The Bum Deal

I met a guy in his mid-20s yesterday who looked like an AFL player during training season - super fit, athletic, great posture.
He approached me after class to share that he had also had a hip replacement recently and was "struggling to get back into it".
It's particularly difficult, and I don't think medical staff understand this at all, for fit, active people to contemplate being able to do LESS whether it's temporary or long-term. What a crime that there isn't more emotional support and encouragement for people undergoing hip replacement.

Anyway! He was interested in my rehab suggestions and he is the second person this week to ask what my rehab program entails - from a physio, obviously.
I don't have a physio. I was getting conflicting attitudes and diagnoses, entirely different treatment plans and exercises while in rehab hospital for ONE WEEK. I'm afraid I wasn't interested in being treated like a guinea pig.
I know my body and I had maintained it in strong condition for a long period before surgery so I was confident in bringing it back to health too.

The major focus if you want to protect and insulate your hip against damage is to strengthen your bum. You also need to develop strong core strength - that means knowing how to activate your abdominals and not just while you're doing sit-ups. You also need an awareness around not overusing the front of your hips and straining your lower back - if you fear that this is happening, DO FIND a physiotherapist/clinical pilates professional who can teach you perfect form. It's worth the cost because you won't be getting recurring pain and injuries that can lead to long-term damage.

This workout has a major bonus. You will switch from a lower body exercise to an upper body exercise. This makes the blood flow switch from upper to lower every 4 - 5 minutes, increasing the heart rate and forcing your body to work harder to maintain strength, form and function.
This means greater cardio bang for your buck and a little bit of sweat so that your local cafe knows you're not just wearing gym gear for the sake of it, you know how to work.