Why Does My Hip Hurt During My First Few Squat Reps?

Hip pain during your first few squat reps often feels tight, pinching, or stiff because the hips have not fully loosened up yet, especially after sitting, heavy training, or repeated lower-body workouts.

You may notice the first descent into the squat feels awkward or uncomfortable even though later reps feel much smoother. The hip might pinch at the bottom, tighten as you come out of the hole, or feel sore when you first start moving under the bar. Once your body warms up, the movement often becomes more natural and less painful.

This pattern is common when the hips stay tight between workouts or after long periods of sitting. The area can feel locked up at first because the muscles around the hip are stiff and less flexible early in the session. If you keep training through repeated tightness without enough recovery or mobility work, the same painful first-rep feeling may keep returning every squat day.

The First Few Reps Feel Tight Before The Hips Loosen Up

You may feel a sharp pinch or deep tightness during the first few squat reps that eases once you keep moving.

This often happens when the hip flexors, glutes, and deep hip muscles are stiff before training. The first few reps place sudden pressure on areas that have not loosened up yet, especially if you went straight into working sets or sat for a long time beforehand. Once circulation improves and the hips warm up, the movement usually starts feeling smoother.

Lower Depth Positions Start Hurting Early In The Workout

You might notice the pain shows up most at the bottom of the squat before the hips feel fully mobile.

The bottom position places the hips into deeper flexion while the muscles are still tight and restricted. If the hips are sore from recent leg training, heavy squats, or repeated lifting sessions, the joint can feel compressed or irritated during the first few reps. You may also notice the hips feel stiff again later after cooling down or sitting for a while.

Why Your Hip Could Be Taking Longer To Heal

Your hip has a hard time healing when blood flow and circulation are limited.

Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body. Because of this, they often take longer to heal after repeated stress or injury, leaving you more vulnerable to lingering pain and a cycle of reinjury.

When circulation through the area remains limited, injured tissues have a harder time receiving the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal. This can leave your hip feeling stiff, tight, weak, or painful during everyday movement and activity.

What Can Help Your Hip Feel Better

Your hip starts feeling better when blood flow and circulation improve.

Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to promote healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help break up stagnant blood and fluids that remain trapped around injured tissues, interfering with circulation. As circulation improves, blood flows more freely through the area, allowing those tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly.

Topical herbal remedies made with these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain while improving blood flow and circulation to injured tissues. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether you're in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.

If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Acute Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the injured area to speed recovery. During the acute stage of healing, getting circulation moving early allows injured tissues to receive the fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair and heal.

If your injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Sinew Herbal Ice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. While traditional ice is commonly used to reduce swelling, Sinew Herbal Ice acts as an ice alternative to reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to speed the healing process.

If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, Chronic Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood supply to injured tendons and ligaments to promote their healing. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply, which is why chronic injuries can take longer to heal.

If you have residual pain and stiffness, or the area becomes more painful in cold weather, Sinew Injury Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to injured tendons and ligaments to further promote their healing. By strongly increasing circulation, it counteracts the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather that commonly aggravates chronic tendon and ligament injuries.

If you exercise, play sports, or do other strenuous activities, Sinew Sports Massage Oil warms and stimulates muscles for exertion and relieves muscle tightness and soreness after activity. Warming and preparing your muscles before activity can improve flexibility, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.

Why does my hip only hurt during the first few squat reps?

This usually happens because the hip muscles and joint are still stiff before warming up. As you continue moving, the hips often loosen and feel less restricted.

Why does the bottom of the squat feel pinchy at first?

The deeper squat position places more pressure on tight hips early in the workout, especially if mobility is limited or the area is still sore from previous training.

Is it normal for hip pain to improve after warming up?

Yes. Tightness and stiffness often improve once circulation increases and the muscles start moving more freely during activity.

Can sitting make my hips hurt more during squats?

Yes. Long periods of sitting can leave the hip flexors and surrounding muscles feeling tight and restricted before lifting.

Should I stop squatting if my hip hurts during warm-up reps?

If the pain is sharp, worsening, or changing your movement significantly, it is best to reduce load and have the area evaluated before continuing heavy training.

The information provided here is intended to help you better understand your symptoms and recovery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.