The Hip Hinge movement
is used in many movements including Deadlifts, Good Mornings and Kettle Bell
Swings.
Many of these movements
will be performed many times with the stresses of speed, load, intensity and
the resulting fatigue.
So how do we keep hip
hinge function optimal for multi-rep movements.
What is a Hip Hinge?
The hinge involves a
flexion/extension movement that originates in the hips and involves a posterior
weight shift. When done correctly, it
can be one of the more powerful movement patterns you can perform.
Often considered one of
the primal movement patterns (one that we are all physiologically designed to
execute with ease), the hip hinge offers many benefits:
It opens up hamstring
flexibility and offers mobility through the hip joint
Builds symmetry and
reduces injury
Shortens the learning
curve when introducing more complex movements/exercises
Serves as a great
assessment to diagnose flexibility/mobility issues as well as a weak or
unstable core area
Is great for un-doing
some of the damage that prolonged sitting can do to the body
Unfortunately, many people
have no concept on how to hinge properly or disregard the movement as
unnecessary because of it looks too “simple.”
But, as legendary
strength coach and author Dan John said,
“The truth is, the hinge, in its own
right, is more powerful than the squat.”
How To Hip Hinge:
The first thing to
understand is the difference between a hinge and a squat:
People today are
growing more and more conscious about their bodies and they are opting to go to
the gym and doing regular exercises. However, if you do not know how to lift
weights and exercise properly, it might be useless for you to go to the gym. It
should be noted that of weights are not lifted properly, they could cause
sprains and other serious injuries. It is, therefore, vital that you know how
to lift weights properly as is discussed below.
As is the case with
most exercise routines, the first thing that you need to do is to warm up. This
s one part of the workout that should not be taken for granted. Under all
circumstances, a full body stretch is extremely important.
After your warm up, you
should then go ahead to observe slow repetitions. It is often advisable that
you do not rush the lift. You should slowly repeat the whole process of lifting
a certain weight, taking pauses between each lift. For example, if you are doing
a bicep curl, the pause should come each time your arm is curled. Once the
weights have been placed down, you should also make another pause. If this is
not observed, too much strain will be put on your joints and the workout will
not be as effective as is required.
Like all exercises, you
need to drink a lot of water while lifting weights. This is because; your body
will be losing a lot of water as you're sweating and this water needs to be
replaced.
It is very important
for you to remember to breathe. Whenever you are pulling or pushing weights,
you should not forget to breathe, since your body needs a lot of oxygen in the
process. As you lift the weight, you should make sure that you exhale and as
you put it down, you should inhale. It should be noted that exhaling relaxes
muscles and the heart, thus, enabling you to have control as you lift the
weights.
You should remember not
to over do it or not to over lift the weights. It is vital that your body is
not over worked; since your muscles need to be given time to recuperate. It is
advisable that you lift weights for only about one and a half hours, three
times a week.
It is very important
for you to remember to use weights that are right. In other words, you should
only deal with weights that you are capable of handling. You should not force
yourself to lift weights that you are not capable of lifting, since this might
cause some injuries. You should stick to weights that you can lift up to ten
times. However, if you feel the weight is too light, you should slowly add some
more.
It is often advisable
that one body part is focused on each day for proper results and reducing the
risk of injury.
You can read more about
lifting weights properly [http://www.tipsonyourhealth.com] on my blog.
