Ever wonder why your legs come apart when you try to Kip? Could be because your hip extension sucks. Ever wonder why you have a “muted” hip and can never hit triple extension when you try to clean or snatch? Could be because your hip extension sucks.
When it comes to power, your hips are what it's all about, and as such, if you can't extend them, you're leaving a ton on the table.
Doing something like a bridge, is an excellent way to work on hip extension mobility, but if you're cheating the movement, none of those gains are going to stick or carryover. In the first part of this video I'm demonstrating how people can use hip abduction (and external rotation) to compensate for lack of true hip extension. Performing a million bridges like this in an effort to activate your glutes and improve your hip extension/kip is pretty inefficient.
The second portion of the video (following @Mw_burke's cameo ?) demonstrates how you can play #GetItKeepIt as coined by the ever brilliant @ruffolous, and use that cheat to gain more extension, and then work on keeping it.
To do this, first test your hip extension by performing a bridge with your feet together, abs engaged, pelvis slightly tucked under. You should be able to lift up so that there is a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. No pain, excessive arching of the back, or breath holding. If you struggle like me, then try spreading your knees (while keeping the feet together) and see if you gain any more motion. If so, use this to your advantage. Spread the legs, lift your butt, close the legs while maintaining that height, hold, then lower. Hamstring cramps may become a real thing. You'll live.
The overall goal is simply to gain access to that active, fully hip extended position by first entering in easier position.
Give it a shot and let me know how it goes.
Like it? Repost it. Don't understand it? Hit me up and get #Maestrofied.
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