Hip Flexor Training
Subscribe to the JumpUSA Smart
Training Newsletter
Training Newsletter
- Smart Video tips
- See the latest sports products
- Secret special Members Only sales!
|
Hip Flexor Training
|
Subscribe to the JumpUSA Smart
Training Newsletter
|
 Looking for something in particular? Enter your keyword here: Click
on
your sport to see what we have to improve your game:
|
JumpUSA.com Topic #473
The Benefits of Hip Flexor
Training
Most athletes have heard of the hip
flexors at one time or
another, but most athletes have never trained or been explained the
importance of this muscle group. The hip flexors play
a very important role in acceleration and top sprint speed. If
you want to be as fast as you can be you must train your hip flexors
along with the rest of your lower body.
So why are strong and explosive hip
flexors so
important? Let me explain. The hip flexors are primarily
responsible for the forward swing and knee drive of the
legs. The harder the initial contraction of the forward
swing, the faster our legs will be repositioned for the next
stride. The faster this can occur the faster we will ultimately
be. Optimally we want our knee drive to be at 75-90
degrees when sprinting, if we can get to this point we are in
the best positon to optimize our stride length and put the most
possible force into the ground. However, most athletes do not
even come close to this 90 degree goal. This could be
due to things such as technique and flexibility but more often
than not, it is strength.
A recent study has revealed that people
who underwent hip
flexor training for 8 weeks decreased their 10 yard time by .2 seconds,
their 40 time by .3 seconds and their shuttle run time by a whopping .6
seconds! (Deane et al.)
So how can you increase your hip flexor
strength, running
speed and agility? One of the best ways is to perform the exact
drill you are trying to get better at with a light load. For
example, if you are trying to improve your 40 yard dash time
you need to apply a light load at the hip flexors and perform your
sprints at full speed. The only device on the market
that can accomplish this perfectly is called The Accelerator.
The Accelerator applys a light load perfectly at the hips and at the
waist to let your lower body fire at full speed with a light
load. When you use this device for a few reps and then remove it,
you will feel like you are shot out of a cannon! By following an
organized and scientifically sound program for a few weeks and using
The Accelerator you will increase your speed and agility.
A great program to incorporate The
Accelerator into is Cris
Carter's FAST Program Speed & Agility Manual. It is a 6 week
program that trains every part of athletic performance, but it is not
for the weak of heart, or mind!
-Matt Gates, FAST Program
Deane, Russell S., Chow,
John W., Tillman,
Mark D., Fournier, Kim A. “Effects of Hip Flexor Training on
Sprint, Shuttle Run, and Vertical Jump Performance” The Journal
of Strength and Conditioning Research Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Pages: 615-621
Lateral
Flexion with Bands and Medicine Ball - With your
hips on a Medicine Ball to elevate your upper body, use any anchored
elastic cord and do lateral crunches.
 For Sport
Specific Tips like these that will help you improve and excel in your
sport, visit SportSpecific.com
|
