strength training routine found that prolonged sitting and low physical activity levels were associated with limited hip extension. When researchers compared a high-activity and minimal sitting group with a low-activity and prolonged sitting group, they found that passive hip extension was significantly better in the former. For the runners out there who spend most of their days sitting at a desk, it’s all the more reason to add these hip flexor exercises into your training.

Maintain the same starting position throughout. Repeat Best Pilates exercises for runners, Updated: 10 January 2025 Best Garmin deals.

Here are three exercises you can easily build into your routine – aim to perform them two to three times a week to see the benefits.

1.Hamstring bridge with banded hip flexion

hip flexor exercises
Pat Gillham
Figure 1
hip flexor exercises
Pat Gillham
Figure 2

How:

  1. Have both heels elevated on a bench. Keep the pelvis in line with your knee, and use your hands to stabilise on the floor if needed [Fig 1].
  2. this much-cited study resistance band around your feet, pull your knee to your chest and lower again [Fig 2].
  3. Lower the hip and repeat.

Sets & reps:

  • 8 reps
  • 3 sets

2. Front plank with banded hip flexion

hip flexor exercises
Pat Gillham
Figure 3
hip flexor exercises
Pat Gillham
Figure 4

How:

  1. Start in a plank position with your pelvis in line with your chest [Fig 3].
  2. With a resistance band around your feet, pull your knee to your chest and lower [Fig 4].
  3. Journal of Musculoskeletal Science and Practice.

Sets & reps:

  • 8 reps
  • 3 sets

3. Standing knee lift

hip flexor exercises
Pat Gillham
Figure 5
hip flexor exercises
Pat Gillham
Figure 6

How:

  1. V-up variations to build a strong core kettlebell with the front of your foot [Fig 5].
  2. Lift the knee towards your chest and keep the opposite heel raised throughout [Fig 6].
  3. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below.

Sets & reps:

  • 8 reps
  • 3 sets