The human body is hip dominant. The muscles around our hips allows us to stand straight and seat. They also allows us to walk, run, climb stairs, etc. When the hip complex is not well developed it puts our bodies out of balance. Our hip flexors and hamstrings get tight, our glutes don’t get activated properly and end up suffering from back pain, knee and ankle injuries and even shoulders problems due to the involvement of the latissimus dorsi in connecting the lumbopelvic complex with the upper back and shoulders.
Hip training is so important it should be a central part in all general fitness and athletic programing. Some people already exhibit major dysfunctions and ignoring these problems only leads to acute injuries or chronic pain. Here are some ways to diagnose hip dysfunction:

Step 1: Do a squat with the arms straight up. Perform the squat down to where your hips are almost in line with your knees. Keep your arms straight up throughout the motion and perform 5 to 10 reps.

Step 2: Watch for the following problems:
-Excessive forward lean: this means that the hips flexors and the abdominal complex are too tight and the gluteus maximus is not getting activated properly.
-Low back arches: this indicates that the hips flexors, the lats and the erector spinae are too tight and the glutes, hamstrings and core stabilisers are not working properly.
-Low back rounds: this time it is the hamstrings that are too tight and the hip flexors as well as the glutes who need activation.
-Hips tilt to the side: this indicates weakness of the glutes on the same side of the tilt and the adductor complex on the opposite side as well as overactivity of the adductor co0mplex on the same side as well as the piriformis and bicep femoris on the opposite side of the tilt.

Step 3: Correct the problem: the best method to correct imbalances is to apply pressure to areas that are tight to stimulate myofascial release. After these tender areas loosen up, proceed to stretch the overactive muscles.

Step 4: Activate the underactive muscles. Since the glutes are a very common culprit we will focus on a series of exercises that promote glute activation which leads to increase mobility around the hip complex. The last step focuses on strengthening the hip flexors and the abductor and adductor complexes.

Hip strengthening and mobility program:

Position 1: Hands and knees:
-15 circles with ea leg clockwise
-15 circles with ea leg counterclockwise
-15 up and down motions ea with leg extended sideways

Position 2: Lying on medicine ball:
-15 up and down motions with leg straight

Position 3: Lying with back on the floor:
-Hold pelvic tilt up for 15 seconds
-Perform 15 pelvic tilts right after and hold again 15 seconds up

Position 4: Lying with back on the floor:
-Lift one leg without bending the knee and move the leg up-then to side-back to the opposite side-back to the middle and down. Perform 10 reps on each leg.

This program can be perform as a part of a workout once to three times per week depending on the need of the individual. Hip strength and mobility is need to successfully perform other common exercises such as lunges, squats , step ups and deadlifts which in my book are the cornerstone of a lower body conditioning. There are many progressions to those exercises such as adding ankle weights or using a medicine ball for the pelvic tilts. I would encourage everybody to spend some time training the hip complex, I have seen great improvements with all my clients and myself as well from adding this crucial component to my exercise programs. Good luck and please feel free ask me any questions or expand on the subject. After a few weeks you should feel the improvement and the significant improvement on your capacity for movement and core strength.

Luis