Follow along to see how to prepare your hips for a big workout!

 

Exercises: Lateral Toe Taps Monster Walks Side Steps In Place W’s Squats

Try to be as springy as possible and quickly absorb the force and explode off the ground with your ankle!

HOW: Start in a split stance position with equal weight between your front leg and your back leg. The goal is to push off of both feet to jump in the air. Jump in a powerful, controlled manner. Land with both feet at the same time and repeat the jump for the prescribed amount of reps.

 

FEEL: You should feel all the muscles in your legs working to jump and land.

 

COMPENSATION: Land evenly with both feet and use both legs to jump. Do not lose your balance. Keep your chest up. 

HOW: While standing, shift your weight to one leg with your knee slightly bent and the opposite knee bent causing lifting your foot off of the ground. From this position, raise your heel off the ground pushing the balls of your feet into the ground and hop from side to side in a continuous, controlled, motion. Try to be as springy as possible and quickly absorb the force and explode off the ground with your ankle!

 

FEEL: You will feel all the muscles in your legs working.

 

COMPENSATION: Landing Position. Make sure your knees are aligned over your toes. They should not dive inwards on the landing. Your goal is to absorb as much of the landing forces as you can and land softly. That means that you want your hips and knees to bend as much as they need to, to absorb the force. If you do not let them bend much, you will land “stiff” and hard. Let your hips go back and while keeping your chest up to help absorb the forces. Your toes should touch the ground first when you land and quickly your heels will follow. You should land in a “ready position” like you would if you were playing sports, with your weight ever so slightly forward on the balls of your feet. You should not fall forward or backwards after landing. 

 

For a detailed video on landing mechanics on one leg, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RCOGM5tZRM

HOW:  Get set-up in a high split squat position with one foot back and up/supported on a bench or elevated surface. Perform a split squat by letting your hip and knee bend to lower yourself down. Then perform a jump, while in the air drive the knee up as high as you can that you pushed off with, land softly, and repeat. Try to maintain at least 80-90% of your body weight on the front leg.

 

FEEL:  You will feel the leg that is in front doing most of the work, with your thigh and butt muscles working.

 

COMPENSATION:  Try to land softly and not with a stiff leg. Try to transition right into the next split squat. Do not lean side-to-side or lean back, keep your weight mostly on your front foot. Perform the split squat with good form by not letting your knee collapse in or bow out, do not let your pelvis drop.

HOW: Start in a tall standing position with your feet shoulder width apart. All in one motion, bend your knees, hinge forward at the waist, push into the ground and jump to the side with both feet and as you land jump back to the starting position. Perform this exercise quickly and pretend like you are jumping OVER something instead of just going side to side. 

 

FEEL: You will feel all the muscles in your legs working.

 

COMPENSATION: Landing Position. Make sure your knees are aligned over your toes. They should not dive inwards on the landing. Your goal is to absorb as much of the landing forces as you can and land softly. That means that you want your hips and knees to bend as much as they need to, to absorb the force. If you do not let them bend much, you will land “stiff” and hard. Let your hips go back and while keeping your chest up to help absorb the forces. Your toes should touch the ground first when you land and quickly your heels will follow. You should land in a “ready position” like you would if you were playing sports, with your weight ever so slightly forward on the balls of your feet. You should not fall forward or backwards after landing. 

 

For a detailed video on landing mechanics on two legs, click here: https://youtu.be/RThUCYRDyZw

HOW: Start in a standing position. Quickly, drop down into the push up position and perform a push up. Immediately get back on your feet to jump straight up into the air. Then after you land, perform a broad jump by jumping as far and high as you can with both feet. Rotate 180 degrees, and repeat this process 

 

FEEL: You should feel the muscles in your lower body and chest working. 

 

COMPENSATION: When jumping in place, make sure your body is fully upright. Perform a full push up at the bottom of the burpee.