A mobility routine for the hips and ankles before leg day
Heavy lower-body work should not begin with a series of awkward, forceful positions. A focused warm-up for your hips and ankles can make the difference between forcing a range and controlling it, particularly if you have spent the day sitting at a desk or playing weekend sport. Six to eight minutes of deliberate preparation is often enough.
The aim is usable movement, not a passive stretch that leaves you waiting for the weights to rescue you. You are preparing the joints, tissues and movement patterns that will appear in your session, then progressing toward the exercises themselves. Keep the opening minutes comfortable, controlled and free from pain.
Why hips and ankles need preparation
Your hips create rotation, drive your legs forward and backward, and help your pelvis stay steady during squats, hinges and lunges. When hip movement is limited, your body may compensate somewhere else, such as twisting the feet, leaning too far forward or shifting pressure into the lower back. A little mobility can make those compensations unnecessary.
Your ankles affect how far you can travel over your toes during a squat and how smoothly you can push off the floor. Ankle dorsiflexion—the amount you can step back while keeping your heel down—is especially relevant for deep squats and lunges. Tight calves, stiff joints or an unfamiliar lifting stance can all limit that position.
Desk-based stiffness deserves attention between training sessions as well. If your working day keeps you folded into a chair, posture reset breaks may help reduce that stiffness. They complement rather than replace a specific warm-up before loaded exercise.
Check your starting position
Spend about a minute checking the movements you are likely to perform. Begin with five shallow bodyweight squats, keeping your heels down and your knees tracking over your toes. Add ten slow heel raises, then balance briefly on each foot with a wall or chair nearby. Notice any pinching, sharp discomfort or obvious loss of control rather than judging yourself against somebody else’s range.
Use the results to choose your support level. If you cannot balance comfortably, use both feet and keep the task simple. If a movement feels restricted in one hip, work that side with smaller steps and gentler angles. The purpose of this check is to guide your preparation, not to diagnose the cause of a niggle. Train on a flat, stable surface first, particularly if you normally exercise on grass at a park in Melbourne or Adelaide.
Warm the ankles with active range
Start with ankle rocks. Take a staggered stance, keep the back heel down and drive the front knee forward over your toes. Move slowly through a comfortable range for eight repetitions per side. You can elevate the back foot on a low step if that makes the movement easier, but avoid pushing beyond a strong, controlled position.
Follow with calf raises. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, rise onto the balls of your feet and lower with control. Aim for ten to twelve repetitions, including a brief pause at the top. If balance is challenging, hold a wall or rail. The goal is smooth ankle motion and a steady rise, not the highest possible heel lift.
Finish with short-foot doming. Keeping your heel down, lift the toes while shortening the foot, then release and spread them again. Complete six to eight repetitions per foot. This simple drill builds awareness through the foot and can make every later movement feel more deliberate without adding fatigue.
Create space in the hips
Begin with standing hip openers. Place one foot on a chair or low box, turn the knee outward and hinge slightly forward until you feel a mild stretch through the hip. Keep your spine long and your pelvis steady. Hold for two comfortable breaths, then change sides. If you have recently played Aussie rules footy or cricket, keep the range gentle rather than chasing the previous position.
Next, try half-kneeling windmills. From a kneeling position, place one hand on the floor and rotate your chest toward the opposite side while your hips shift back. Return slowly and repeat five times per side. A folded towel under the knee can provide cushioning, and raising the bottom knee slightly offers an easier variation.
Complete the hip preparation with eight controlled glute bridges. Lie on your back with your feet planted, press through them and lift your hips until your body forms a long line from shoulders to knees. Pause briefly, then lower. These bridges combine hip extension with glute activation, preparing you to drive through your feet during squats, deadlifts and lunges.
Match your warm-up to the lifts
Now translate your mobility into the positions you will train. Add five bodyweight split squats per side, stepping back slowly and keeping most of your weight through the front foot. Follow with five slow bodyweight squats. The range may look smaller than your warm-up, and that is fine; you are rehearsing control under a more demanding position.
Add a light goblet squat or unloaded deadlift for two sets of five repetitions. Use a weight that leaves you comfortable while changing direction or hinging. The purpose is to practise the lift before heavier loading, not to create fatigue. Keep each rep smooth and stop the preparation while your positions still feel responsive.
For broader ideas about coaching and programming, explore Nguyen Quang Hi. For this session, keep the feedback simple: did your ankles move comfortably, could your hips rotate without compensation, and did the final rehearsal feel controlled? Those answers tell you whether to begin, adjust or shorten your warm-up.
Adjust the routine to your body
If you are new to training, complete the ankle rocks and hip openers once, then repeat the glute bridges and calf raises for a second round. Four focused minutes can be enough. More exercise is not automatically better, particularly when a busy week or a demanding job has already left you tired.
If movement remains painful, reduce the range, use support or choose a different exercise. Sharp joint pain, swelling, numbness or pain that worsens during the session deserves assessment. Your GP can refer you to a physiotherapist, commonly called a physio, and help you work out the appropriate treatment pathway.
Account for the Australian weather and your training location. On a hot arvo, particularly in Brisbane or Perth, shorten the outdoor portion, train in the shade or use an air-conditioned gym. Make sure the air conditioning is working before you start; you need a comfortable temperature, water and footwear suited to the surface you will actually use.
Make this sequence a repeatable part of your next training session. Set aside six minutes before your first working set, complete the movements in order and note which position felt most restricted.
Save the routine, begin your next leg day with controlled positions, and add load only once the movement feels ready.