# Lying Hip Internal Rotation Pullover - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/8149/lying-hip-internal-rotation-pullover/ - Media ID: 8149 - Primary muscle: Hips - Body part: Hips - Equipment: Body Weight - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/8149/lying-hip-internal-rotation-pullover.mp4 ## Description The Lying Hip Internal Rotation Pullover is a floor-based mobility and control drill performed on your back with the knees bent and lifted off the ground. From this position, you rotate the legs together across the midline and back, letting the pelvis and spine follow just slightly while the arms stay spread wide on the floor as anchors. The arms-out placement gives the drill its pullover character: the torso remains long and open while the lower body sweeps through a rotational arc beneath it. This movement is most useful for people whose hips feel locked up from long sitting days, or for lifters who squat, hinge, and run but never train the rotational side of hip function. Internal rotation is often the most neglected range at the hip, and when it is limited, the lower back and knees frequently pick up the slack. Working it directly while lying down removes the balance and loading demands, so you can focus purely on clean rotation through the hip joint. The primary work happens in the hip rotators and the glute complex, particularly the deep hip stabilizers that guide the thigh as it turns inward across the body. Because the knees stay lifted and the legs move as one unit, the deep core and obliques work hard to control the pelvis and keep the ribcage from twisting excessively. The arms pressing lightly into the floor give you feedback about how much trunk rotation is actually happening. Setup matters more than most people expect here. Your back, head, and arms should rest fully on the floor with the knees stacked over the hips at roughly ninety degrees and the shins parallel to the ceiling. If you start with the hips already tilted or the feet braced against the ground, the rotation comes from the lumbar spine instead of the hips and the whole point of the drill is lost. To execute it well, keep the movement slow and deliberate. Rotate the knees to one side as far as the hips allow without the opposite shoulder peeling off the floor, pause briefly, then bring the legs back through center and continue to the other side if you are working both directions. Breathe steadily throughout rather than holding your breath as the legs reach their end range. A typical session calls for eight to twelve controlled rotations per side, either as a warm-up before lower body training or as targeted hip work between sets. Stop short of any pinching in the front of the hip or twisting discomfort in the lower back, and let the range improve gradually over weeks rather than forcing depth on day one. ## Instructions 1. Lie on your back on an exercise mat with your head, shoulders, and upper back flat against the floor. 2. Extend both arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height with the palms down, forming a T shape to anchor the upper body. 3. Lift your feet off the floor and bend both knees to about ninety degrees so the shins stay parallel to the ceiling directly over your hips. 4. Brace the abdominals lightly and press the lower back toward the floor so the pelvis stays level before any movement begins. 5. Keeping the knees together and bent, rotate both legs slowly across the midline toward one side, allowing the hips to turn inward while the opposite shoulder stays weighted on the floor. 6. Pause for a beat at the end of the range, avoiding any pinching sensation at the front of the hip. 7. Rotate the legs back through center with control and continue toward the opposite side if training both directions, or return to center for a single-side set. 8. Exhale as the legs rotate away from center and inhale as they come back through the middle. 9. Complete the desired repetitions, then lower the feet back to the floor one at a time and rest before the next set. ## Tips & Tricks - The most common mistake is letting the opposite shoulder lift off the floor as the legs rotate; if it peels up, reduce the range until the shoulder stays grounded. - Do not let the feet drift toward your hips as you rotate; keeping the shins parallel to the ceiling preserves the hip rotation instead of turning it into a knee sweep. - If you feel a pinch at the front of the hip, back off a few degrees from end range and rotate slightly less far rather than pushing through the pinch. - Move slower than feels necessary; momentum from swinging the legs turns this into a lumbar spine exercise and removes the hip control work. - Keep the ribcage quiet by lightly bracing the abs, as if someone were about to tap your stomach; the rotation should be felt in the hips, not as a spine twist. - Press the palms gently into the floor for the entire set; this stabilizes the shoulders and gives you instant feedback when the trunk starts to over-rotate. - If one side rotates noticeably farther than the other, spend extra sets on the restricted side but never force it past the point of tension into discomfort. - Start with just body weight on a mat; adding a ball or weight between the knees is a progression that only makes sense once you can rotate smoothly without the knees separating. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does the Lying Hip Internal Rotation Pullover work? The main work comes from the hip rotators and glute complex, especially the deep hip stabilizers such as the gluteus medius. The obliques and deep core work continuously to keep the pelvis and ribcage from over-rotating. ### Why do my arms need to be out to the sides during this exercise? The wide arm position anchors the shoulders and upper back so the rotation happens at the hips rather than through the spine. It also acts as a range check: if a shoulder lifts, you have gone farther than your hips can control. ### Is the Lying Hip Internal Rotation Pullover suitable for beginners? Yes, it is a low-load body weight drill done on the floor, which makes it very approachable. Beginners should simply use a smaller range and prioritize keeping the shoulders down and the knees together. ### Why do I feel this in my lower back instead of my hips? That usually means the lumbar spine is rotating to make up for limited hip range. Re-brace the abdominals, slightly reduce how far the knees travel, and slow the tempo until the tension shifts back into the hips. ### Should my feet touch the floor during the rotation? No, the feet stay lifted with the knees bent at ninety degrees for the whole set. Letting the feet drop to the floor removes the tension on the hips and turns the drill into a passive knee drop. ### Can I use the Lying Hip Internal Rotation Pullover as a warm-up? It works well as a pre-training warm-up before squats, deadlifts, or running because it restores rotational hip range without fatigue. Do eight to ten smooth rotations per side before moving into heavier work. ### What can I use instead if lying on the floor is uncomfortable? You can perform a similar controlled hip rotation seated on a bench with the feet lifted slightly, though you lose the trunk anchor. A mat under the low back and head is usually enough to make the floor version comfortable. ### How far should my knees rotate to each side? Only as far as you can go while the opposite shoulder stays on the floor and there is no pinching at the front of the hip. A range of roughly forty-five degrees or less is normal and will improve gradually with practice. ### Is it normal for one side to move farther than the other? Yes, side-to-side differences in hip rotation are very common, especially in people who habitually sit with one leg crossed. Train both sides equally and give the stiffer side extra gentle reps rather than forcing depth.