Hip Mobility in Cricketers: Why they're tight, how it affects your game, and how to fix it

Tight hips aren’t just a problem for cricketers—they’re a common issue in modern life. The biggest reason? Too much sitting.

• Sitting keeps the hips in a flexed position, causing the hip flexors to shorten and become tight.
• When we stand up, these muscles remain stiff, limiting hip mobility and movement efficiency.
• Over time, this creates imbalances in the body, affecting your kinetic chain.

For cricketers, these restrictions can significantly impact performance, as the hips play a crucial role in explosive movements.

How tight hips impact your cricket performance

Your hips are essential for batting, bowling, fielding, and wicketkeeping. Limited mobility can lead to compensations elsewhere in the body, increasing the risk of injury and reducing efficiency.

When batting, a lack of hip rotation doesn't allow you to effectively create hip-shoulder separation, reducing bat speed. Likewise in bowlers, in addition to bowlers having to compensate with excessive lower back arching, which increases the risk of lower back pain and injury. Finally, wicketkeepers rely on deep squats and lateral movement and if the hips lack mobility, the lower back and knees take more strain, leading to discomfort or injury.

How to fix tight hips: two key exercises

If you want to improve hip mobility for cricket, regular stretching and mobility work is essential. Here are two simple but effective exercises to loosen your hips and improve your game.

1. Three-way hip rock

This movement opens up the hips from multiple angles to improve mobility.

• Start in a kneeling lunge position, with one foot forward.
• Lean forward to feel a stretch in the back-leg hip flexor.
• Repeat the stretch at three angles:
  1. Straight forward
  2. At 45 degrees to the side
  3. Directly out to the side
• Hold each stretch for 3-5 seconds, repeating 3-5 reps per side.

For a deeper stretch, hold a kettlebell on the front thigh while leaning forward.

2. 90-90

This exercise helps release tension in the hips and lower back.

• Sit with both knees bent at 90-degree angles.
• Keep your chest tall and push down through the front knee.
• To increase the stretch:
  • Lean towards the front knee and hold.
  • Try lifting the back knee without shifting your torso.
  • For an advanced challenge, lift the back foot while keeping the knee down.
• Perform 3-5 reps per side, holding each for 5 seconds.

The bigger picture: mobility is a long-term game

While these exercises will help, fixing tight hips takes consistency. Regular mobility work should be part of your routine, not just a quick fix.

At Cricfit, we offer structured mobility and strength programmes designed to help cricketers move better, stay injury-free, and perform at their best.