Press Up Power Challenge
Think you’ve got what it takes to conquer the ultimate bodyweight challenge?
How it works
This November, we’re putting your strength and endurance to the test with our month-long Press-Up Challenge! Whether you’re a beginner mastering incline press-ups or an experienced lifter chasing the 100 Club, this challenge is for EVERYONE.
Week 1 – Max reps in 60s
Week 2 – 20-a-day streak
Week 3 – Beat your baseline by 10%
Week 4 – 100 reps in one session
Track your progress, climb the leaderboard, and earn prizes along the way. It’s time to press on and power up. Are you in?
#PressUpPower #SouthwarkStrong #MemberChallenge #FitnessGoals
Muscle of the month
Monthly workouts targeting specific muscles
Each month we’ll focus on a different muscle so you can learn how to train different areas of your body.
November Muscle of the Month: Hip-flexors
Week One: Meet Your Hip Flexors ‘The Hidden Engines of Movement’
If you walk, run, squat, climb stairs, or sit (so… all of us!), your hip flexors are working hard behind the scenes. These small but mighty muscles including the iliacus, psoas, pectineus, rectus femoris, and sartorius are responsible for lifting your thigh towards your torso and stabilising your pelvis during movement.
Strong hip flexors aren’t just for athletes. They’re essential for posture, core stability, and lower back health. Tight or weak hip flexors can lead to lower back pain, hip discomfort, and poor movement mechanics – especially if you sit for long periods.
#HipFlexors #MovementMatters #MobilityFirst #SouthwarkStrong
Pro Tip: Add dynamic hip flexor stretches to your warm-up and include strengthening exercises like hanging leg raises or resisted marches in your workouts. Better hip mobility means better movement – in and out of the gym.
Week 2 – Are You Sitting on a Problem? ‘Why Hip Flexors Get Tight
How they support you
Modern life is tough on your hip flexors. Hours spent sitting at desks, in cars, on sofas keep these muscles in a shortened position. Over time, that can lead to tightness, stiffness, and weakness, increasing the risk of lower back pain, poor posture, and reduced athletic performance.
Here’s how to fight back:
Daily Mobility: Spend 5-10 minutes each day stretching your hip flexors. Lunging hip flexor stretches, couch stretches, and dynamic swings all work wonders. Active Strength: Don’t just stretch, strengthen. Exercises like hanging knee raises, standing banded marches, and weighted step-ups build strength through range. Desk Detox: Every 30-45 minutes, stand, walk, or move to prevent muscles from shortening.
Tight hip flexors are one of the most common causes of back and hip pain but with a little daily attention, you can keep them long, strong, and functional.
#PosturePerfect #MobilityMatters #HealthyHips #StrongFromTheCore
5 Moves to Strengthen Your Hip Flexors
When it comes to strength training, hip flexors rarely get the spotlight but they should. Strong hip flexors improve running speed, explosiveness, core control, and lifting performance.
Try adding these five moves into your next lower-body or core session:
- Hanging Leg Raises – Builds strength and control through full range.
- Banded Marches – Improves hip drive and control for running and lifting.
- Lying Straight-Leg Lifts – Great for beginners to isolate hip flexors.
- Weighted Step-Ups – Mimics real-world movement patterns.
- High-Knee Marches with Pause – Combines balance, coordination, and control.
#StrongerHips #AthleticPerformance #TrainSmart #SouthwarkFitness
Week 3: Train Smarter
Pro Tip: Hip flexors work best alongside glutes and core muscles — train them as a team, not in isolation.
Week 4: Mobility Matters – Stretch and Release Your Hip Flexors
Strength is only half the story.
To unlock your body’s full movement potential, you also need mobility especially in the hip flexors.
Here’s a simple 5-minute mobility sequence to release tight hips and improve range of motion:
- Couch Stretch: Deep stretch for psoas and quads. (2x30s each side)
- World’s Greatest Stretch: Opens hips, hamstrings, and thoracic spine. (2x30s each side)
- 90/90 Hip Stretch: Targets hip capsule and improves internal/external rotation. (2x30s each side)
- Dynamic Hip Swings: Activates and lengthens muscles before training. (2×15 reps)
Do this 3 to 4 times a week (or daily if you sit a lot) and you’ll notice improved squat depth, more fluid running mechanics, and less lower back tension.
Combine mobility and strength for the best results: strong muscles move you, but flexible ones move you well.
#MobilityMatters #FlexibleStrong #HipHealth #SouthwarkStrong