More rehab for the old hip. There’s more to it than correctives and body weight movements. At some point, ya gotta load shit!
My right hip is feeling remarkably better (it’s been about 5 months) and I’m finally getting back to moving some heavier weight. However, stepwise progressions are always best. If you recall, the bottom of the squat is where I had/have my unhappiness, so, I’m using the box squat to safely load the pattern, and still expose my nervous system, and tissues, to some moderate weight. That's 205# on the left for those of you wondering.
With the two videos next to each other you can see why I'm currently choosing box squats instead of regular squats. This box squat variation (you could do it with more torso lean if you really wanted) allows me to keep my torso more upright, which decreases that hip flexion angle, and subsequently the likelihood of me feeling that hip pinch. With a traditional high-bar back squat (as demoed on the right) I have to lean forward in order to keep the bar over my midfoot and remain balanced. Side note, I stopped my high bar back squat depth at 90 degrees for video comparison purposes. So take it easy, internet coaches.
There are a few benefits afforded by box squats as compared with a traditional high bar back squat, namely, fewer mobility requirements and a decreased ability to use the stretch-shortening cycle to bounce out of the hole. Typically, I’ve prescribed these to people as part of rehab, or when they lacked the mobility to perform a traditional back squat. I contend that for someone with full mobility, if you’re trying to decrease a lifter’s dependency on that bounce at the bottom, I’d just have them do tempo squats. But I digress.
Just wanted to spend a little time discussing the potential role of the box squats as it relates to hip rehab and recovery. Maestro out.
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