Hip Circles: How-to, Benefits & Variations
Hip circles mobilize the hip joint and warm up surrounding muscles. Stand and rotate hips in large circles. Prepares hips for exercise.
Hip Circles: How-to, Benefits & Variations
Every woman I work with has the same pattern: strong in some directions, weak in others. The hip circles addresses the weak direction. The one that daily life never trains.
Danielle Harrison programs this exercise because the muscles it targets are precisely the ones that deteriorate fastest during perimenopause. Desk work accelerates the problem. This exercise reverses it.
Pilates: Full Body Pilates 1
Danielle Harrison
How to Do Hip Circles
Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on your hips. Slight bend in both knees.
Begin making large circles with your hips, as if tracing a big circle with your pelvis. Start clockwise.
Move through the full range of motion: push hips forward, then right, then back, then left. Keep the movement smooth and controlled.
Complete 10-15 circles in one direction, then reverse and do 10-15 circles counterclockwise.
Keep your upper body relatively still. The movement should come from your hips and lower spine, not your shoulders or knees.
Muscles Worked
Primary
Primary muscles
The main muscles targeted by the hip circles, responsible for producing the movement force.
Secondary
Stabilizer muscles
Support the primary movers and maintain proper joint alignment throughout the movement.
Why this matters in perimenopause
Women lose lean muscle mass progressively from their 30s, and the decline accelerates during perimenopause as estrogen levels drop. Regular exercise directly counteracts this decline by preparing the body for training and reducing injury risk that increases with age.
Coach's Tips
"We're gonna circle around those hips. Take it in one direction, and then we take it in the other." That's Danielle Harrison's cue. This detail makes the difference between an effective rep and a wasted one.
Danielle Harrison
If anything feels sharp rather than challenging, stop immediately. Back off the depth and reassess your alignment. Discomfort is fine. Pain is a message.
Reduce the speed or range of motion until your body adapts. Intensity should build over sessions.
Match your breath to the movement. Steady breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps muscles relax and respond.
Why This Matters for You
Joint stiffness is one of the most common and least discussed perimenopause symptoms. Declining estrogen affects synovial fluid production and cartilage maintenance, which means mornings feel stiffer and warm-ups take longer. The hip circles addresses this directly by stimulating blood flow, joint lubrication, and neural activation before your muscles are asked to work.
Skipping warm-ups during perimenopause is riskier than at 25. Connective tissue is less elastic, recovery takes longer, and the cost of an injury is measured in weeks, not days. Five minutes of targeted warm-up is the cheapest insurance you can buy.
Variations & Modifications
Warm-up: Standing Hip Circles
lowVariation of the hip circles that modifies the standard movement pattern for different training emphasis.
Warm-up: Quadruped Hip Circles
lowVariation of the hip circles that modifies the standard movement pattern for different training emphasis.
Cool-down: Hip Circles & Side Reach
lowVariation of the hip circles that modifies the standard movement pattern for different training emphasis.
Cool-down: Hip Circles & Child's Pose
lowVariation of the hip circles that modifies the standard movement pattern for different training emphasis.
Benefits
Prepares your joints for load
The hip circles lubricates joint surfaces by stimulating synovial fluid production. Cold joints creak and resist. Warm joints glide and absorb.
Activates stabilizer muscles
Small stabilizer muscles need to fire before larger movers take over. Warm-up movements wake them up so they do their job during your actual workout.
Reduces perceived effort of the workout
A proper warm-up makes your workout feel easier, not because you are doing less, but because your body is prepared to do more. Research shows reduced RPE (rate of perceived exertion) after proper warm-ups.
Mental transition into training
Five minutes of intentional movement shifts your brain from work-mode to training-mode. That mental shift affects focus, form, and safety for every exercise that follows.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Moving too fast
Warm-up movements should be controlled and gradually increase range. Speed comes after your joints are lubricated and muscles are warm.
Skipping the warm-up entirely
Cold muscles produce less force and tear more easily. Five minutes of warm-up prevents weeks of recovery.
Using only one movement pattern
Your warm-up should match your workout. If you are squatting, warm up the hips, knees, and ankles specifically.
Going through the motions mindlessly
Pay attention to what feels stiff or tight during warm-up. Those are the areas that need extra attention before loading.
Workouts Featuring This Exercise
Join women building health and resilience with certified trainers
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Exercises
Glute Bridge
Complements the hip circles by targeting related muscle groups and movement patterns.
Hip Flexor Stretch
Complements the hip circles by targeting related muscle groups and movement patterns.
Hip Thrust
Complements the hip circles by targeting related muscle groups and movement patterns.
Thrusters
Complements the hip circles by targeting related muscle groups and movement patterns.
Get hip circles in a guided workout
Access 4 workouts featuring this exercise, plus personalized plans from Dr. Wellls.
Join women building health and resilience with certified trainers
Your membership funds independent women's health research