Building proper hip stability as a soccer player
In the last articles we talked about the specific training goals within a football preparation. In today's article we will look at targeted training exercises that will make you a healthier and fitter footballer!
In the first step we will address the important topic of hip stability. A stable hip is important in many ways. The hip joint and its associated muscles can have a positive or negative effect on the areas of the body above or below it. The hip joint controls your leg axis, which can subsequently affect your knee and ankle.
For this reason, you should have a minimum level of hip joint stability. In this context, I will now show you two important exercises that can help you specifically improve your hip stability.
The first exercise is hip external rotation while lying on your side. The goal of this exercise is to strengthen your lateral hip joint muscles (glutaeus medius muscle). This muscle is one of the key muscles in the hip joint area as it can have a massive influence on the leg axis. Weaknesses in this muscle can lead to instability of the leg axis, which can increase the risk of knee/ankle injuries.
-
Hip external rotation in lateral position
- Exercise goal
- Strengthening lateral hip muscles
- Starting position
- You are lying on your side
- Bend your knees slightly
- Your heel, your pelvis and your upper body form a line
- Your pelvis is upright
- execution
- Lift your overhead knee joint upwards
- Keep your pelvis stable
- Return to the starting position
- Do this movement several times
- Possible evasive movement
- A tilt of your pelvis backwards
- Where/what should you feel it
- Exertion in the area of your side hip muscles
The second exercise I'll show you today is the bridge exercise. The goal of this exercise is to strengthen your gluteus muscle (gluteus maximus) and your hamstrings (back of your thighs). These muscles are also very important to stabilize your leg axis but also your hip joint and your lower back (lumbar spine)!
-
Bridge
- Exercise goal
- Strengthening rear hip muscles
- Strengthening the back of the thighs
- Starting position
- You are in the supine position
- Place both legs hip-width apart
- Pull your toes up
- Adjust your lower back to the middle position
- execution
- Tighten your abdominal muscles specifically
- Lift your pelvis upwards
- Do not move into a hollow back position
- Return to the starting position
- Do this movement several times
- Possible evasive movement/s:
- An increased hollow back position of your lower back
- An upward rotation of the pelvis
- Where/what should you feel it:
- Exertion in the area of your hip/hamstring muscles
I recommend that you incorporate these exercises into your regular strength training.
