Hip Extension - The Foundation of Explosive Power for any Sport or High- Performance Occupation
Taking your performance to a new level
Team! Today's edition of Performance Edge is intended to level up your training in virtually any sport or high-performance occupation. Hip extension is a foundational functional movement that drives jumping, running, lifting loads off the floor, and generating momentum for moving loads from the floor to overhead. By training the origination point of these movements, we can improve the execution of any movement rooted in hip extension translating into greater overall performance. Enjoy! -Carla
Hip extension occurs when you rise from the bottom of a squat to the standing position. In this case, the hip joint “opens” as you rise to a standing position. In simple terms, the “hip joint” is the ball and socket joint where the head of the femur meets the pelvis. Flexion at the hip occurs, for example, when you do a sit-up. As your torso approaches your knees, the hip joint is “flexed” or closed.
The primary muscles involved in hip extension are the gluteal muscles and the hamstrings. This movement is important for walking, climbing stairs, and hiking on uneven surfaces. If you are an athlete, hip extension capacity is helpful for explosive movements such as jumping and running, for weightlifting movements such as squats and deadlifts as well as the Olympic lifts such as cleans and snatches.
Many of us do a lot of sitting during our daily lives. Spending a lot of time sitting where the hips are flexed, can weaken the hip extensors. For this reason, it is important to focus on increasing strength and capacity for hip extension for longevity in performing our activities of daily living and to optimize performance in our athletic endeavors.
Below are 3 workouts that target hip extension strength and power in different ways. Adding one or two of these workouts to your weekly training and rotating among them will help you build overall capacity and power in this movement translating into a level up in your sport or occupation.
Workout #1
Featured movement: Sumo Deadlift High Pull (SDLP)
The first part of this movement is a deadlift. It is very important to get this part of the movement right to keep your lower back protected. Be sure to keep your back straight- your legs, glutes, and hamstrings are doing the lifting, NOT the muscles of the lower back.
Next, review the sumo deadlift high pull progression video paying close attention to the mechanics tips in the text.
Practice! At first, you may want to do a deadlift, pause, then the high pull. This is ok! As you practice and become more familiar with the movement, the two parts of the lift will flow together. Don’t pull too soon! Be sure you are fully extended at the hips (standing up straight) before pulling the bar up.
The “shrug” then the “pull” happens the second the hips fully extend. When the hips are extended with some speed or “pop” this begins to move the bar upward which signals the start of the pull. The upper extremties simply guide the bar upward.
TIP! When setting up for the SDLHP, set your eye gaze to a point on the ground 10 ft in front of you. You do not want to be looking straight ahead as this will hyper-extend the neck. Keep the neck neutral by setting your gaze as above.
HOW TO: Set a timer and perform 21 repetitions of the SDLHP, then 1 repetition of your push-up option. Then perform 15 repetitions of the SDLHP and 3 push-ups, and so on until you complete the repetition scheme. Your score is the amount of time it takes to complete the workout.
For Time:
21 - 15 - 12 - 9 - 6 - 3 - 1
Kettlebell Sumo deadlift high pull
1 - 3 - 6 - 9 - 12 -15 -21
Strict Push-up
Workout #2
Featured movement: The Kettlebell Swing
This workout utilizes higher volume in two movements that require hip extension: The kettlebell swing and running! Workout #1 was more strength-based. This workout targets muscle stamina.
Movement Practice: Watch the demo video and take note of the mechanics of the kettlebell swing. Select a moderately heavy weight allowing you to do 15 swings unbroken.
For time: (Break up sets as needed to complete the repetition scheme)
45 kettlebell swings
400-m run
35 kettlebell swings
800-m run
25 kettlebell swings
1,200-m run
15 kettlebell swings
*For advanced-level athletes, the suggested kettlebell weight is 24 kg (35#) for women
Workout #3
Featured movement: The Squat Jump
This workout is about explosive muscle power in the hip extension, which is important for jumping and sprinting. “Power” is the ability to move load quickly. This is quite the opposite of Workout #2 which focuses on higher rep volume and longer duration. Both are important for sports and occupations where physical demands can change abruptly and unexpectedly.
Movement Practice
Practice 5-7 repetitions of each movement, using this practice to select your weights. Once you have selected your weights, perform 8 repetitions of each movement in sequence to simulate the flow of the workout. Once you are confident in your selections and your movements, start that timer!
For the Hip Bridge, choose a moderate weight (plate, dumbbell, or barbell) where you can do the 12 repetitions unbroken. For the squat jump, start in a squat and jump as high as you can. For the OH lunges, select a lighter dumbbell (no less than 10#) and do 24 alternating lunges in place with the dumbbell extended overhead. Switch arms as needed.
How To
Perform each movement in sequence (hip bridge, then jump, then lunge, then rest 1 min = 1 round) at a moderate pace. Don’t be afraid to push the intensity as you have 1 minute of rest at the end of each round.
5 Rounds – For Time
12 Squat Jump for height
Movement alternative: 12 moderately heavy dumbbell thrusters
24 alternating single-arm overhead lunges
30 Mountain Climbers (R+L = 2 reps)
Rest 1 min
Target time: < 20 minutes
Active Recovery
Post-workout recovery is a critical element of training for all ages and fitness levels. Hip extension work requires coordination among some of the largest muscle and joint complexes of the body and thus generates more fatigue and requires more recovery. Active recovery days are essential for the body and mind. Below is a 40-minute yoga sequence from 5 Parks Yoga to help you round out your hip extension training.