Weak hips - what exercises can help?

[fluffycookie]

Can anyone recommend some exercises to strenghten my hips.  I've always had issues with weak hips, but lately its been bad.  Its not in the groin area, but more on the outside where my hip and thigh meet.  Right now I am training for my first 5K in over 6 years and my goal is to run the whole thing (March 15th).  I have worked up to running 3-4 days a week with at least one day being 3.1 miles.  I was fitted for new shoes in December which helped.  I was diagnosed with bursitis in the right hip in December which seems to have remedied itself with rest, motrin and icing.  Now my left hip has decided to get in on the action, but this feels different because it feels funny walking whereas with the buristis it was just painful/sore.  I will admit that I am not as diligent about doing weights for my lower body than I am with my upper body which probably isn't helping.

TIA!

[gt7301b]

Yoga and foam rolling. There are a bunch of good yoga videos at doyogawithme.com.

[sitnspin]

There are some great resistance band exercises you could do to work your ad and abductors.  I think that is the area you might be describing.

[clseale]

Weighted clams seem to help me more than anything else. I have a hamstring that gets angry from weak hips, and if I keep up with the clams, I have minimal issues.

[runaways]

I incorporate weighted clams, leg lifts, and side planks into my lifting. When I did PT they also recommended lateral steps with a resistance band and hip tilts.

[clseale]

Mar 4, 2014 10:50:18 GMT -5 runaways said:

I incorporate weighted clams, leg lifts, and side planks into my lifting. When I did PT they also recommended lateral steps with a resistance band and hip tilts.

Oh, yes! I do these too. They're awesome! I also do squats with the band. It makes me really engage my outer hips, while doing the squats. 

[ebeth]

planks
lunges
side lunges
squats
any kind of core work

[venice2007]

One legged squats
Band resistance clams
Pilates leg series
Lateral side steps
Bridges
Yoga

[fluffycookie]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to add these to my rotation. I managed to snag a spot at the injury prevention clinic being run at my company's gym tomorrow with a PT so I am going to talk to him too. With my race less than two weeks away I am going to take it very easy until later this week too (maybe Thursday/Friday) to rest my hip. I know I am can do the 5K distance so I figure if I take a few days off and focus on ice/heat and stretching its better than trying to push thru the discomfort and then end up missing the 5K because I'm hurt.