5 Tips for strong and healthy hips on the run and bike

Indoor running and cycling can give the hips a slight break with the stability and softness of treadmills and stationary bikes. Once we take it to the road in spring our hips are sure to get an extra workout with harder surfaces and more challenging and variable terrain. Make sure your hips are strong and healthy to take on the extra impact of outdoor training.

Common with any repetitive sport, triathletes are particularly susceptible to hip injuries. Overuse by doubling down on two disciplines that require healthy hip function, performance on the bike and run can be diminished if these muscles aren’t balanced, strong and fatigue resistant.

Get ready for the road

Surrounded by the glutes, iliopsoas, quads, and hamstrings, the hip plays an important roles in stabilization. Without a solid foundation that includes the hips, athletes are prone to knee, IT band and low back injuries, to name a few.

Balancing on unstable terrain while running challenges this stability and othr smaller muscles that are activated to keep you upright over rocky roads or trails. Cycling on the trainer removes the body’s requirement to balance the bike. This fact, and the lower impact of treadmills, can put you at risk when you reintegrate outdoor training. These smaller stabilizing muscles have not been put to the test over winter and could be off their game. It is wise to focus on strengthening the hips and stabilizers before you return to outdoor training.

Testing your hip strength

You can test your hip strength to see how your body has weathered another winter of indoor training. To measure you stability and balance, stand tall, keeping your hips level, lift one foot off the ground. Hold this position for 30 seconds to assess whether or not you can maintain the single leg position comfortably. If your glutes starts to burn, you start to wobble, or your hips drop or tilt you are a good candidate for hip strengthening work.

A second indication that your hips need work is to attempt a body weight squat with your arms in the air. Ideally, your are able to squat and stand up smoothly, indicating a strong core, good flexibility and balance. If you are able to keep the hips moving succinctly without compensating with other muscles and movement it is another sign your hips may be functioning well.

Performing a static side plank by stacking your legs one on top of the other and balancing on your forearm, with your hip elevated off the floor consider the effort this requires to hold for 30 seconds. If you can maintain a straight line from ankle to hip to shoulder without struggle and without fatiguing easily or breaking your line, this is another indication your hips are in good shape.

Even if your assessment proves you’ve emerged from the long winter intact, it’s always a good idea to include hip strength work in your program to ensure your body is strong enough to handle the future onslaught of outdoor miles as you build to your next race.

Exercise #1

Perform 2-3 x 15 Hip Dips on each side, alternating, with 20 seconds rest in between.

Hip Dips involve standing on a low platform close to the edge with your outside leg dangling off so it can be lowered and raised. Stand tall, make sure your hips are level, and lower the outside leg slowly while focusing on engaging the hip muscles of your stable leg. This exercise is good at isolating the outside of your hip and helps prevent hip dip when running.

Exercise #2

Perform 2-3 x 15 Single Leg Deadlifts on each side, alternating, with 20 seconds rest in between.

Standing with feet shoulder-width apart and hands on hips, lean forward as you raise one leg back. Focus on a smooth, controlled movement from the hips as your torso is lowered forward. Stand back up, focusing on engaging your hips as the leg returns. This exercise is a good one for the lower back as well. You can add dumbbells to this movement once you can perform it correctly using only body weight.

Exercise #3

Perform 2-3 x 15 Single Leg Lateral Raises on each side, alternating, with 20 seconds rest in between.

Another great single leg exercise, this one incorporates upper body strength as well. Standing tall with feet shoulder-width apart, raise one bent knee in front. At the same time, while holding dumbbells, raise your arms straight up from your sides. The strength and stability required to keep you stable while balancing on one leg and raising the weight with your arms challenges your hips. If you have any balance issues they will quickly be revealed. Start with a low weight and increase as your stability and strength improves.

Exercise #4

Perform 2-3 x 15 Single Leg Bridges on each side, alternation, with 20 seconds rest in between.

On your back with one bent knee, raise a straight leg off the ground all while keeping your hip in line with each other. Perform this movement slowly, watching to make sure your hips stay on a flat plain as your leg is raised. You should be able to rest a tea cup on your abdomen without it falling off. Lower your straight leg back down and repeat on the other side.

Exercise #5

Perform 2-3 x 15 Banded Abductions on each side, alternation, with 20 seconds rest in between.

Place a band above your knee, feet shoulder-width apart. With knees slightly bent, move one leg away from the center of your body, pressing against the resistance of the band. You should feel pressure on the outside of your hip. Focus on keeping the hips level and stable as you press the leg out. Bring the leg back to center and repeat with the other leg.

Happy and healthy hips are a foundation of triathlon. Athletes may get away with weak hips for a period, but as the miles pile up any cracks will begin to show if you haven’t done the work over winter or ahead of spring training. In order to go the distance this year you will need to rely on your hips performing as they should to avoid other muscles like the glutes, quads, hamstring, low back or iliopsoas jumping in to the save the day.

While these larger muscle groups can save the day from time to time, they will not save the season if they are constantly overtaxed by weak hips. Incorporating 10 minutes of hip work two to three times a week can make a huge difference on performance and injury prevention.