mobility and flexibility: hip edition
What is mobility and why are these exercises important?
Mobility is the ability to move a joint through a range of motion. Mobility is what gets you out of bed in the morning, what gives you the ability to reach for a cup from the cabinet, and what allows you to sit in a deep squat.
When you move your joints through their range of motion, you’re consistently giving the body feedback to keep or gain range of motion. These exercises will help with just that.
Today we'll start with hip mobility, which can help reduce lower back pain, increase flexibility, and help boost your overall physical performance.
90/90 Flip: Hip Mobility
The 90/90 flip is a great exercise to use for hip mobility, to gain and even maintain your current mobility and control. You’re putting each hip into an internal and an external rotation while transitioning back and forth between the two.
Coaching Cues:
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Before you begin the repetition take a big breath and fill your belly with air.
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Develop tension in your upper and lower body.
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Drive your heels into the floor as you slowly flip to the opposite side.
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Keep your chest tall.
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If you need to regress, place your hands on the floor behind you.
Rep/Set Prescription:
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2-3 sets of 10 flips
Adductor Rockers: Hip Mobility
The adductor rockers are beneficial for exactly that, your adductors! If you don’t know where your adductors are, it’s the group of muscles that sit in your groin area.
Coaching Cues:
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Straighten one leg out to the side, this is the leg you’ll be mobilizing or stretching.
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Take an exhale and gently rock your hips back as you feel a stretching sensation into your groin aka adductors.
Rep/Set Prescription:
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2-3 sets of 20 rockers
Jason is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and FRCms Functional Range Mobility Specialist and is the owner, and head personal trainer of JP FitPro. To see more from Jason regarding mobility, follow him on Instagram: @repthereds