Restore: the hips program

Taking the next step: Progressing the Hip hinge

Now that we’ve reviewed a neutral spine and how to brace effectively, basic bridging and the clam, AND covered the basic hip-hinge – we can now progress to the next level with our hip training and learning.  What’s that next step?

Moving into a more functional hip hinged position that will set up a bilateral and single-leg dead-lift – and along with it, a host of other increasingly dynamically challenging exercises – such as the Three Exercise Hip Series that is part of this program.

As you learn and practice, remember that deadlifting is in and of itself, a GREAT exercise to build tremendous hip and leg strength!  At the bottom of this page, you’ll find a video of a deadlifting class I held at our old Pursuit facility. If you’re interested in learning more, check it out!

Beyond being a great exercise in and of itself to get stronger, it is also a terrific exercise to pattern skills that will transfer beautifully to other exercises to come in this program. 

Use this deadlift, for BOTH purposes – to train for stability and strength gains, AND to progress skills!

As you watch the video and learn – take short breaks to actually PRACTICE the skills.  Keep coming back to the video as often as you need to, to keep learning and grooving the groove!

To accelerate your progress in this program, you MUST strike the RIGHT BALANCE between grooving the basics and challenging yourself – “dancing on the edge of your ability” – to progress your skills and strength. It’s a fine, but important line. 

Not sure what I mean? 

Well, think of it this way.  We can fall into ONE of TWO categories of athletes. 

Category 1: 

1. …struggles with the same exercise, for weeks and months, and never gets “it” to where we want or need it to be!

We fail to peel back to a level we can perform perfectly, and then from there, take consistent baby steps forward, very gradually adding more load to make it very gradually harder and/or more challenging. Instead, we try to “jump” to a much more advanced level, or expect large improvements over short periods of time, get frustrated as a result, and end up plateauing.

The secret is accountability and baby steps. Consistently each and every time you train. No, the process isn’t always linear, (ebb and flow, peaks and valleys – that’s just the way it is!), but you need to be moving ahead consistently…..day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year.

It helps greatly to keep accurate training logs, recording reps, sets, load, and progression. There’s an old saying in business: what ISN’T recorded or tracked, remains the same or worse, and certainly doesn’t improve. Track it. Monitor it. Hold yourself, and it, accountable.

Category 2: 

2. …gets impatient and blows through “easier” versions or more basic training fundamentals, to get to the “good stuff,” e.g. the more advanced training.

Folks who fall into this category haven’t embraced the process and aren’t fully present where they ARE, at that moment. They’re trying to get “somewhere,” and feel the faster they push forward, the faster they’ll get to where they want to go (rarely works that way).

These folks will buy every gadget, or toy, or tool, that they can, to short circuit the process of improving. Aero wheels, new running shoes, a lighter bike, etc., etc….

Of course, they can’t wait to grab, or get on that advanced training tool (such as the aforementioned kettlebell swing) and get after it, often before fundamental skills are in place.

These folks tend to spend a lot of time in and out of cycles of injury. They rest from running for a few days or weeks, and then as soon as they return to it (Once the pain has gone away), they’re right back at the track or hitting the hills, to “get the fitness” back.

The “right” middle ground is taking each day as it comes, peeling back when necessary, and progressing when possible.

At the “core” of this approach is to commit to MASTERY OF THE BASICS AND FUNDAMENTALS.

When the basics are skipped over and not mastered, more advanced quality progression becomes virtually impossible…