Strengthening your hip flexor muscles can alleviate lower back pain, reduce your risk of injury and add power to your forward leg movement in sports. The more you strengthen your hip flexors, hamstrings and glutes, the faster you will be, says Kevin O’Neill, certified strength and conditioning specialist with EliteFTS.com.
Split Squat
The split squat works the hip flexors as well as your quadriceps, calves, glutes and hamstrings. Split squats may be performed with no weights, using your body weight as resistance, or with dumbbells, a barbell or a Smith machine. Stand in front of a flat bench with one foot in front of the other. Place the toes of your rear foot on top of the bench behind you. Slowly lower your torso, dropping your back knee toward the floor. Continue lowering until your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your front knee forms a 90-degree angle. Return to the starting position. Switch legs every set.
Spread Eagle Sit-Ups
Spread eagle sit-ups, recommended by O’Neill to strengthen the hip flexors, give your abdominal muscles a workout as well. Lie on the floor in front of a Smith machine or power rack. Fully extend you legs while hooking your feet around the vertical beams of the rack. Cross your arms over your chest or place them at the sides of your head for support. Push your lower back into the floor as you curl your torso upward into a sitting position. Slowly return to the floor.
Lunge
Andy Chasse, a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified trainer with Bodybuilding.com suggests a lunge to strengthen and stretch the hip flexors. Start by standing up with your feet together. Take a large step forward, and shift your weight toward your front foot. Slowly lower your back knee toward the ground, making sure to keep your back straight and your front knee behind your toes. To deepen the stretch in your hip flexors, shift your pelvis up and forward. Step back into the starting position, and repeat with the other leg.
Leg Raises
Leg raises work your abs and hip flexors, and can be performed with your legs straight or bent at the knee. Lie on a flat bench with your hands gripping the bench behind your head. Start with your legs extended and in line with the rest of your body. Lift your legs up 4 to 6 inches, and hold the position briefly. Slowly return to the starting position.
Roman Chair
The Roman chair allows you to perform leg raises while in a hanging position, intensifying the exercise, says O’Neill. Lean against the backrest of a Roman chair, and grasp each handle. Slowly draw your knees up toward your chest and hold. Slowly extend your legs again. Alternately, keep your legs straight as you lift them up until they are parallel to the floor. To add extra resistance to the movement, hold a dumbbell with your feet as you perform the exercise.
Member Comments