Hip Hike

As we age, we purposefully need to work on balance. Ideally we need to be able to stand on one leg for at least 20 seconds (about 4 to 6 breaths).

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The Basic Practice - hip hike

• hip hikes strengthen the side hip muscles of the standing leg to help keep pelvis level and steady during balance and movement

NOTE: all pictures and videos instruct the movement as if I was mirroring you in a class

be safe: respect your limits, modify where needed

• take off shoes or wear a very flat shoe

  • your shoe heels tip your pelvis forward; we want pelvis to be neutral

• find a safe place to practice where you can hold onto something stable (eg. wall)

• to help feel the hip hike better, place the standing leg on a carpet and the other leg on the floor

posture set-up for strengthening right hip

• place left hip in between standing right leg and your support wall

• NOTE: although moving left hip up and down, it is actually the right hip that is being strengthened

the movement

• place right hand on right hip about where your pant pocket is

  • this is to feel when the muscle engages (ie. tensor fascia lata)

• place left hand on the support wall

1. come up onto the toes of the left leg

2. hike up the left hip while pressing down into right foot

3. keep hiking left hip up until you feel muscle engage under right hand

   1. it is important to keep the standing leg straight but also do not lock your knee out

4. let your left foot float above the ground for about 20 seconds

• reverse your set up and repeat hip hike to strengthen left hip

Explore the Movement - pelvic list

Katy Bowman, a biomechanist and leading movement expert, calls the hip hike a pelvic list. Listing in sailing or boating terms means tilting.

She emphasizes these points in her video:

1. press down into the heel of the standing leg

2. bending at the knee disengages the side hip muscles of the tensor fascia lata and the IT band

Explore the movement further:

1. engage the muscle under your right hand by hiking up your left hip, then bend your right knee and feel the muscle let go

2. move your left hip up and down about 10 to 20 times to strengthen by fatiguing the right hip (then repeat on other side)

3. build up the side hip muscles to the point where the hip of the standing leg actually moves the opposite hip up and down (this is the action needed in your walking)

   1. think of your pelvis acting like a car axle and the side of the hips the wheels, there is always communication going on between the two sides

build up your side hip muscles - keep going

Everyday Living

Why is balance important? Because with every step, you are for the briefest moment standing on one leg as the other leg swings through.

Yoga Practice

Balancing poses in yoga are a great way to build up side hip strength.

Pictures taken in Jasper and Banff National Parks in 2020 and 2021

Discover Amazing

Practicing “hip hikes” help strengthen four side hip muscles (see my drawing below) which play an important role in maintaining stability of the pelvis during balancing, walking and running. When these muscles are weak or poorly recruited, it can lead to a number of different issues including leg and knee pain. ¹ Personally, I have found my hips are no longer as sore and my walking stride has become more powerful.

These fantastic four side hip muscles work together to provide support on the side of leg and hip like a girdle or full length compression hose. They also help pump venous blood from the feet through the hip area and up to your heart. These side hip muscles do not turn on when you are sitting but only during straight leg balancing and pushing foot into ground with each step. This is one of the reasons why walking is so important. Keep up those 10,000 daily steps 😀😀😀

Your body is amazing and so you are YOU!

Namaste

(the Light in me honors the Light in you)

move to keep your brain healthy
move to release tension
move because it feels good to move

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Thanks to my husband, Norm Ritter, for taking the hip hike video when we were on a recent hike in one of Edmonton’s wonderful parks called Goldbar.

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Check out Yoga With Barb classes here.

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Disclaimer: Be safe, know your limits and move wisely without causing harm to yourself. Information provided in this newsletter is for you to explore and discover how your body works. It is not to diagnose any medical condition. Please consult with a physician or physiotherapist if you have concerns.

1. https://thrivenowphysio.com/hip-hike/#:~:text=The%20hip%20hike%20strengthens%20the,band)