T Nation

hips

Bodybuilding
#1

OK, I still don’t have the kind of free range of motion I would like my hips to have. Forward and back they work fine, just great in fact. But if I move either leg out to the side far (away from center, right leg out to the right) it feels like it’s about to pop, but doesn’t. What is limiting my flexibility in this area? Am I feeling weak hip muscles?
I need these things to work to play defense in sports.

Adam Marshall

#2

Try doing some yoga.

#3

Yoga isn’t a huge possibility as I’m at college now and it would cost money and that, is unacceptable.

Would a book on yoga do the trick?

That cheap guy Adam Marshall

#4

Do you stretch a lot? You should stretch half the time of your workout. Ie if you workout 30 minutes then you should follow that with 15 of stretching if you are not doing that you are cheating yourself. Flexible pliable muscles are strong muscles.

#5

Your nervous system is the problem. Your body has shortened its muscle flexibility because you havent 1)been stretching enough to maintain that length and 2) You dont do activities that require you to have that hip mobility. I would recommend John Davies hurdle work from his Renegade Football book. This is about your athletic ability, not squat poundages. If you walk like you just got off a horse like most bodybuilders, then you are in some trouble.

#6

Adam Marshall. You are easy prey right now. Get a book on yoga and get Davies book. You are not an athlete without good hips. Hell. You ain’t shit without hips. Through all other training out the window right now and focus on your hips.

#7

The flexibility in the hips is key. When I used to be involved in tae-kwon do the flexibility in the hips was the toughest thing for most people older then say 13 or 14. It takes a lot to get that hip flexibility but once you get it then it is easier to maintain. I like doing a series of dynamic drills after the warmup and before a workout such as rear leg roundhouse kicks, crescent kicks, hurdle drills, ducking under hurdles, overhead squats, twisting squats, and box squats then following the workout I do some static stretches such as splits etc.

#8

Thanks so much everyone for your responses.
I will agressively implement most of these strategies in an effort to get rid of this limit on my performance.