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Many runners who are not very fast will try every possible way to improve their speed. Some choose core strength training, some choose cadence and stride training, while others opt for hip training to significantly boost their speed.

The hip joint is the only joint that connects the trunk and the lower limbs, playing a pivotal role in coordinating the force between the trunk and lower limbs.Only when the hip joint is strong can the trunk drive the legs, enhancing the ability to push off and swing the legs while running. The lower limbs form a systematic operation, which is not only energy-saving but also efficient.

However, in regular training, many enthusiasts neglect hip training.Today, the editor will explainthe importance of hip training and how to train it~

The hips are the source of power for running

Running is a full-body exercise that primarily involves the lower limbs. While running, the arms swing mainly to maintain body balance, the trunk remains stable, and the lower limbs continuously repeat the push-off and leg swing actions. The lower limbs are the main source of forward momentum, and the pivot for pushing off and swinging the legs is the hip joint.

When running, if the trunk is stable, the leg swing can be understood as centered on the hip joint. Moving forward manifests as lifting the leg and stepping forward, while moving backward manifests as pushing off the ground and swinging back. Improving hip strength and stability can significantly enhance the ability to push off and swing the legs while running.

Due to our lack of sufficient understanding of the hips, we often do too many general strength exercises like planks, squats, and calf raises, while the hip muscles that really need to be strengthened are rarely trained. Of course, this is not to say that core, thigh, and calf training are not important, but that training the hips can yield more noticeable results.

How important is it to strengthen hip training?

If you only train the legs and glutes, you are essentially only training the ability to push off and swing the legs. The hips include both the glutes at the back and the hip flexors at the front.In other words, the traditional glute and leg training we do is essentially part of hip training, but only training the legs and glutes is not comprehensive because the hip flexors' ability to swing the legs is almost not trained.

If the hip joint is not strong and stable enough, the knee and ankle joints are prone to abnormal postures. Female runners, in particular, are prone to knee valgus and foot eversion while running, which indicates insufficient hip strength.

Whenthe hip abductor strength is insufficient, it can also lead to excessive hip adduction and internal rotation, causing knee valgus, patellar strain, iliotibial band friction syndrome, and other injuries.

Ten exercises to strengthen hip strength

Narrowly speaking, hip training refers to hip flexibility training. Broadly speaking, it mainly refers to training the muscle groups attached to the pelvic surface around the hip joint, the front thigh muscles, and the back thigh muscles.Onlyby running, high knee running, and doing lunge jumps,alternating hip flexion and extension on both sides can activate the hip joint's force pattern.

High knees

Side lunges

Lunge with high knee

Box jumps with high knees

Straight leg deadlift with high knee

Prone bridge single-leg knee lift and back swing

Side bridge arm and leg swing

Supine hip thrust with knee lift

Single-knee support side leg swing

Air cycling

Summary

Calling the hips the "engine" of human movement is not an exaggeration because the hips are the convergence point of multiple muscle groups. Therefore, to improve your running ability, you must strengthen hip training, enhance hip flexibility, and improve the coordination of the hip muscles with their associated organs.