Healthy Hips: HIPology

Let's get health hips. Period!


The hip region is supposed to be a strong and mobile unit, which comprises of very powerful muscles, very strong and big bones; and it is a prime connector between the lower and upper bodies. Of course, the hip is healthiest when we keep it healthy with sound exercise, nutrition, recovery, and less mechanical and mental stress. However, due to our occupations and old and outdated exercise programs our hips suffer.

Warming Up The Hip

I like to spend time on the hip region. That is, if someone comes to me; and they are tight in this area, then we will spend several minutes warming it up. It works wonders. Most likely, if our hips are tight, then our glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps (the three main muscle areas in the hip) all suffer something from that tightness.

The connection is that whatever happens at the hip affects our knees, ankles, and feet.

Some hip warm ups include the following: knee tucks, quadriceps pulls, lunges (variations), the greatest stretch, leg swings, supine piriformis switch, and much, much more. As mentioned in previous posts, dynamic flexibility is the way to go. Holding these stretches for 1 to 4 seconds is optimal. Sometimes, an individual can combine these flexibility routines. The word 'stretch' in this situation simply means to hold the muscle in a range for a short period while it is flexed or moved throughout the range of motion.

Dynamic flexibility does not rest the muscle like static stretching. It prepares the muscles, the person, the nerves, etc. for more movement and intensities.

When we enter a gym, our muscles are most often cold. So, if they are cold, then why go straight into running or lifting? This thought particularly pertains to everyone from the novice to the elite (special shout out to the weekend-warrior). College and professional athletes do not even run or lift with cold muscles. Dynamic flexibility is a part of their exercise programs. Why a busy-professional must bypass this phase of the workout, I do not know.

Including this dynamic phase can enhance any workout. So, a little notice: if we are looking for something to change, physically, and we continue to work with the same exercise program that we have been working with since 1992, STOP!

Hip-huggers - talking to everyone reading this post and not just the "mom jean" wearers -our hips will move better and love us so much more.

Be fit...Derek