If I were to narrow down 3 exercises I most commonly prescribe for those with general stiffness and very little movement variability in the hip, it would be these

Something for the back, then the side, and of course the front of the hip.

If you can’t flex and extend the hip, then good luck moving through other planes of motion

Exercise 1: Quadruped Glute Stretch

- Start with the knee directly under the hip with the foot slightly turned inward.

- Hinge forward and sit the hip back while getting heavy on the working side.

- Think about dropping the opposite side pelvis relative to the stretching side

You can move dynamically in a hinge type motion or perform contract/ relax cycles for where you isometrically drive the knee down and back (hip extension) and relaxing into more hip flexion

Exercise 2: Side Lying Banded or Loaded Hip Scissor

(a staple in my Supple Hips Program)

- Set up in side lying with the hips flexed 75-90 degrees and heavy band around the top knee.

- Allow the band tension to pull the top knee forward over the bottom one as you feel a strong lateral hip stretch on the bottom side *no pinch in the groin*

- then pull back against band resistance by driving bottom knee int the ground.

- move dynamically back n forth for reps

*Alternatively elevate the bottom hip on a yoga block or foam roller and use a weight plate on the top hip to leverage a stretch

Exercise 3: Front Foot Elevated Active Hip Extension

- Elevate front foot on a high box to lock the pelvis in a backward rotation (relative hip extension)

- Perform one of the following for 8-12 reps with a 3 second hold each

- Back knee extensions- Sink into the lowest possible lunge so front hip is maxed out in hip flexion. without losing the hip flexion aim to extend the knee by driving the heel backward. You should feel a strong glute contraction while simultaneously further stretching the back hip flexor