Hip Strengthening Exercises for Runners
Usually I demonstrate bodyweight exercises on Experiment of One Coaching. For this post, however, I’m going to show you some hip strengthening exercises I do using resistance bands. These bands cost around $15 and can be purchased at your local fitness equipment store or online. (This week I even saw a set of bands at my local grocery store for $8!) These bands often come in a pack of three with the lightest resistance for preventing hip injury, medium for warming up for a run, and heaviest resistance for a strength training or as a ‘movement snack’ during the day.
EXERCISES
These three exercises work the hips in different directions or planes of movement:
Side Walk
With the exercise band looped around both ankles, both knees bent slightly, keep left foot planted on the ground while stepping sideways with the right foot. To move in the other direction, keep right foot planted and step with left foot.
Sumo Walk
With the exercise band looped around both ankles, both knees bent slightly, keep the left foot planted on the ground while stepping in a semi-circle forward direction. Then, keep your right foot planted and step with the left foot in a semi-circle forward direction.
Skateboard Push
With the exercise band looped around both ankles, both knees bent slightly, keep left foot planted on the ground while stepping backwards (like pushing a skateboard) with the right foot. Then, keep your right foot planted and step backwards with the left foot.
EXERCISE ROUTINES
You're out for a run with friends and feeling great! You decide to go 5K further at this great pace, leaving you stiff and sore afterward (which has happened with me on more than one occasion;). If this should happen to you, use the light resistance band and do each exercise to loosen the hip. Do these exercises a number of times throughout the day (hourly) to keep the hip loose. If your hip doesn’t loosen or perhaps you’re already seeing a health professional, consult with them to see if additional techniques or exercises are required.
If warming up before a run, use the medium resistance band and do each exercise 10 times each leg to warm up.
If using as part of a strength training routine, use the heaviest resistance band and first, find out how many of each exercise you can do before your hip muscles start to burn, showing strain. Then, do two less than this number. Like your other strengthening exercises you may want to do more than one set. Or, if planned as a ‘movement snack’, used at different times throughout the day.
Thanks for reading!
Readers may be interested in these posts on different exercise routines:
And perhaps the most specific form of strength training for runners....Hill Sprints
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