Mobili-keys to performance

Mobility is the usable range of motion in our joints. The more range we have, along with strength and control throughout that range, the better we can perform in training and races. This week, we’re highlighting three hip mobility exercises to target your pesky tight spots : Couch Stretch, Hip Cars, and 90/90 shin boxes.

1) Couch Stretch: Used to open up your hip flexors and quad (basically your sit muscles).

• Start by using a wall or low couch.

• Place your knee with your foot up at the base of the wall or couch on a pillow or soft cushion.

• Place your hands on the ground outside your hips, squeeze your butt and brace your core as you extend your hips forward to a comfortable stretch position.

• Hold this position for 30-45 sec and switch legs

But stretching alone doesn’t help, we need to use our range…

2) Hip CARS: Controlled Articular Rotations are great for expanding your hips usable range of motion and keeping that way

• On all fours (Knees under hips and arms under shoulders), brace your core and squeeze your butt.

• Drive your arms and legs into the ground, and try to maintain a squared up position to the ground.

• Lift your one knee up towards your chest as high as you can while you keep your lower back neutral (keep bracing). Hold for 2 sec

• Open your knee up and out to the side, with your foot rotating up to the ceiling. Make sure your hips don’t rotate with your leg…keep them squarely forward. Hold 2 sec.

• Next, rotate your heel foot up and back towards the ceiling like a donkey kick. Again as high as you can without compensating at the hip. Hold 2 sec.

• Now lower your knee underneath your hips.

• Reverse the movement back to your starting position and repeat for 5 reps.

3) 90/90’s: This is a great exercise that combines passive stretching of your hips external rotators with some strength to increase freedom of movement and control.

Step 1: 2-minute easy stretch.

Step 2: 10-second deeper stretch. 10-second push into the ground with your front knee at 70% effort.

Step 3: Repeat

Step 4: 30-second relaxed stretch.

Step 5: Repeat steps 2 and 3 once more.