HIPS

Your hips perform 3 primary functions: 1. they propel you along, 2. they help maintain postural control, and 3. they help steer your leg straight. Show up with skilled control in your hips, and you are guaranteed to build durability and stability for the long haul to improve your control and efficiency. Show up weak, and you’ll fatigue early, move like a wobbly baby giraffe, and risk injury anywhere from the hips down.

The moves in this plan arne’t just isolated to your hips- we’ll let you in on a secret. Due to the geometry of your MOBO, its impossible to train rotational control in your feet without ALSO training rotational control in your hips —> they work together! So if you feel your hips on fire when on your MOBO, that’s why! These moves integrate control in your entire leg to ensure you build coordination to steer your parts straight as you run, cut, and jump. Master them and your back will relax, you’ll lower the risk of straining a hamstring, or tweaking your knee.

We recommend rotating through these moves to expose your body to new positions, and feel and build stability.

 

BANDED DEADLIFT: Time to load your deadlift! Set your fins into the EVEN slots, and loop your band through the free #1 slot in front. As you step onto the board you’ll grab the band in both hands: lower down for more resistance, or higher for less. Keep your MOBO quiet as you hinge your hips back and level. Knee is softly bent. You are always looking in the same direction as your chest to help keep solid spine position.

TIPPY TWIST: A serious balance challenge to integrate your feet and hips. The motion here is the same as the Tippy Bird, but we are going to add in a twist through the hip. Start standing with hands on hips. Focus on a neutral spine, and keep hips level as you bend forward. Then twist your hips in toward the ground, then out towards the ceiling – make sure MOBO stays level as you pivot from your hip - Then push the pelvis forward to come up from the glutes. The key here is to only twist as far as you can control. Perform 2 sets of 15 reps, and then switch feet.

HIP BAND KICK: Tie your exercise band into a small loop + step both feet inside so that it is around both ankles. Carefully step up onto your MOBO with your right foot, and hover the left foot just off the board. Place your hands on your hips as a cue to keep your hips level and trunk straight. Now drive the left leg out and back behind you in a 45 degree diagonal and then back, aiming to float it on top of the MOBO without touching. Only move as far as you can control. As you get stronger, aim to move the leg further. Perform 40 reps total and then switch sides.

HIP TWIST: Integrate steering in your feet + hips! Anchor a band in front of you. To work the left leg, Wrap the band around your right side so that it sits below your waist and hold it with your left hand at the side of your left hip. Adjust tension stepping closer or further to the attachment point, and lift your right leg. Now, spin your pelvis inward and outward while maintaining level hips and a quiet MOBO. Do 25 reps on each side.

HIP HIKE: Work on your wobble! Stand on one leg with good posture (drop ribs down slightly to keep weight over midfoot and your MOBO level). While keeping a straight, but soft, knee, drop your opposite hip, then raise it back up again using the glutes. Shoulders should be level as you pulse up and down with no leaning. 3 x 10 on each side.

TIPPY PASS: This movement combines the pass around + the tippy bird exercises with weight (or a gallon of water) to increase the challenge. Again, this is a hip hinge with a stable spine + level hips. Step onto your MOBO with your right foot and weight in the right hand. Keep the board quiet as you pass the weight to your left hand, and then hinge your trunk forward and your hips back. Make sure to keep the shoulder blades packed down along your ribs for the entire movement to work the postural muscles in your back. This is a hinge, not a squat so the knee only stays slightly bent through the movement. Aim for 3 sets or 10 reps and then flip the MOBO and switch legs.

WALL CLAM: fTie your band in a loop and step both feet inside so that its up around your knees. Set your MOBO just far enough from the wall so that when stand on it + lift one leg and place your foot on the wall, your lower leg is horizontal and your thighs are parallel. This may take a few tried to fine tune position. Once set, place hands on hips and maintain them level while moving the bent knee away from midline and back while keeping your MOBO quiet. Do 25 reps each foot.

LANDMINE DEADLIFT: Place one end of a 45 lb Olympic bar against a wall or corner. Walk over to the free end of the bar place your MOBO so its just to the right of the end of the bar. Grab the bar with your left hand and step onto your MOBO with your right foot. Now hinge your hips back while keeping the spine 100% straight, and then return back to straight by pushing your hips forward into the bar. Make sure to think “level hips” while doing these. Feel free to add weight to the free end of the bar when ready, but make sure you maintain a straight back as weight goes up. Your shoulder should stay packed down along your ribs, and you should always be looking in the same direction as your chest is pointing. Do 3 sets of 8 reps, and then switch the board to the left foot for 3 sets.

BANDED TIPPY TWIST: Building rotational control in a hinge position is critical as the muscles in the hip change their leverage as compared to holding a vertical torso. Fins go in the OUTER slots 3+4, Loop the band under your LEFT foot, drop into a hinge, and then pull it TIGHT as you wrap it around the RIGHT side of your hips, and anchoring it to the back of your LEFT hip with your LEFT hand. Use your free hand to provide support. Allow the band to twist your pelvis inward, and then twist your pelvis as high as you can outward. Goal is FULL motion in the hips. Perform 25 reps each side. When ready, progress to a power band for more challenge (not included).

HIP DRIVE: It’s important to steer your parts straight and keep a stable spine as we train a full hip drive. Place your right foot on your MOBO and your left foot on a skateboard (can sub a towel on a hardwood floor). While keeping your foot and MOBO stale lunge backwards into your skateboard. Ensure ribs stay down in front to avoid arching your low back as you open your hip. Perform 25 reps each side.

LANDMINE DEADLIFT: Stop squatting your deadlifts. A squat is an up and down motion, while a deadlift is a front to back motion. By using an Olympic bar and two MOBOs, you can train your body to find a proper hinge. This drill trains you to drive from your hips and not your quads. Set up a MOBO for each foot: The right MOBO will be the R side up, and the left side MOBO will be in the L side up, with fins for both sides set at the EVEN slots.

Place one end of a 45 lb Olympic bar against a wall or corner. Position your MOBOs at the edge of the opposite side. Step up onto your MOBOs and grab the end of the bar in both hands. Hinge your hips back staying balanced over your feet. As your chest drops down, your head and eye gaze should drop with it so that you are always looking at where your chest is pointing. On the way up, push your hips into the bar and maintain your gaze where your chest is pointing on the way up. At the top of the movement, stop when your weight is equal over the ball of the foot and heel to avoid excessive low back arch at the top. Do 15-20 of these to warm up and train the movement.