This is the fourth of 4 posts to flesh out the introducing hip mobility and lumbar stability post that I did a little while ago. In this mini-series, I’m going to cover:
- Stretching
- Soft tissue work
- Activation drills
- Strength exercises
Strength training for increased hip mobility
As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve allowed my posture to deteriorate recently and I was shocked at how bad it had become when I saw my holiday snaps (check out the lower back arch!).
To reduce the classic “S” curve that I have developed, I am working on increasing the strength of the two muscle groups that will tip my pelvis into optimal alignment again, the abdominals and the glutes.
Strength training for improving hip mobility and lumbar lordosis
When it comes to improving my hip mobility and reducing lumbar lordosis, I am looking to increase the strength of my abdominal and gluteal muscles in order to change my posture and overall movement patterns. I want to make the abdominal and gluteal muscles stronger so that they tend to pull my pelvis out of anterior tilt and into optimal alignment.
For the glutes, the best exercises I know of that strengthen the glutes are the weighted pistol and the weighted glute bridge. For more reading about this, Mike Reinold has some interesting data that he has reviewed that shows that single leg squats are the most effective exercises for recruiting the glutes. For the abdominals, the best exercise I have ever used (and the only one that I ever feel in my abs) is the weighted hanging leg raise.
Weighted pistols
You know what pistols are. A true weighted pistol would be a pistol on the ground while holding dumbbell (or kettlebell or weight plate). I tend to do mine off a 12″ box for two reasons.
Firstly, it means I can be a bit more relaxed about where I hold the weights, which helps me with balance (I used to be a swimmer, so on dry land I am about as useful as a penguin). I tend to hold them out forwards and slightly lower than I would if I were doing a pistol off the ground.
Secondly, it means I can be a bit more relaxed about where the inactive leg goes, so it tends to drop a bit. This means that I concentrate on the lift rather than holding one leg up in the air. It is also much better for my lower back as the easier angle means that there is less lumbar rounding.
Weighted glute bridges
These are just like the unweighted glute bridges I mentioned in my article about activation drills. But with weight.
Weighted hanging leg raises
I was over the moon the first time I did a fully straight-legged hanging leg raise from a pull-up bar.
But when I discovered that it was possible to weight them using little more than a climbing sling and a dumbbell weight plate, that opened a whole new world. Basically, you double up and loop a standard 2ft sling through a small dumbbell weight and then put your feet through the loops like this.
Try them if you find hanging leg raises too easy. You’ll be amazed at how far a little weight goes when it’s suspended at the end of your legs…
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