W-Sit Stretch - How To Improve Your Internal Hip Rotation!

This stretch has tons of value to offer for hip mobility!

The W-Sit is the ultimate stretch for improving internal hip rotation. In this video I break down how the position can be regressed to beginner levels, and also how it can be scaled up to advanced levels too!

Mobility through internal hip rotation is crucial for the overall function & longevity of our hips. It can effect our performance in everything from a deep squat, to throwing high level kicks and achieving the splits. Hopefully this video helps you achieve greater levels of hip mobility!

Here’s some basic approaches we can use to start - as a general guideline, this can be done in 1 longer duration set, or 3-4 shorter duration sets:

LONG DURATION: 60-120 seconds

Settle into the stretch passively for 30-60 seconds finding your best position to work from, then perform contract/relax in intervals of 5s on, 10s off for the second half of the set.

Aim to explore deeper ranges in the relax phases is you feel the space has been created to do so.

SHORT DURATION: 30 seconds x 3-4

Take your time settling into the stretch & finding a good position to work from. When you’re ready, perform 2 rounds of contract/relax in intervals of 5s on, 10s off.

Aim to work your way deeper into the position over the course of your sets.

[SanaAama]

Thanks so much! Trying this position was very painful, so I was definitely not doing it right. Now I can actually stretch my hips! Thanks! ❤️

[dakotamaui]

Intense and very challenging, thanks FM!

[stephendobbins]

Great video tips. W-sitting is the only position I can sit without pain and discomfort. Sometimes I have to open up my hips to sit this way but 98% of the time I can sit this way without working at it. I am 47 and could only sit in the w-sit position since I was 6. So that is the only way I have ever sat when I had to sit on the floor.

[elikane]

I greatly appreciate this, pretty amazed at how fast improvement is achieved, even for a soon to be 68 year old dude. The knee pain tip is gold.thank you

[climbing_thomas]

another awesome video, very appreciated! especially the tips with the knees, i thought it would just get better with time, but i guess i was doing too advanced progressions haha

[oskilla]

Hey FM, I was wondering if one way to improve the difficulty would be to gradually bring the knees further in as you improve your hip internal rotation? Thank you :)

[jeffersonjunio]

Great video. I'm pumped up to try it. Just a question, are the sissy squat, knee drop and one legged squat dangerous for my knees or will they strength my knees?

[jonatanolsen]

Very straight to the point and helpful😊

[fictionesque]

This position is my absolute favorite. Is it advisable to W-sit and lean backwards? When I do it with my back flat on the ground it feels sooo good on my back and sciatic nerve, feels like my whole sciatic nerve is getting wrung out.

[marcel]

My hips are are dying doing that😅. Hope it will better over time

[iceking]

I can’t even get my feet to go out how your doing it

[fayrefitness]

Interesting! I am a dance teacher, and I forbid this position for my students.

[TAcoNAksu]

I cant even get my back straight while doing this and my feet hurt

[laidbylexofficial]

i can do a great butterfly my knees touch the floor and my straddle stretch is damn near 180 degrees im not understanding why i have never been able to do this 😂

[asahiwamouinai]

yes, i will torture myself to sit like anime girl.

[sandysan]

Today I learned: I have full hip internal rotation since I've been W sitting even after growing up, but piss poor ability to spread knees. Literal opposite lmao

[thetotalpackage]

Hi, you said nothing about how many times a week, how many minutes per day.