It’s Day 7 of the Mykidstime 21 Day Health & Fitness Challenge! If you missed yesterday’s video, catch up with Day 6 here.
Our health and wellbeing expert, Fiona O’Donnell, explains what’s involved for Day 7 in the video below. Tell us how you’re getting on by tagging us on social media with #mkt21days — we love cheering you on!
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Day 7 – Hip Mobility
Today’s challenge is all about the hips. If you spend a lot of time sitting, or driving for long stretches, tight hips are probably familiar to you — and that tightness often shows up as stiffness in the lower back too.
There are two movements to work through today. The first is a hip mobility movement, done slowly and deliberately in each direction — three movements one way, three the other. Don’t rush through them. Focus on really feeling the edges of the movement; you’ll know what that means once you try it.
The second movement is a downward dog, which takes the hip through its full range before finishing with a gentle stretch for the hamstrings. You can repeat the full sequence as many times as feels good — once a day, or several times a day if you like. The more consistently you practise, the more stability and mobility you’ll build in the hips.
If you wake up stiff in your lower back or hips, or you find yourself creaking getting out of the car, this is exactly the kind of movement that helps.
How to do it
Get comfortable on all fours. Bring one knee out to the side and rotate it forward, imagining you’re drawing a circle with your knee — keep the lower leg relaxed and the knee bent, and simply trace that circle. Do three circles in one direction, then three in the other.
You might notice a bit of clicking in the hip — if so, just make the circles smaller. You might also feel a slight cramp in the glute or elsewhere; if that happens, ease off and work through it gently rather than pushing hard. The goal is to explore the edges of the joint, not force anything.
Keep your belly button drawn up towards the sky and your hips level throughout, so the pelvis stays steady rather than swinging around. Once you’ve completed both directions on both legs, move into a downward dog position and gently cycle the legs — straightening one as you bend the other. From here, you can return to the start of the sequence and repeat if it feels good.
If you have any questions throughout the Challenge, email Fiona or send her a message on Instagram or Facebook, and use the hashtag #mkt21days to let us know how you’re getting on.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I do the Day 7 hip mobility routine?
As often as feels good — once a day is plenty to start seeing benefits, but you can repeat the full sequence several times a day if you have time and it feels comfortable.
What if my hip clicks or feels tight during the circles?
That’s common. Simply make the circular movement smaller and ease off if anything feels sharp or uncomfortable. The aim is gentle exploration of your range of movement, not forcing a stretch.
Do I need any equipment for this challenge?
No — just a bit of floor space and comfortable clothing. This is a mat-free, equipment-free movement session you can do anywhere at home.
More from the Challenge
Catch up on other days in the series, and explore more ways to keep active as a family:
- Mykidstime 21 Day Health & Fitness Challenge – Day 6
- 9 Easy, Medium and Hard Home Workouts for Mums
- 5 Family-Friendly Ideas for Getting Active Outdoors
Enjoying the Challenge? Browse more family fitness and wellbeing ideas on Mykidstime, and save this page so you can follow along day by day.
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