A continuation of our Self Soft Tissue Release Series
Since July, we’ve been sharing simple self-assessments that help you identify where you may be missing range of motion (ROM), how that missing range can affect daily movement and performance, and what you can do to restore it.
This week, we’re turning our attention to the internal hip rotators — a group of deep muscles you’ve probably never heard of but that play a critical role in balance, stability, and pain prevention. These muscles help control your hip, knee, and pelvic alignment during everyday movements like walking, squatting, and running.
When internal rotation is limited, your body compensates elsewhere — often leading to overuse or discomfort in your knees, low back, or ankles.
Follow along to learn how to assess your hip internal rotation, then use our three-step approach — Release, Mobilize, Integrate — to restore proper movement and function.
👉 Watch the video below for a guided walkthrough of each step.
✅ Quick Self-Test: “Funny Sit”
1> Sit tall with your chest up and back upright.
2> Press your knees together and try to splay your ankles outward.
3>Make sure there’s no pinching or discomfort in your knees or low back.
4>Your ankles should move outward at least 30° to 45°.
5>Both sides should feel and move similarly.
If you can’t check off all these boxes, your internal hip rotation may be holding you back.
🔧 The 3-Step Fix: Restore Your Hip Internal Rotation
Spend 5–10 minutes following along with the video for detailed coaching cues.
1️⃣ Release (5–10 minutes)
Use a softball , kettlebell and/or lacrosse ball to target the following areas:
—Glutes: Start from your sit bones and move upward using small circles or short forward/back motions to target the “meaty” tissue.
—Adductors (Inner Thigh/Groin): From a front plank position, extend one leg out to the side over a softball or kettlebell (just above the knee). Work in small 10 cm sections, using gentle rolling or tacking motions as you move toward the groin.
–TFL (Top of Outer Hip): Lying on your side, place the ball near the top of your outer hip. Explore slightly forward, backward, and to the side, pausing and breathing into any tender spots.
2️⃣ Mobilize
Start with Level 1 and progress to Level 2 as your mobility improves.
Level 1: 90/90 Rotations
–Sit with both knees bent at 90°, feet wide, hands behind you for support.
–Slowly “windshield wipe” your knees side to side, pausing briefly at each end range.
–Perform 10–20 reps, holding each end range for 2–10 seconds.
–Hold longer (closer to 10 sec) if you feel your muscles start to relax and your range increases.
Level 2: Active 90/90
–Begin in the same setup.
–After warming up with a few reps, hold the end position and lift your outside ankle up for 3–5 seconds.
–Repeat 5 times, then switch sides.
3️⃣ Integrate
Wide-Stance Glute Bridge
–Lie on your back as you would for a normal glute bridge.
–Place a yoga block between your knees, and widen your stance about 10–20 cm beyond your usual position–.
–Bridge up, hold for 10 seconds, and gently squeeze the block.
–Perform 5–8 reps.
✨ Rotate & Stay Consistent
We hope you’ve enjoyed following this Self-Soft Tissue Release series and are starting to feel the benefits of addressing your “tight spots.”
It’s normal to discover more than one area that needs attention — don’t feel pressured to fix everything at once! Instead, focus on one area per day and rotate through them during the week. Small, consistent efforts create lasting improvements.
Even 5–8 minutes a day of release, mobilize, integrate work can make a noticeable difference in how you move, feel, and perform.
💡 Need Extra Help?
—Personalized Plan: Get a full movement assessment and custom mobility plan from one of our coaches.
—Soft Tissue Release Sessions: For stubborn restrictions, our STR-certified practitioners can help restore your range — often in a single session.
—Stay Accountable: Join one of our membership programs to stay on track with your strength, mobility, and performance goals.
📧 info@pitraining.ca
📞 604-291-9941