What Are Hip Dips?

You may have heard of a recent buzz word, “hip dips”––this new phrase simply refers to the natural indentations on the side of your upper thighs just below your hip bones. They are very common and for the most part determined by your genetics and your bone structure. But the good news is that you can engage them in an exercise plan that helps you get rid of them. Of course they are very normal, many people have them and eliminating them is completely elective.

Whether you have noticeable hip dips really depends on your muscle mass and how your body distributes fat. Ditching them has become desirable as it can help make clothes fit better and give you an even look across your hips, desirable for both men and women.

What Causes Hips Dips & Can You Get Rid of Hip Dips?

What causes hip dips is the way your skin is connected to the greater trochanter of the femur, which causes the appearance of indentations. What makes some people’s hip dips more noticeable is up to your bone structure between your pelvis and your femur. ultimately , what creates the smooth transition between your hips and your waist depends on how much muscle you have and how your boyd fat is distributed. For those looking to achieve the smooth transition between hips and waist, manipulating the look is very easy thanks to some exercises you can do. You can get rid of hip dips if you just follow a few this work out plan.

10 Best Exercises to Banish Those Pesky Hip Dips for Good

Specifically targeting hip dips with exercise moves is the simplest way to diminish their appearance. Hip dip exercises don’t need to be complicated. Consistency is key and following this routine is how to get rid of hip dips. For these hip dip exercises you don’t even need a gym or fancy equipment. Just do 5-7 of these moves every week and watch them melt away.

1. Lateral Leg Lifts

To do this exercise you only need a mat! But of course adding a few lbs with some ankle weights or even a resistance band can make it even more effective. What variations you choose will depend on your level of fitness. To do this exercise start by lying on your side. Keep your leg that you will be lifting as straight as possible. Repeat on the other side. Make sure you hit the same amount of reps for both legs.

• Equipment
• Yoga Mat
• Ankle weights (optional)
• Resistance bands (optional)
• Directions
• Start by standing
• Lift one leg to the side while keeping toes facing forward
• Use chair, table, or wall to balance, if needed
• Variations
• Pulsing leg lifts
• Lying

2. Squats

To make this exercise more challenging you can always add in some dumbbells or kettlebells. Because we use these major muscle groups in our legs regularly, it makes adding on weight easier. You can do this workout anywhere. As long as your pants are flexible, fitting in 10-30 squats a day can help you lose hip dips.

• Equipment
• Kettlebell/dumbbell (optional)
• Resistance bands (optional)
• Directions
• Stand with feet slightly wider than your hips
• Squat as if you were sitting down in a chair
• Try not to let your knees move past your toes
• Variations
• Lateral (banded) squats
• Squat jumps
• Pulsing squats

3. Fire Hydrants

Yes! These are named after a dog’s activity with a fire hydrant. But don’t dismiss these reps, because they are a great way to engage your hip abductors, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, gluteus maximum, and even your core!

• Equipment
• Resistance bands (optional)
• Ankle weights (optional)
• Directions
• Begin in a table top position on your hands and knees
• Slowly pivot one leg (keeping knee bent) at the hip and raise it towards the ceiling, creating a 90° angle with your opposing leg
• Return to the starting position and repeat
• Variations
• Pulsing
• Banded
• Weighted

4. Lunges

Lunges are easy and there is no equipment needed. If you want to up the intensity of this workout for your quads, try adding in resistance bands, or holding dumbbells. Weights will help shred your glutes and target the hip dip area. 

• Equipment
• Dumbells  (optional)
• Resistance bands (optional)
• Directions
• Stand with your feet together
• Extend one foot out past the width of your hips
• Bend the knee and lower your butt down as if you were sitting down on a chair
• The opposing leg should extend straight out
• Stand back up to center & repeat
• Variations
• Side
• Side curtsey
• Jumping
• Reverse
• Kickback
• Standing kickback

5. Glute Bridge

To do the glute bridge exercise you need a yoga mat and that’s it! This is a great exercise for your core as well as the small bands of muscle that wrap around your pelvis and hips. By engaging your hips in an unusual lateral motion and fighting gravity you can help strengthen your core and your glutes to reduce the appearance of hip dips.

• Equipment
• Resistance bands (optional)
• Directions
• Lay flat on the floor with your feet flat (~shoulder width apart) and knees bent
• Raise your hips & butt towards the ceiling while engaging your core muscles
• Return to the ground & repeat
• Variations
• One-legged
• Banded
• Holding a dumbell

6. Kickbacks

An easy mat exercise with a big impact, you are guaranteed to feel the burn for this one. Kickbacks are the ultimate “butt lifter” and have the added bonus of also decreasing the appearance of hip dips if done correctly and frequently! Make sure to focus on increasing and purposely decreasing your range of motion as time goes on and the exercise gets easier.

• Equipment
• Ankle weights (optional)
• Directions
• Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees
• Slowly pivot one leg (keeping knee bent) at the hip and raise it directly towards the ceiling, keep your leg that you are using for reps straight as it comes up
• Variations
• Ankle weight 
• Banded
• Different angles with the foot
• Smaller pulses

7. Donkey Kicks

The real key to doing donkey kicks correctly is keeping your knee bent. They are a great exercise for not only your glutes, but also for your upper thighs. Adding ankle weights will help keep it challenging as your legs get stronger.

• Equipment
• Ankle weights (optional)
• Directions
• Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees
• Slowly pivot one leg (keeping knee bent) at the hip and raise it directly towards the ceiling, creating a 90° angle with your opposing leg
• Variations
• Ankle weight 
• Smaller pulses

8. Clamshells

Clamshells are a great exercise for doing when your energy is low. They isolate your inner thighs for glute activation. Small pulses are key, as making exaggerated movements with your legs can disrupt the effectiveness.

• Equipment
• Yoga mat
• Resistance bands (optional)
• Directions
• Lay on your side with your knees bent.
• Prop your upper body up and bring your top knee up until its level with the shoulder
• Do small pulses on each side, for the same amount of reps
• Variations
• Try extending the top leg straight for an added challenge

9. Step Downs

Doing single leg step down exercises can help bring your core to life, increase balance and make it easy for you to get rid of hip dips. You will need a steady stool for this one or an exercise platform.

• Equipment
• A steady platform for stepping on 
• Dumbells (optional)
• Directions
• Start on your platform. 
• Step down backwards, alternating legs
• Variations
• To make this exercise more challenging, many people hold onto dumbbells for the added weight challenge. 

10. Glute Rainbows

A glute rainbow helps maintain the stability of your spine and strengthens your hip rotators.

• Equipment
• Yoga mat
• Directions
• Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees
• Bring one leg up at a 90° angle. 
• Move it back and forth in a semi circle, keeping your thigh in line with your hip. 
• Variations
• Resistance band

Hip Dip Transformational Before & After

If you really want to see the before and after results of this workout, you need to do 5-7 of these exercises per week. Make a plan at the beginning of every week to figure out when you can fit them in. Often times, you may want to have them coincide with a “leg day” since they are very heavy on targeting your lower body. But any of these exercises can also work great as a stand-alone exercise. With only bodyweight and a yoga mat most of the these exercises won’t even make you sweat, so you have no excuse to no fit them in.

Doing these workouts with high-intesity cardio can help you burn unwanted  fat around your belly and hips. The combination of burning fat and and targeting muscle build around your hips to eliminate the appearance of the hip dips. As you get more shredded, you’ll need to make sure your body is getting exactly what it needs to recover. Protein helps repair muscles after a tough workout, aiding them in growing bigger and stronger. Make sure you’re giving your body what it needs, high-protein drinks and snacks will ensure that you only gain the muscle you want. Give your glutes the leg up they deserve to banish your hip dips for good.