Hip strengthening

The single leg split squat is a great idea. Try holding out and twisting a med ball or plate during your motion to help strengthen your transverse abs. Those are key core muscles that influence stability and balance.

Also, try this variation from a side plank. During the side plank, lift up your top leg and move it up and down and/or side to side - basically any motions that are challenging. You could even use an ankle attachment on some cables or perhaps the Bowflex to add resistance. (Now that I have to get on Youtube, it's an awesome twist on a Men's health highlight exercise, the cables just get it done)

I also recommend yoga. Either research on some deep balancing poses (e.g. Hatha, Power Yoga, Iyengar) or take a class. Yoga is extremely therapeutic and could be highly beneficial for you.

That's a tough situation man, keep your focus in all your training, and best of luck.      

Hi.
I'm having the same problem (=challenge).
My right hip muscles are almost constantly tight or fatigued.

My physiotherapist suggested that actually the muscles in my right thigh are very tight, so I'd benefit of not running downhill (I live in an area with a lot of hills, and love running downhill... now I stopped  that :D).

I also have weakness in my back, which is both cause and result of an overly tired hip muscle.
I'm strengthening my Tensor Fascia Latae muscle by doing hip abduction exercises (google on that or try here ).

I also have very tight hamstring muscles, which makes the lower back compensate and the hips muscles, too.
--> single leg squats should be a good exercise, too.

As for me, I might have some weak muscles in  my buttocks, so here too, my hip muscles are overcompensation, especially in running uphill.
--> I started doing exercises to strengthen the gluteus maximus, - medius and minimus,
by exercises like "step up/down" and doing bridges while raising one leg.

Although not made for triathletes, I use this web side. www.exrx.net a lot, it has a lot of different exercises for almost every muscle in the body, and you can choose different equipment.
You also get charts and pictures of the muscles used.

When I stopped running downhill I got better, my hip muscles relaxed. But I still think strength training in order to achieve muscle balanse is the way to go.

I'll have a look at this thread from now on, and looking forward to more answers.

Good luck with your training!



Edited by Imke 2010-04-05 5:28 AM

That is a neat site, thanks.  I'll have to add the hip adduction and abduction exercises into my routine I think.  I'll start with the band and maybe move to the cables in a few weeks.  If nothing else it should make me look better in a bathing suit right?

I am hoping between ART and strengthing I pretty sure I can keep this at bay.  I only had one ART session so far and it seems to have helped a lot pain wise.  Went for my long run yesterday and it took a lot longer to get sore and this time only part of my leg felt it instead of the whole bloody thing.  Progress.  

Oh man, I love exrx.net. I forgot all about that resource until now. It is old school, but it is awesome.

How often should exercises targeting the hips be done?

I personally am going to treat it like any other muscle strengthening I would do and target that muscle 2-3 times per week. 

Yes, isn't www.exrx.net a great place to get inspired to train strength?
I'm using it so often, designing and structuring my strength training programs.
Awesome.
And I actually like the "old school" look on some of the pictures..

But I have recognized that they are adding new pictures and exercises quite often.
Great
 - - - - -
I generally do strength training 1-2x a week, or try to have at least one day in between, best would be two. But I try to stretch a little the other days (but man, this is hard to remember..), or massage the muscles, so they'll get more relaxed.
Remember, muscles get stronger while resting...


Edited by Imke 2010-04-06 11:14 AM

My physio also like http://www.myfit.ca. Apparently some of the techniques are demonstrated well on here.

This user's post has been ignored.

Edited by Sharyn5 2010-04-12 1:39 PM

I have chronically tight hips, with very little internal rotation (ability to rotate legs inwards towards the other). I have started using this routine and I can definitely feel some of these exercises in my tight inner glutes

http://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?do=view&member_id=325&video_id...

Wow that got me tired. Definitely way less flexible on one side, like the OP. I'll keep gong these a few times a week, along with my pigeon pose, figure 4s with a knee bent stretches.Keep the suggestions coming!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ydcy3dPf__M

This routine works really good

Edited by dkahns51 2012-11-08 1:49 PM

http://developflexibility.org.ua/pavel-tsatsouline-rapid-response Pavel explains spider squat for hip strengthening

I was out for 5 months earlier this year due to a hip injury.  Once I could finally workout more than my upper body, my chiropractor told me to work on my core and especially my glutes.  I know it sounds cheesy, but I have been doing the Beachbody "Brazil Butt Lift" dvds in addition to running and TRX.  The dvds aren't terribly difficult, but they focus on the 3 major glute muscles and I definitely can "feel the burn".  The TRX works out the core in a major way, along with all the other major muscle groups.  I am feeling stronger than ever and the hip has not been giving me any issues!