# 90/90 Hip Switch: how to do it

- Main muscles: glutes, hip flexors
- Also works: adductors
- Equipment: bodyweight
- Level: intermediate
- 3D demo (side view): https://media.trainaq.com/exercises/hip_90_90/1551464924/side-m-720.mp4

## Steps

1. Sit with your knees bent, feet flat and wider than your hips, hands on the floor behind you.
2. Keep your feet where they are and let both knees fall to one side.
3. Sit tall in that position for a moment, with both knees bent to right angles.
4. Lift your knees back through the middle and lower them to the other side.

## Cues

- Feet stay planted.
- Sit tall at each side.
- Move slowly, never force the knees.

## Common mistakes

- Slumping back: press into your hands and lift your chest.
- Forcing the knees to the floor: go only as far as feels easy and build up.
- Feet sliding in: set them wide and keep the heels in place.

## The version in our demo

Seated, hands on the floor behind for support, feet wide; both knees swing to one side into the 90/90 position, then lift and swing through the middle to the 90/90 on the other side. The swing is Physitrack's hip 90-90 rotation; the end position follows Cleveland Clinic's 90/90 stretch. The hands-free, upright version is the progression.

## Starting position

Hands on the floor 20–30 cm behind the hips, arms straight, torso upright or leaning back no more than 15°.

## The movement

Keeping both heels in place as pivot points, let both knees drop to the right until the right leg lies with its outer thigh and outer calf on the floor and the left leg lies with its inner thigh and inner calf on the floor (the 90/90 position). Sit tall, hips square, and pause. Lift both knees back up through the middle and lower them to the left into the mirror position. The knees travel in a smooth arc; the feet and hands stay put; the torso stays tall and turns only slightly with the hips.

## Breathing

Breathe out as the knees lower; breathe in as they lift through the middle.

## Tempo

Both sides, 6 s: 2 s knees down to the right, 1 s pause tall, 2 s knees up and over to the left, 1 s pause tall. Real sets: 6–10 switches each side, slow.

## Form in numbers

- Both knees bent about 90° throughout (Cleveland Clinic).
- Knees sweep about 160–180° side to side; heels stay on the same spots.
- Torso upright, shoulders level and square; chest faces between the two knees.

## Sources

1. [Cleveland Clinic, "The 90/90 Stretch & How It Helps Hip Mobility"](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/90-90-stretch)
2. [Physitrack, "Hip 90-90 Rotations (exercise video)"](https://us.physitrack.com/home-exercise-video/hip-90-90-rotations)

Source: https://trainaq.com/exercises/hip-90-90