Lately, a lot of conversations on social media have been around ‘hip dips.’ If Google stats are to be believed, more than half a million people search for more information using these two words in a month. What are hip dips? What causes hip dips? Is it possible to get rid of hip dips, and if yes how? If not, what are the possibilities to reduce the dips? Get all the answers here in this article as we dive deep into the topic to know this term better.
What are Hip Dips?
These dips are naturally-occurring depressions or indentations on either side of the body below the hip bone. These dips may be quite prominent, barely noticeable, or completely absent from person to person. The most significant aspect of hip dips is that they are a normal structure of the body.
Cause of Hip Dips
The reason behind the presence of hip dips can be attributed to the shape of the pelvis and the thigh width. At the skeletal level, there is always an indentation at the top of the femur where the hip bone meets it. Thus, the dips are natural and completely normal.
The distribution of muscles and fat makes these dips more prominent or conceals them completely. Wearing certain types of clothes can accentuate these dips or hide them effectively.
Are Hip Dips Good or Bad?
With the growing awareness, many people assume that the presence or absence of hip dips has something to do with the individual’s fitness. However, since these are natural, normal, and cannot be changed, hip dips are not directly associated with your health or fitness levels. Presence or absence does not mean the person is healthy/unhealthy or fit/overweight.
It is just that the pelvis shape and the distribution of fats and muscles differ from person to person. That is why, in some people, the indentations are more visible and in some, there’s no obvious sign of the hip dips.
Getting Rid of Hip Dips
Hip Dips are a natural part of the bone structure. Since there’s no known way yet to change the bone structure or the skeletal framework of the body, there’s nothing much that can be done to get rid of the depressions. In other words, you cannot make your dips disappear completely by following a certain diet regime or exercise routine.
The best that can be done is to minimize the appearance of the dips by exercising especially the lower body part. The purpose is to lose fat in this region and build muscle mass.
Minimizing Hip Dips – Recommended Exercises
All in all, certain exercises can help tone the muscles in the pelvic region. The specific regions that will get affected include the buttocks, abdomen, thighs, and hips.
The best way to go about the routine is to start with the leg or side that is less flexible. Initially, one or two sets every day are ideal and slowly increase the frequency. Twenty minutes per day is good enough at the onset. To ensure that you have the right posture while exercising, keep a mirror in front of you.
Exercise No. # 1: Glute Bridges
The objective of this exercise is to tone the pelvis or the hips.
Method: Lie down on the floor on your back. The knees should be bent with the feet on the floor. Ensure the distance between the feet is the same as your shoulder width. Slowly, lift the pelvis or the hips. Ensure your back is straight. Hold yourself in this position till the count of five and then gradually lower your back on the floor.
Frequency: Repeat this exercise 2 to 3 times each week. Start by doing 5 rounds initially and then increase to 10 – 15 rounds every time.
Exercise No. # 2: Hip Thrust
This is another posture that impacts the glutes directly.
Method: Sit down on the floor. Use a gym bench or any other solid surface to support your back and neck. Take the help of your hands, shoulders, and feet to raise your hips upwards as you lift your abdomen and the pelvis. Hold yourself in this position for 5 counts and then get back to the original position. When you become a pro at doing this exercise, you can have dumbbells in your hands for more weight.
Frequency: Repeat this exercise 2 to 3 times each week. Start by doing 5 rounds initially and then increase to 10–15 rounds every time.
Exercise No. # 3: Lunges
This is the best way to shape your pelvic region including the buttocks, hips, and stomach.
Method: Stand on an undulated surface with your feet away from one another, maintaining a distance equal to your hips. Put your right leg forward. Drop your left knee to almost touch the ground. Bend the right knee alongside to hold it exactly above your ankle. Hold till the count of five, get back to the original position, and repeat.
Frequency: Typically, you should do 20 reps for each leg and then repeat with the other leg. Start with a lesser count initially. Lunges can be done almost every day of the week.
Exercise No. # 4: Side Hip Openers
The objective is to exercise your hips, outer things, and buttocks to make the muscles more flexible. Your hands and knees need to be strong enough to bear the entire weight of the body. Ensure to evenly distribute the weight.
Method: Get to the floor on all fours, called the cat-cow position. The hands should be directly below the shoulders and the knees under the hips. Lift the leg on one side at a 90° angle to the ground and your other leg. The knee should be kept in the bent position. Hold till the count of five and then lower your leg.
Frequency: Repeat each leg at least 15 times and then repeat with the other leg.
Exercise No. # 5: Leg Lifts While Standing
Tone the side muscles of the hips and butt with this exercise. When done regularly, your inner thigh muscles will also feel the impact. Take care to do this exercise without any jerks. Also, try and maintain a straight posture for your body.
Method: Stand in the erect position. You can fold your palms in the ‘namaste’ position for support. Lift your left foot slightly while keeping your body straight. Then, raise the left leg to the side. Hold till the count of five and slowly lower the leg to the starting position.
Frequency: This exercise can be done all days of the week. 10-12 lifts of either leg are recommended.
Exercise No. # 6: Planks
Work on your core muscles with this exercise.
Method: You need to lie down on your stomach for this exercise. Your hands should be under the shoulders and your feet resting on the floor at right angles. Stretch your arms in front of you straight and then lift your abdomen from the floor taking the help of your shoulders and arms. Hold in the position for 30 seconds to start with and then lower yourself down.
Frequency: Start with 30 seconds in the lifted-up position and slowly extend it to about 60 seconds. Repeat this exercise every alternate day of the week. Start with 5 to 10 planks each day and then increase.
Exercise No. # 7: Side Leg Raised
Another exercise that helps work out your butt and outer things is this exercise.
Method: Lie down sideways on the floor. Maintain your body in a straight line for the greatest impact. Raise your head, and take support of your hand and elbow. Keep the other hand on the floor in front. Gradually lift your leg that’s not on the floor. Try to take the leg as high as possible. Hold for a few seconds and then lower it back.
Frequency: Repeat 15-20 times for each leg. You can do this exercise every day of the week.
Minimizing Hip Dips – Lifestyle Choices
Keeping your body fit is a sure shot way to minimize the dips. Exercising is one effective way to do so. The other aspect that you need to take care of is the food that you eat. Ensure the following:
- Shift to consuming more lean protein like beans, tofu, peanut butter, fish, etc.
- Go in for food containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like nuts, olive oil, fish, seeds, etc.
- Drink more water.
- Eat food that is rich in fiber like green vegetables and calcium like oranges, papaya, milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.
- Decrease the consumption of junk and fried food, refined sugar, alcohol, and smoking.
The Bottom Line
It is essential to understand that hip dips are a part of your skeleton and there’s no way you can get rid of them. Exercising and a healthy lifestyle can help minimize the dips by toning down the muscles and removing excess fat.