Bodyweight Improving hip rotation

[Minimalist]

Hello.
Do I need a specific hip rotation exercises? Or just stretching and strengthening the hip flexors, glutes, adductors/abductors and hamstrings should be enough?
I have problems with my internal hip rotation. In the book "Relax Into Stretch" there was no information about doing exercises for hip rotation. I need better hip rotation to learn high kicks.

 

[Boris Bachmann]

Look up shin box drills and tactical frog stretches.

I'm not sure what you know and what you've been doing already, but a basic mobility/stretching routine would probably cover most bases and then you'd move towards more things specific to your individual needs/goals.

Here are some of the things I try to be regular about:

 

[North Coast Miller]

To open up for higher kicks, do a ton of lower ones. Push the level up slowly. Train lead leg kicks esp.

 

[bluejeff]

@Minimalist how do you know you need more internal rotation? Were you examined by someone?

From what I am seeing in certain training and PT-type circles online, a lackof internal hip rotation seems like it might be kind of common, the way that poor shoulder mechanics and impingement are.

I am not sure what your knowledge of the topic is, so perhaps this video will help. As he will explain, some people confuse femoral internal rotation hip internal rotation.

 

[Boris Bachmann]

I am not sure what your knowledge of the topic is, so perhaps this video will help. As he will explain, some people confuse femoral internal rotation hip internal rotation.

Good drills in here. I get some of this work w. Russian hockey DLs and windmills.

 

[jayjo]

Bretzle stretch from book Taming the Bent Press

 

[wespom9]

this video is a nice distraction technique for internal/external rotation of the hip joint. Do you "need" it, I'm not sure, but it can be helpful IMO

 

[the hansenator]

Can I add on another hip internal rotation question?

My problem isn’t the range of motion but getting the body to use it. It’s like the muscles that initiate internal rotation don’t always fire when they should. It’s why my left side kick always used to feel so awkward back in the day. It took until recently to figure that out.

 

[North Coast Miller]

Can I add on another hip internal rotation question?

My problem isn’t the range of motion but getting the body to use it. It’s like the muscles that initiate internal rotation don’t always fire when they should. It’s why my left side kick always used to feel so awkward back in the day. It took until recently to figure that out.

I was taught to drill chambering the kick, over and over until it felt very natural, both legs.

You can't get anything else correct without nailing the chambering portion. And then in execution on pads or bag, always return to that chambered posture. This really reduces the number of variables in the chain that needs to be "learned" from leg to leg. It also makes it easier to insert stuff like a knee-up shin block or jamming with the foot when counter-kicking.

 

[the hansenator]

I was taught to drill chambering the kick, over and over until it felt very natural, both legs.

You can't get anything else correct without nailing the chambering portion. And then in execution on pads or bag, always return to that chambered posture. This really reduces the number of variables in the chain that needs to be "learned" from leg to leg. It also makes it easier to insert stuff like a knee-up shin block or jamming with the foot when counter-kicking.

I spent many an hour chambering, it just never felt right on that side. Except sometimes it did and I couldn’t figure out why. And it’s not something outside observers were able to see.

Now that I know what the problem is (when my MA days are long gone) I can get it to feel good but requires a very deliberate effort and it might take a few tries or a couple of remedial drills first. I could never get it to be automatic the way the other side is.

I was hoping there would be an OS reset or something.

 

[bluejeff]

I could never get it to be automatic the way the other side is.

I was hoping there would be an OS reset or something.

It would be so nice to just do a "reset" and have things work better. I've had some great results from OS stuff, but I've found that, like in the video I posted, things aren't always that simple. Me, personally, I attribute things "not working automatically" like they should to joints being chronically stuck in one position, sort of like Harris was demonstrating with the pelvis model. Unfortunately I haven't found things like OS to "reset" those things. I think this is because they require relative motion at the joint(s) in question, and while moving your body as a unit is great, it doesn't seem to address local, specific, relative motion. Adressing relative motion sort of by definition means you have to "isolate" (to varying degrees) the joint and get it to move like it should.

 

[North Coast Miller]

I spent many an hour chambering, it just never felt right on that side. Except sometimes it did and I couldn’t figure out why. And it’s not something outside observers were able to see.

Now that I know what the problem is (when my MA days are long gone) I can get it to feel good but requires a very deliberate effort and it might take a few tries or a couple of remedial drills first. I could never get it to be automatic the way the other side is.

I was hoping there would be an OS reset or something.

As my 1st instructor (and best) told me - train both sides, but don't expect them to become equal.

As a side effect of training as I was comfortable, I got a lot better using lead kicks with my left side, round kicks with my right. I atually got pretty good using my lead side for side kicks and foot jabs, never became very good with round kicks off a right lead. Ultimately I scrubbed most kicks and all high ones. Last time I tried some head kicks I gave myself a stretch mark on the inside of my thigh (joints were more limber than my skin!) that itched for weeks.

I don't think so...

 

[the hansenator]

Me, personally, I attribute things "not working automatically" like they should to joints being chronically stuck in one position, sort of like Harris was demonstrating with the pelvis model.

I don’t think anything is stuck. Mobility drills seem fine and range of motion seems fine. It’s more the muscles involved. When it does work it feels great and I can feel the muscles activating in a way that’s different from what they normally do.

I no longer practice MAs so that’s not so much an issue anymore but I do wonder if it contributes to some of my aches and pains.

 

[Pasibrzuch]

+1 to @bluejeff
For hip internal rotation I love doing this exercise. I do it for a warmup and as a standalone exercise, just adding a kettlebell in the other hand. Check out more of his videos - he's from the same stable as Conor Harris @bluejeff mentioned. I believe doing the right kind of splitsquats should give you the control of the range (as opposed to just stretches). Just remember to test IR before and after a given exercise to check if it works for you.

 

[Karen Smith]

Personally feel we should all do hip mobility works.... keep them functioning in full range of motion as we age. Hip circles in both directions for internal and external rotation, hip flexor stretch, 90/90 stretch, alternating internal hip drops in goblet squats and hip drops from tactial frog to name a few ... but there are many others - hope this helps.