90 To 90
90 To 90 Exercise Description
The 90 to 90 (beginner) is a floor-based hip rotation drill that builds active control and low-level strength in both external rotation (front leg) and internal rotation (back leg). You’ll practice moving the pelvis over stable femurs while keeping a neutral spine, which reinforces clean hip mechanics for everyday lower-body movements. Primary tissues involved include the gluteus medius and minimus, the deep external rotators, and portions of the adductors that assist with positional control. Using body weight only, the emphasis is on slow, precise transitions and gentle isometric tension rather than range at all costs. Hands are kept on the floor for balance so you can focus on alignment, breathing, and smooth rotation without compensating through the lumbar spine.
- Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hips
- Target Muscles: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus, Quadratus Femoris
- Assisting Muscles: Adductor Longus, Obturator Internus, Tensor Fasciae Latae
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Multifidus, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back, Side
- Body Symmetry: Unilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Abductors, Hip Extensors, Hip Rotators
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Deep Glutes, Deep Hip, Upper Glutes
- Movement Direction: Rotational
- Muscle Position: Lateral, Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The 90 To 90 Exercise
‘- Sit on the floor with knees bent and feet about hip-width or wider, heels on the ground.
– Drop both knees to one side to form two right angles: front hip and knee ~90°, back hip and knee ~90°.
– Set your feet and ankles in light dorsiflexion; keep shins on the floor.
– Sit tall with ribs stacked over pelvis and a neutral spine; keep both sit bones heavy.
– Place hands slightly behind you for support; keep shoulders relaxed and down.
– Create gentle tension: lightly press both knees and feet into the floor. Feel front-leg external rotation and back-leg internal rotation.
– Optional hinge: tip the pelvis forward (not the chest) over the front shin while maintaining a long spine; avoid rounding.
– Breathe slowly through the nose, keeping the torso quiet and the movement at the hips.
– To switch sides, keep the chest lifted, plant your hands, and rotate the pelvis as the knees “windshield wiper” through center to the opposite 90/90.
– Adjust foot spacing so knees stay comfortable and the spine remains neutral; move with control, not momentum.
90 To 90 Tips
‘- Set your feet about hip-width or wider with heels on the ground, shins on the floor, and ankles in light dorsiflexion.
– When you drop your knees to the side, aim for roughly 90° angles at both the front and back hip and knee.
– Sit tall with ribs stacked over your pelvis, keeping a neutral spine and both sit bones heavy on the floor.
– Place your hands slightly behind you for support and keep your shoulders relaxed and down, using your hands on the floor for balance.
– Lightly press both knees and feet into the floor to create gentle tension, feeling external rotation in the front leg and internal rotation in the back leg.
– If you hinge, tip the pelvis forward over the front shin (not the chest) while keeping a long spine and avoiding rounding.
– Breathe slowly through your nose, keeping the torso quiet and letting the motion come from the hips.
– To switch sides, keep your chest lifted, plant your hands, and rotate the pelvis as the knees “windshield wiper” smoothly through the center.
– Adjust foot spacing so your knees stay comfortable and your spine can remain neutral.
– Emphasize slow, precise transitions and controlled rotation rather than using momentum or pushing for extra range.
90 To 90 Beginner Introduction
The 90 to 90 (beginner) is a floor-based hip rotation exercise that uses only body weight to nurture control and gentle strength around the hips. Performed in a seated position with both legs bent, the legs move between mirrored right-angle shapes while the pelvis rotates over relatively still thighs. This pattern encourages smoother hip motion for everyday lower-body activities, with special attention to how the pelvis and spine relate as the legs change position.
Throughout the drill, the glutes, deep hip muscles, and inner thighs share the work, creating light, sustained effort rather than big, dramatic stretches. Hands rest on the ground for extra steadiness, allowing the upper body to stay relaxed and upright while the rotation happens mainly at the hips instead of the lower back. Slow, unhurried transitions, gentle muscular engagement, and calm nasal breathing are central themes, giving beginners a way to explore hip rotation with precision and awareness instead of chasing maximum range.