Move · Videos · Stretching · 13 min

Seated Hip Stretches for Seniors and Beginners

Seated Hip Stretches for Seniors and Beginners — video by Senior Fitness With Meredith Play · 13:23

Video by Senior Fitness With Meredith on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A chair-based session that warms up the hips, then works through butterfly, wide-leg forward fold, hamstring, side-sitting hip flexor and figure-4 stretches. Ideal for older adults or anyone who prefers to stay off the floor.

  • 13 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • chair

Good forHealthy ageing

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Step by step 10

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Warm-up: sitting tall, sway the knees side to side, open and close them, then step the feet out to the sides. 0:47
  2. Butterfly: soles of the feet together, knees open, let the chest come forward and press gently on the inner thighs. 2:43
  3. Wide-leg fold: feet wide, hinge forward with hands to the floor or thighs, then walk the hands to each foot. 3:38
  4. Right hamstring: right leg long with a slight bend in the knee, hinge forward from the hips. 5:33
  5. Left hip flexor: turn sideways, left knee back and down, tuck the pelvis and lean back, then lean forward. 6:03
  6. Left hamstring, then turn the other way for the right hip flexor; hold the chair back if you feel unsteady. 7:04
  7. Figure-4, right side: ankle over the other thigh, or cross at the ankles, and lean forward with a long spine. 8:33
  8. Cross the legs and twist to the right, then cross the ankles, twist each way and fold forward. 9:22
  9. Left side: figure-4 or crossed ankles, then the crossed-leg twist and the ankle-cross twists. 10:28
  10. Finish with the wide-leg fold, roll up slowly and take three deep breaths with the arms overhead. 12:09

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Sit tall at the front of the chair with your core gently engaged
  • Cross at the ankles instead of the thigh if figure-4 is too much
  • Breathe out to ease a little deeper; never force a stretch

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Upper back movesgentle seated twists
  • Lower back movesseated forward folds and gentle twists
  • Hips movesseated butterfly, figure-4, hip flexor, wide-leg folds
  • Knees movesknees opening wide, ankle-over-knee figure-4

Easier option from the coach: Cross at the ankles instead of figure-4; hold the chair in the hip flexor stretch

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Senior Fitness With Meredith; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety