So first we talked about how to build shoulder stability. Then came the all essential core. Now, last but not least we look at the hips. So how on earth does one build hip stability?
photo credit – trx-suspensiontraining [dot] com
Hip Stability
Many injuries are caused by hip tightness and lack of hip stability. When your hips are not supple, or they lack stability, your body uses a lot more of the other muscles from the pelvic region, and this puts stress on certain areas which overcompensate. And overcompensation is the root of all injuries. I have been running for a long time, and I used to think that a pain I had in my ankle, was an ankle injury. After going to the chiropractor,we found out that it was in fact, a hip injury. On each side of your pelvis is a hip capsule, where the femur attaches to the pelvis. This along with more than 40 muscles in and around this hip capsule creates the hip cuff. The hip cuff works almost all the time – for every movement involving rotating your knees in or out, lifting your leg up or back and in every combination. I now incorporate regular TRX into my exercise routine, to strengthen not just my hip, but also my core and shoulders. TRX is indeed the best overall work out for the core, if you ask me;)
In order to strengthen your hips, you should practice doing squats, in perfect form. Squat by pushing your butt back and sinking down all the way, while bending your knees. Think about sitting way down, and back into a low chair. Your knees should never be over extended forward. Instead, poke your butt out towards the back. Keep your chest elevated, your shoulders pulled back and down, and your abs tight. When you sit with your hips, you should create an arch in your lower back, and the weight should be in the middle part of your foot, or towards the back of the heel. Feel your glutes and the other muscles of your hip capsule stretch as you lower your body. Squeeze your glutes to stand back up. In other words, to bend to pick up something from the floor, you should always initiate movement with your hips and squeeze your glutes. This way, pressure is on your hips and not on the knees.
And that is the reason I got my injury from running. Without hip stability the energy from the pounding of running is absorbed and stored in the muscles, tendons and joints, leading to overuse injuries. If your hip capsule is stiff, it’s like you are wearing a cast around your pelvis! It’s very dangerous as you will start to use excessive motion in your back and knees. You should instead use your hip power, flexibility and stability to propel you forward during a run – not your knees and joints.
But the good news is that, once you sort all that out and you’re stable in the hips, core and shoulders, the energy transfers through the feet, legs, core, and arms, leading to maximum performance. Now it’s time to unleash your energy efficiently, creating optimum movement!
Here is the Complete Series on How to Build Stability:
How to Build Stability – Shoulders (Part 1)
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