Hip extension includes among the strongest muscular tissues in your physique, the hip extensors. However as a rule, they’re additionally probably the most missed.
I’m the primary to confess that as a result of I began operating as supple 20 yr outdated, I didn’t spend a lot time serious about something associated to hip mobility or harm prevention.
OHHHHH foolish little me. If solely I’d recognized that enhancing my hip extension, flexibility and mobility would haven’t solely improved my operating, however prevented IT Band Syndrome.
Ahh properly let’s simply say I’d have been doing all of this sooner!
You see, whereas the knee ache is commonly the most typical criticism amongst runners, the issue is your hips.
It shocks all of us who undergo a serious harm to seek out that just about all of our points may very well be resolved with a bit additional PT time on our hips!
On this article, you’ll be taught all the things it’s essential find out about hip extension, what muscular tissues they aim, why they matter for runners, and the workout routines it’s essential do to keep away from accidents.
What’s Hip Extension?
Hip extension is the motion of your thighs away out of your entrance pelvis. It happens whenever you lengthen your hip joint in order that the angle between your thigh and pelvis will increase.
In different phrases, when your foot is on the bottom and your reverse knee is within the air, your extension is within the foot pushing off.
This second within the stride offers you a LOT OF POWER. In case you can’t absolutely lengthen, then you may’t absolutely utlize the muscular tissues to propel your hips ahead.
Our hip extension is commonly compromised on account of our sedentary life-style, as sitting round for too lengthy can lead to tighter hip flexors and weak spot within the hip extensors.
Hip Extension vs Hip Flexion
As defined above, hip extension is whenever you lengthen your hip joint in order that the angle between your thigh and pelvis will increase. Examples of on a regular basis actions that contain your hip extensors embody standing, getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, strolling, and operating.
Hip flexion, alternatively, is whenever you lower the angle between your thigh and pelvis. Examples of actions that contain your hip flexors embody sitting at your desk and decreasing right into a squat.
What Muscle tissue Do Hip Extensions Goal?
Hip extension depends on two major muscular tissues that are our glutes (gluteus maximus) and hamstrings. Providing you with a bit extra of the physique breakdown so you realize the place your muscular tissues are and the way they work.
1. Gluteus Maximus and Gluteus Medius
That is the prime muscle concerned in hip extension, and it additionally occurs to be the most important muscle in our buttocks. Though the gluteus maximus is the primary muscle, the gluteus medius additionally helps in hip extension to a decrease extent.
2. Hamstrings
There are three muscular tissues that make up the hamstring, specifically the biceps femoris lengthy head, semitendinosus, and the semimembranosus. All three assist the glutes throughout hip extension actions.
AND on the flip aspect, we’ll be engaged on releasing tight hip flexors!
Why Does Hip Extension Matter for Runners?
Through the push of portion of our stride, the leg needs to be prolonged straight behind us and our glute medius engaged to create a forceful push off the bottom.
Nevertheless, if our hips are weak, unstable, or inactive then we lose out on this energy!
Our aim is to create a steady pelvis (that means it doesn’t drop aspect to aspect whereas operating), enhance our vary of movement and the facility from our glutes to get probably the most from that stride!!
- You’ll run quicker by partaking extra muscular tissues.
- It’s going to scale back accidents as a result of different muscular tissues don’t need to compensate for the weak ones.
- It’s potential to run farther by not fatiguing the muscular tissues which might be making an attempt to make up for the weak hips.
Points Created by Poor Hip Extension and Rotation
If, as a runner, you lack both the hip extension or the pelvic management required to successfully make use of the hip extension you do have then a number of points can happen whenever you run.
One of the fundamentals ones is that it’ll develop into tougher so that you can improve stride size sufficiently sufficient to be run at a tempo that acknowledges your full operating potential, whereas nonetheless staying environment friendly.
Jay Dicharry of REP Biomechanics lab says 85 p.c of runners have tight hip flexors. And Olympic operating coach Bobby McGee says it’s the very first thing we should always deal with with operating kind.
To ensure that runners to attain maximal extension/energy (kicking the leg out behind you) of roughly 20 levels, the hip must be open sufficient to rotate internally.
With out that rotation the physique begins to compensate with different muscular tissues. This results in overuse accidents, imbalances, IT Band and knee points.
One of the frequent methods that is illustrated is by in case your “hip drops” when operating.
This can be a signal of weak hips and infrequently a weak core. Get a full stride evaluation, not simply your ft on the operating retailer, to see the place you could be weak. 
All proper so what will we do about it??
Sadly runner’s consider that being injured is simply a part of the sport, however it doesn’t need to be if we take heed to our our bodies and take only a few minutes to work on some particular areas {{cough hips}}.
Do you know your hips may very well be the reason for your knee and IT band ache? #runchat Click on To Tweet
Operating Accidents Brought on by Hip Restriction
There’s a actual correlation between runners being unable to attain the required glute-powered hip drive whereas operating on account of tight glutes and hips.
Firstly, when a runner can’t propel with their hips, i.e. glutes and hamstrings, they have a tendency to propel utilizing their plantar flexors (the calf advanced) at their ankles.
This could manifest as pushing-off excessively on the ankle which locations extra demand on the plantar flexors of the ankle and calf advanced.
Whereas these flexors are structured to contribute to this propulsion by way of the ft and ankles, they’re not meant to create all of this propelling drive. It must be shared by the hips and plantar flexors.
By having weak and restricted hips, your plantar flexors have to choose up the slack in relation to propulsive efforts.
This could result in a bunch of points and accidents akin to Achilles tendon accidents, calf tightness, plantar fasciitis, and even shin splints. To not neglect IT band and total knee points basically.
Your decrease again may begin compensating for a decreased vary of movement and energy in your hip muscular tissues which can then even trigger spinal accidents.
All proper so what will we do about it??
Sadly, runners consider that being injured is simply a part of the sport, however it doesn’t need to be if we take heed to our our bodies and take only a few minutes to work on some particular areas {{cough hips}}.
Hip Extension Workouts for Runners
Not too long ago I posted on Instagram new strikes I’ve been doing with a stability ball which have been superb for serving to to open up my hips {which implies a greater stride and extra fluid motion}.
A variety of you requested to see what they regarded like in motion and who am I to say no!
What muscular tissues lengthen the hip?
Hip extension is commonly compromised on account of our sit all day tradition, which could lead you to the culprits: your glutes and your hamstrings. The glutes are sometimes inactive on account of sitting, whereas the hamstrings develop into tight on account of a tilted pelvis.
7 Greatest Hip Extension Workouts
One fast place to begin to launch the tightness is to attempt standing extra all through the day, embody these hip flexor stretches after which begin including in only a few of those strikes 3 occasions every week.
You’ll even be amazed at how a lot these work your core, which once more goes to enhancing your total operating kind and energy!
The next video demonstrates a few of my favourite hip energy strikes, which may at all times be achieved as a part of your heat up or throughout a energy coaching day.
In every of those strikes don’t neglect to have interaction your core for the complete impact.
1. Single Leg Extension
Standing in your proper leg, bend your left leg as if pulling it again for a stretch and place your foot on the ball.
You wish to begin with the ball virtually proper beneath you after which slowly lengthen that leg again. Initially you would possibly must evenly maintain one thing to maintain your steadiness. As you strengthen your hips and enhance steadiness and stability, it received’t be essential.
2. Stability Ball Rotation
In a tabletop place together with your knees on the ball, rotate each knees to the left after which pull your self again to the beginning place.
You’ll want to have interaction your core and hips to make this transfer work!
3. Core Tuck
From a plank place with ft on the ball, have interaction your core and hips to tug the ball in to your arms after which with management launch it again out to a full plank.
This train engages your deep core muscular tissues to make them stronger and assist improve steadiness and stability in your physique.
4. Hip Bridge
Laying on the ground with each heels on the ball, convey the steadiness ball in to your bum whereas holding your hips lifted.
Doing a hip bridge with a stability ball will increase hamstring, glute, and inside thigh energy.
It additionally prompts and engages the postural muscular tissues and abdominals, and it helps to enhance pelvic stability. Plus, this train is low-impact and so it doesn’t put strain on joints.
Checkout another hip bridge options!
5. Single Leg Bridge
Increase your left leg within the air whereas holding your proper foot on the ball. Pull the ball in to you with simply your proper foot, whereas once more holding your hips within the air.
This train isolates and strengthens your hip extensors, i.e., your glutes and hamstrings.
6. Chicken Canine
Start in your palms and knees together with your palms straight beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips.
Lengthen your proper arm ahead and your left leg again whereas holding your hips and shoulders parallel to the bottom.
Maintain the place for 2-3 seconds earlier than returning to the beginning place. Repeat with the alternative arm and leg.
7. Clamshell
Lie in your aspect together with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your ft collectively.
Maintaining your ft collectively, elevate your high knee up in direction of the ceiling whereas holding your ft touching. Decrease your knee again all the way down to the beginning place.
Don’t wish to neglect these strikes? Pin them for later.
Advantages of Hip Extension Workouts for Runners
The workout routines, I defined above, may appear easy, however they’re extremely efficient. They’ll assist strengthen your hip extensor muscular tissues and in addition improve your vary of movement.
Utilizing a stability ball, to do these workout routines as I’ve defined and proven within the video, creates an unstable floor and challenges extra and deeper muscular tissues to kick in and assist. This creates energy and these workout routines are extremely efficient at understanding all of your hip muscular tissues.
Doing these strikes will stabilize the pelvis, scale back pressure on the again and even assist enhance your total athletic efficiency in not simply operating however different sports activities that require energy.
Each hip extension and hip flexion are essential in relation to steadiness. Whereas many people do are inclined to work our hip flexors, we ignore our hip extensors. By concentrating on each and never neglecting both, we will drastically forestall operating accidents from occurring.
Operating is nice to your hips, glutes and knees in the event you simply give your physique a bit bit of additional consideration to make sure it’s able to go after hours of sitting. That’s why I’m at all times harping on the need of a nice dynamic heat up!
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