Leg Swings Guide: Improve Hip Mobility and Warm Up
Learn how to perform leg swings correctly to improve hip mobility, prevent injury, and prepare your lower body for exercise with our expert guide.
How to Perform
- Stand tall and place one hand on a wall or steady sturdy object for balance.
- Shift your weight onto your standing leg while keeping a slight bend in that knee.
- Swing your free leg forward and backward in a controlled, rhythmic motion.
- Increase the range of motion gradually as your hip joints begin to feel warmer and more fluid.
- Keep your torso upright and engage your core to prevent your lower back from arching excessively.
- After completing the desired repetitions, switch to your other leg and repeat the sequence.
- Perform lateral swings by crossing the leg in front of your body and then out to the side to target different muscle groups.
Common Mistakes
- Arching the lower back to force a higher swing
- Moving the leg too fast without maintaining muscle control
- Gripping the support wall too tightly and tensing the upper body
- Allowing the standing foot to collapse inward
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Hips
Stabilizers
- Hamstrings
- Glutes
- Adductors
- Abductors
Related Guides
- Arm Circles — Warm-Up
- Band Pull-Aparts — Warm-Up
- Bodyweight Glute Bridges — Warm-Up
Hips · Warm-Up