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Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Functional Training // Injury Rehabilitation // Running Analysis

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Browsing Tags hip

4 of the Best Bang for your Buck Hip Stability Exercises

February 12, 2017 · by Garrett McLaughlin
| Article written on February 12th, 2017 at 7:24pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Stability at the hip joint is an important characteristic for optimal alignment, lower limb mechanics, and performance. But, how do we train this to effectively see carryover in running, sport, and everyday life?

One of the biggest problems I see are people strengthening the hips when trying to improve stability. Yes, strength does matter to proper function and mechanics of the hip joint. But, we can’t just strengthen a muscle or muscle group and expect it to improve it’s role within a movement pattern. That is why each of the following exercises do not strengthen in isolation but rather train alignment and joint control.

With so many exercise choices available to target hip stability, my favorites are those that rely on maintaining a controlled joint position for an extended period of time. Yes, stability should be present throughout the full range of motion. But, giving the body time to anticipate and adjust to create an optimal environment is a beneficial starting point.

Here are 4 of my favorite bang for your buck hip stability exercises:


1/2 Kneeling Chop and Lift

The 1/2 kneeling chop and lift is an exercise that relies on a stabile base of support which is challenged with a moving upper body. The contrast between a stationary base and moving upper body really paves the way for creating a stabile environment.

Have you ever incorporated any 1/2 kneeling positions within your training? Essentially it’s holding a lunge position with the back knee on the ground. The key to this exercise is to set-up in an aligned lower limb position and never falter throughout the thoracic rotation. The heavier the weight you move with the upper body, the more challenging it will become to maintain a solid 1/2 kneeling position.


Split Squat Iso Hold

The split squat iso hold is one of my go to lower body strength and stability movements, or lack thereof. Most people dread this exercise since it becomes very challenging as you increase weight and hold for the desired amount of time.

When you try this exercise for the first time, it’s important to place emphasis on the set-up. That means both legs aligned on either side. Then slightly lift the back knee off the ground, maintaining the front thigh no higher than parallel with the floor.

One common issue I see is people have a hard time pushing through the discomfort and end up standing higher than recommended. Complete for 30-seconds for 2-4 weeks before dropping the time to 15-seconds with added resistance.


Singe Leg Static Row

Since the last two exercises focus primarily on hip stability in the split stance position, it’s important to teach stability on a single leg. I do find value in traditional balance exercises, but if we can incorporate some other movement that disrupts our positioning, stability is further enhanced.

During the single leg static row, ensure you are standing on one leg while rowing with the opposite arm. The key is to maintain alignment on the stance leg without allowing the knee to collapse inward or lose balance. Throughout the hold, the greater the resistance used while rowing will further increase the challenge on hip stability and control.

Not only is this exercise good from a stability standpoint, but it ties in the connection between opposite shoulder and hip. Since this cross pattern is essential in various forms of locomotion, such as crawling, skipping, and running, runners may benefit greatly with it’s carryover to the road.


Single Leg Deadlift

By far, one of the most valuable hip stability movements is the single leg deadlift. Although it may be the best, I often do not start people at this level because it requires a solid foundation of hip strength and stability first. That is why the exercises listed above, along with the hip hinge, should be prerequisites.

From a function standpoint, being able to balance on one leg with good hip stability and control is important. But, can this be maintained while moving through hip flexion and extension?

The Ironic thing is I find many runners who cannot complete this movement successfully, but still run mile after mile. In those situations I question if they possess the necessary amount of balance, stability, and control needed to run efficiently with good mechanics. I would assume not.


Remember, creating better stability at the hip is important but does take time. It’s not incorporating the most difficult exercise that we need but consistently training those that just slightly exceed our ability level that creates lasting results. Only once optimal stability and control are demonstrated do we progress to the next level. If you spend the time to train these characteristics effectively, more efficient movement and joint mechanics are soon to follow.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

The Mobility Monday Series Recap

March 28, 2016 · by Garrett McLaughlin
| Article written on March 28th, 2016 at 10:55am | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Moving well is often assumed, without being assessed. Just because you are not in pain does not mean that you aren’t limited in some way, shape, or form. That is why having a go to guide for self-assessment and correction can be the difference between pain, injury, and dysfunction versus healthy, pain-free movement.

Over the past few months, I have created a series of videos called Mobility Monday. Each week reflected on a different joint throughout the kinetic chain to show you simple, black and white, self-assessment techniques. This is where I think most people fail. We typically know our strengths and weaknesses in other parts of life, but lack the knowledge of our own body. That is unacceptable.

Below you will find a brief overview of each area that was covered. I highly recommend completing the assessments for each body area highlighted. But, to save time, start where you think attention is needed.

***If you have pain, please seek the advice of a healthcare professional. These self-assessments were created solely for healthy, pain-free individuals to improve the quality of their movement.

  • Week #1: Great Toe
  • Week #2: Ankle
  • Week #3: Hip (Adductor)
  • Week #4: Hip (Hip Flexor and Posterior Capsule)
  • Week #5: Hip (Hamstring and Pelvic Position)
  • Week #6: Thoracic Spine
  • Week #7: Shoulder
  • Week #8: Addressing Neural Tension w/ Leah Sawyer

I hope this series opened your eyes to strategies that you can improve movement quality. Remember, even if you are pain-free that doesn’t mean these things don’t matter. We must take a prophylactic approach to movement and have the necessary knowledge to help ourselves rather than continue to compound underlying issues.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Mobility Monday #4: Hip Flexor and Capsular Tightness

February 22, 2016 · by Garrett McLaughlin
| Article written on February 18th, 2016 at 10:46am | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Didn’t get a chance to get out my previous #MobilityMonday posts? Here is a list of what you missed:

  1. Great Toe
  2. Ankle
  3. Hip (Adductors)

Since there are so many vital areas of the hip that pertain to optimal movement and function, I wanted to stay at this joint a little longer. This week, let’s take a look at the hip flexors and posterior joint capsule. We have all heard the quote, “Sitting is the new smoking of this generation.” That’s exactly what your hips think. Excess sitting can cause significant tightness through the hip flexors and changes in joint position.

In this video, I show you a simple test on how to determine hip flexor length, addressing tightness with self-myofascial release, and band mobilization of the hip to restore positioning. Regardless of what you do for work or athletics, these strategies can make an impact. Click the video below to learn more…

 

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

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Exercise of the Month: Hip Hinge

September 14, 2015 · by Garrett McLaughlin
| Article written on September 13th, 2015 at 5:30pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Teaching the body how to hinge at the hips is essential in promoting proper function and reducing unwanted stress through the lumbar spine. It is common for many people with low back pain to be unable to differentiate hip and spine movement. That is why teaching proper hip hinging is important.

The hip hinge is a very basic, but challenging movement. From sitting for long periods of time and improper training, we often lack proper hip extension. The inability for the gluteus maximus to produce extension due to neural inhibition is called gluteal amnesia. Before performing movements such as the hip hinge, we must first learn to activate the appropriate musculature with exercises such as: forearm hip extension and cook hip lift.

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When learning the hip hinge, it is important to start with the fundamentals and progress appropriately. That means learning the proper pattern against a wall to teach neutral spine and only hip motion is key. This entry level variation is what we will focus our attention on in this article. Don’t be fooled by it’s simplistic appearance. Due to poor posture and faulty firing patterns, it can be challenging to execute this movement correctly. And, it’s value cannot be overstated.

How to perform this movement:

  1. Stand 6-12 inches away from the wall
  2. Place the pinky side of your hands into the angled crease of your hip joint
  3. With minimal bend in the knees, drive the hips back to touch the wall
  4. Ensure a neutral spine position with no increase in knee angle as you lower forward
  5. Lower until the spine is parallel to the floor
  6. At the lowest position, contract the glutes and drive the hips forward
  7. Raise back up to the starting position
  8. Repeat for the desired repetitions

Note: Posture is essential in this movement. Maintaining a neutral spine position will reduce force on the lumbar spine discs and musculature once you progress to the weighted versions. Also, keep the knees in only 10-15 degrees of flexion as you complete the movement. They are not allowed to bend more as you lower down, but should straighten as the hips drive completely forward at the top of the movement.

 

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Stability vs. Strength: When Does it Matter?

March 14, 2015 · by Garrett McLaughlin
| Article written on March 14th, 2015 at 12:30pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Strength and stability are two commonly used terms in exercise programming. Unfortunately, they tend to be used incorrectly and interchangeably.

To break it down:

Strength is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to develop contractile force against a resistance in a single contraction.

Stability is the resistance of a muscle or group of muscles to control joint position and centration. Stability can be obtained through active, passive, and neural subsystems.

As you can see from the definitions above, strength and stability are two different qualities within the human body. Just because a muscle is weak, doesn’t mean it cannot stabilize. And, just because a muscle cannot stabilize, doesn’t mean it is weak. There is a strong neural aspect to stability which ultimately places more emphasis on the brain than any one specific muscle.

knee-valgus1The hips are a common area where strength and stability are often misunderstood.  This rings true when seeing a valgus collapse at the knee (see picture to right). Notice how the knee rotates inward during single leg stance? Although it appears that the knee isn’t moving correctly, this can be a foot, hip, or core issue.

From a hip standpoint, poor control of the femur can cause faulty alignment of the knee. When it comes to maintaining alignment, the joint stabilizers must anticipate and react to movement. This means the brain and hip are required to communicate instantaneously through their neural pathways.

Strength of a particular muscle or muscle group, the gluteals in this situation, have nothing to do with this outcome. In this situation, clam shells and sidelying hip abduction would strengthen those muscles very well, but with little impact on the overall movement pattern.
The above mentioned example can be applied to any joit in the body that stability and proper alignment are important. For example, the scapulothoracic joint, or shoulder blade and thoracic spine.

tumblr_lfshdl9SJy1qb8tcvo1_5001-630x441At Charlie Weingroff’s Rehab=Training Training=Rehab seminar several years ago, he showed a person with a winging scapula (see picture to left). Instead of giving strategies to strengthen the scapula retractors and protractors, which would logically pull that medial border of the scapula back into its correct position, a kettlebell was held overhead.

Typically when the scapula stabilizers aren’t functioning properly, the overhead position can be dangerous and cause injury. But, when we add a threat into the system, as the kettlebell being held overhead, we force the brain to develop proper neural pathways to improve function and prevent injury. As the person above did this, his scapula immediately positioned back into its normal alignment. Notice there was no strengthening done in this situation, because stability was the correct approach.

Next time you hear that you are weak within a stabilizing muscle, find out if it is the muscle or the brain which should be the target. Often, the people who are deemed to have weakness are still suffering from pain and faulty movement patterns from focusing on the wrong intervention.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Exercise of the Month: Loaded Single Leg Stance

January 8, 2015 · by Garrett McLaughlin

quadricep-hamstrings-glutesFor people with hip control problems, valgus collapse (inward collapse of knee) can cause dysfunction and long-term injury. Alignment is a key factor in squatting, lunging, and other single leg exercises. I have found it difficult to get into some of these exercises when people lack control in their hips or even have collapsing arches (pronation). The loaded single leg stance is a good way to prepare the body with emphasis on lower limb alignment and control. By holding this position, we are really able to feel the quadricep and glutes of the stance leg, and it’s often enough to allow people to connect with these areas. I think often we come across people who have stability issues, but we don’t put them in positions long enough to truly stabilize and see positive results.

How to complete this exercise properly:

  1. Pick a leg to challenge and begin to balance
  2. Bend the stance leg at the knee and hip and sink down into a lower position
  3. Reach the non-stance leg backwards and focus on keeping the weight on the heel of the stance foot
  4. In terms of arm positioning, use the opposite arm from the stance leg to raise up into a running position. While the other arm is pulled backward
  5. Maintain this position for the desired period of time and then switch sides
  6. Add a dumbbell or kettlebell in the goblet position to increase difficulty, or increase time

Note: During the hold, really focus on squeezing the quad and glutes, and maintain this squeeze throughout the exercise. A slight forward lean will actually cause you to feel the posterior chain more and take some emphasis off of the quads, which we are looking for. If you notice the knee collapses inward and it is difficult to control, try this version with reactive neuromuscular stabilization (RNT).


By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

 

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