Hot 'N' Healthy Hips

Written by Vera Tweed
Photos by doritthies.com

Renée Daniels, a dancer, medical exercise specialist and personal trainer in Brooklyn, N.Y., developed these exercises to work the small muscles that stabilize your hips but are ignored in many workouts. “They’re often atrophied, and look soft and squishy,” says Daniels. Working the forgotten muscles will awaken and strengthen them. “Your hips will be more toned and contoured, and less flabby,” says Daniels. “It will help you to stand straighter and stay fit longer so that you’re able to do more things in your life.” These moves are part of Daniels’ head-to-toe workout in Straighter, Stronger, Leaner, Longer (Avery, 2005).

	Rotation  Keep your abs tight throughout the exercise. Lie on your left side, with your left elbow supporting your upper body. Bend your left knee, maintaining a straight line from the knee up through your shoulder. Keeping your right leg straight, turn your toe toward the ground. Raise your right leg while rotating your toe outward and up. Don’t let your hip roll back. Lower the right leg and repeat. Do 3 sets of 15 raises on each side.
	Diagonal Pattern  Keep your lower back on the floor throughout the exercise. Lie on your back, leaning on your elbows, right leg straight with your foot turned inward, and your left knee bent with your left foot flat on the floor. Lift your right leg up and out to the side, almost parallel to the floor or as far as you can go, then lift your leg back up. Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions on each side.