Weekend Challenge: Hip Mobility Enhancer And Core Strengthener

Today’s challenge is an effective exercise to help prevent and improve hip problems and build a strong, healthy pelvis.

The Hip Mobility Enhancer And Core Strengthener improves pelvic mobility and flexibility, two very important aspects of bone health we’re going to discuss in this Weekend Challenge. Additionally, this exercise strengthens the core as well as the shoulders. When you perform it, you’ll be surprised at how many important areas of your body it targets.

So let’s get started, beginning with the reasons why hip mobility is such an important part of bone health and the health of your entire body.

Why:

A lack of hip flexibility is, unfortunately, a common side effect of modernity. Unlike our primitive ancestors, we don’t practice a wide, strong squat frequently as we would have in the days before comfy living room furniture, modern kitchen appliances (we stand at the stove rather than squat by a fire), and automobiles. We carry our babies in “bouncy seats” and strollers that fail to spread the knees and pelvis. As adults, we sit in chairs, lie on couches, or work out in repetitive motions on indoor machines under artificial lights.

This sort of environment functions not unlike a captive habitat, giving rise to skeletal and muscular maladies such as weak glutes (buttocks muscles) and shortened hip flexors, which make up an important group of deep muscles that work to raise your legs. Thankfully, these musculoskeletal issues can be solved with corrective exercises and movements.

Your Hips Are Central

You may not realize that your pelvis is literally at the center of your body. It must bear the weight of your entire torso; it’s the point at which you turn and pivot, and it allows you to engage in that most human of activities: walking upright.

So a pelvis that is lacking mobility, flexibility, and strength will inevitably affect the rest of the body, influencing simple tasks from walking up and down stairs to your golf or tennis game. To perform these tasks well and without injury, stability and a full range of motion are crucial.

Also central to your ability to move are your core muscles. These consist of deep and superficial muscle groups throughout the abdomen, hips, sides, and back; without them, you would not be able to bend, twist, sit up, lie down, or perform any movement of the torso. Not coincidentally, the hip flexors, mentioned above, are considered part of your core.

While they’re not a part of the hips or the core, your shoulders and arms are engaged in this weekend’s exercise as well. You’ll see how when I explain the exercise, next.

How:

An exercise mat is a good idea for this challenge, especially if you do not have a carpeted floor.

1. Get down on the floor into a push-up position.
2. Bring one knee forward to the opposite elbow – for simplicity, begin with the right knee to the left elbow. Turn your right leg so your shin is facing outward (as far as you comfortably can).
3. Straighten the right leg back to the starting position and bring your left knee forward toward your right elbow.
4. Repeat this motion, alternating legs, 10 on each side for a total of 20 times (if you are comfortable).

For a more complete hip workout, you can follow this exercise up with one or all of these other Weekend Challenges:

Break Out Of Bad Habits With Densercise™

It’s easy to get into destructive habits like prolonged sitting and chronic inactivity. With the Densercise™ Epidensity Training System, you have the perfect remedy at your fingertips. The convenient digital format means you can view your Densercise™ manual on any electronic device, anywhere, indoors or out. So you can break up day-to-day “slumps” with targeted exercise that is designed to build denser, fracture-resistant bones.

While Densercise™ is set up to be practiced three days a week for 15 minutes a day, you can add “Densercises” into your daily routine any time you like (as long as your fitness level allows). And of course, you can work any of the Weekend Challenges into your day and into your Densercise™ sessions, since the challenges are not the same exercises as those found in Densercise™ .

I hope you have a great (and active) weekend!