Episode 14 - How to Strengthen Hips for Running: Dynamic Drills for Better Performance

In this episode Alison dives into the critical role of hip strength in running, challenging the common belief that tight hips need more stretching rather than strengthening. She explains how efficient biomechanics, particularly during the stance phase of running, are essential for minimizing energy loss and preventing pain or injury. By focusing on the phases of loading, stabilizing, and propelling, she demonstrates how targeted strength training and dynamic drills can improve running economy and stride efficiency. Traditional exercises like clamshells and band walks are critiqued for their limitations, with an emphasis on drills that develop dynamic hip strength and center-of-gravity organization. The episode also introduces her upcoming new program, Strong and Stable, designed to help runners build strong, stable hips for a more powerful and efficient stride, with special discounts available through her newsletter.

Key Takeaways:

• Hip Tightness vs. Strength: Feelings of hip tightness often indicate a need for strengthening rather than stretching, with hip strength playing a key role in improving running economy, preventing injuries, and reducing discomfort.
• Phases of the Stance Phase: The stance phase of running includes three key components—loading, stabilizing, and propelling—that must work together efficiently to optimize energy use and minimize compensations.
• Critique of Traditional Exercises: Common hip exercises like clamshells and lateral band walks are insufficient for addressing running-specific needs because they are missing loading through length that happens in midstance of gait. Instead, the focus should be on dynamic drills that first come from a place of length in the glute and back of the pelvic floor.
• Efficient Biomechanics for Energy Conservation: Running efficiency depends on minimizing energy loss through effective use of ground reaction forces, proper mid-stance loading, and seamless transitions to propulsion.
• New Program Launch: Strong and Stable, designed to help runners strengthen their hips and improve their stride efficiency, with a special Black Friday pre-sale for early sign-ups via her newsletter.

Time Stamps:

[00:00] - Introduction and Basic Biomechanics

[04:50] - Limitations of Traditional Hip Strengthening

[7:00] - Key Elements of Running Centered Hip Strengthening

[11:07] - Advanced Drills and Practical Application

[16:40] - New Program Launch & Closing Thoughts

Resources Mentioned:

Here the links to each exercise mentioned in the episode:

• ADDUCTOR TAP DOWN WITH HIP LOCK
• HINGE TO HIP LOCK DRILL
• SHIFT LATERAL BOX JUMP

Here’s the link to join my weekly newsletter to make sure you don’t miss the Black Friday Presale of my new hip strengthening course for runners - Strong and Stable.

Quotes:

“One thing that I wish more runners understood is that this feeling of tightness in the hips usually does not mean that you need to stretch. It usually means that you need to strengthen.”

“When it comes to running economy and basic biomechanics, I see the goal as minimizing energy lost with each step. Energy lost is energy that we can’t use to move forward and usually means that forces are poorly distributed across your joints.”

“The power in these drills is to break down the skills needed and practice them outside of your running to give your body more ability to use that skill while you are running.”

Follow Along Between Episodes on Instagram and if you enjoyed this episode please give a share and tag me in your stories!