5 Minute Hip Mobility Warm Up
I recently put together a series of hip mobility drills for an Olympic Weightlifter friend of mine. I’m personally a big fan of making a warm up as active and dynamic as possible, rather than just simply resting passively in stretching positions. This is so we can help ramp up the nervous system to prepare for movement patterns being used in the workout, but also make the movement changes “stick”.
I usually suggest people use some breathing pattern drills first to tune the nervous system, then do some light self soft tissue work, then move onto dynamic movement prep, and finally practice skill specific warm up for whatever their workout entails. Like I said, the biggest concepts for me is actively moving through the ranges and consciously trying to tune into what is happening in the quality of motion. Here is the 5 minute video that made up the dynamic movement prep component. I get ideas from tons of different people, so below I’ll list out what each part is.
- Elbow To Instep, Cossack Squat Transitionx2, Inward Crossover Transitionx2 both sides
- During all steps try to maintain hip position and actively move through arc of motion.
- Windshield Wipers both sides
- actively pull moving hip into motion as far as possible then light overpressure with contract relax
- Single Leg Hip Lift (Cook Lift)
- for hip extension warm up – avoid excessive lumbar spine extension and actively feel glute activity
- FRC 90/90 PAILs and RAILs series.
- Working on internal and external rotation through various hip ranges, Please see FRC content for more detailed explanations,
- FRC Bear Sit Variations
- Again, trying to actively pull as far into motion first then work PAIL/RAILs in end ranges, see FRC content for more detailed explanations
- 1/2 Straddle groin andadductor mobilizations –
- the key is to use active core contraction/glute activation to pull into the motion rather than simply use body weight and gravity to push farther
- Frog Position internal rotations taken from Charlie Weingroff
- Frog Position hip abduction/ER lift offs following above groin mobilizations
- FRC Hip CAR series to prior to barbell warm up
