Hey guys its JP and in this video we will talk about what lumbopelvic-hip control is
and the importance of it...as well as some exercises that I use to address this, so you
can improve the way you run. Again due to the current situation with the corona virus,
the exercises I will be going over in this video require minimal equipment, so they can
easily be performed at home. Now, lets get into the video!
The reason I am making a video on this is because when people think about improving
stability in the trunk and lower body, people automatically assume that they should just
be strengthening the abdominal muscles; however, doing so is only addressing ONE piece of the
puzzle. What I like to say is that the "core" should involve more than just the abs. Multiple
muscles are responsible for stability around the lower body, especially as you RUN. This
is why it is important to include exercises that address LUMBOPELVIC-HIP control. As the
name implies, this involves muscles around the trunk, pelvis, and hip. To keep it simple,
these muscles work TOGETHER to improve stability and control in the area to optimize the way
you move as you run. Therefore, we should be working on coordination and control of
all the muscles in this area.
Now that we covered that, lets go over some exercises I incorporate to improve Lumbopelvic-hip
control that can easily be performed at HOME. The first exercise I will be going over is
the Single Leg Bridge with Straight Leg Raises. This is actually a great exercise I use to
both assess lumbopelvic-hip control as well as work on it. This one was inspired by one
of my colleagues Chris Johnson. Anyway, to do this one, start in a bridge position like
so. Then, straighten out one leg and hold it for 5-10 seconds depending on your mastery
of the activity. The moment the leg leaves the ground, this incorporates muscular demands
from multiple angles, so not only are you working on the muscles in the posterior chain,
but now also around the entire hip and lower trunk...aka the lumbopelvic area. Anyway,
as you perform this, try to keep the pelvis level and try not to let the hips sink. This
ensures that you are working those muscles. Then, you can put the leg down and repeat
it on the other side. I typically start people with performing this one with 3-4 sets of
10 straight leg raises and build up from there. One other thing I will mention about this
exercise is that a common compensation to this exercise is to lift the leg too high
where the thighs are not level with each other. This actually decreases the demands on the
lumbopelvic-hip area; therefore, cheating the movement.
The second exercise we will go over is the Donkey Toes. This variation really addresses
and challenges the muscles around the lumbopelvic-hip complex. This was inspired by another colleague,
Jay Dicharry. This incorporates a bit more of a dynamic component compared to the last
exercise. To do this one, start on your hands and toes like so. Also, try to keep your arms
stacked under the shoulder. This will reduce stress on the area. Now, as you perform this
exercise try to keep the back flat. As I've mentioned before, a good cue to follow is
to pretend like you are balancing plates on your back. Then, try to lift the leg by initiating
the movement from the hips as shown. You can hold for 2-3 seconds, then begin to alternate
between each side. When starting to perform this one, you can start by performing it with
3-4 sets of 10 leg raises and eventually build up to performing 20 of them per set.
The next exercise we will go over is the Bird Dog. This is a popular exercise that now incorporates
dynamic demands from both the arms and legs. I have gone over this one before in a previous
video on progressions of the bird dog, so I'll briefly go over it here. To do the bird
dog, start in this position. Make sure to keep the arm stacked under the shoulder. Then,
make sure to engage the core and try to keep the back flat throughout the activity. Again,
you can also use the cue I mentioned earlier on pretending like you are balancing plates
on your back. Then while maintaining this trunk position, try to straighten out the
opposite arm and leg. Then, you can repeat on the opposite side. Anyway, when people
typically first perform this one, I start with having them perform 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions
on each side.
The last exercise I will go over in this video is the Farmer's March. This is an underrated
way to challenge the lumbopelvic-hip complex in a standing position. This is a great way
to work on coordination and control of the area. Also, it is really simple to perform.
Basically, you will be performing forward marches with weights. You can easily replace
the weights, with other objects that can be carried like backpacks that are filled up,
or putting items in a grocery bag! Now as you do the exercise, try not to lean excessively
toward one side, so a good cue I use to do this is to try to keep the shoulders and hips
level. By trying to maintain this during the activity, this will ensure that you are working
on lumbopelvic-hip control. Another thing to point out is as you go into this position,
make sure to get "tall" with your knees extended and your trunk upright.Then, as the foot lands,
try to keep it as gentle and quiet as possible. This will further challenge coordination and
control of the area. Now, for this exercise, I typically start with people performing this
one for 3 sets of 30 second durations and eventually build up to performing these for
1 minute.
And those are a few exercises I use to improve lumbopelvic-hip control. I hope you guys found
this video useful to improving your own running. Also, I hope you guys continue to be safe
and healthy at this current time. And as always, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING!