Exercise Hacks Ep. 15 - Fix Tight Hips & Improve Athleticism with Lateral Movement

Likewise, a common reason for reduced athletic potential is poor functioning hips.

The hip complex is meant to be trained in multiple planes of motion because the hips are designed to move in multiple planes of motion. Yet most people live in the sagittal plane of movement - essentially only moving forward or backward - and they gradually lose the ability to move in lateral or rotational planes of motion.

Including lateral movement exercises can prove to be beneficial for reducing muscle tightness and joint pain as well as enhancing athleticism.

Here is just a sample of lateral movement exercises that are scaleable to an individual's capacity. These are great for training lateral strength, motor control, and improving weight transfer that feeds agility and power. They can easily be performed with most gym equipment. Depending on preference, you may need to purchase some furniture sliders or a slide board. You may need to get creative based on what you have access to. Regardless, the principles of movement are still the same.

In this video we feature:

1. Lateral monster walks (use band or Hip Circle)
2. Slider lateral lunge
3. High box Crossover Lunge
4. Cable Skater Lunge
5. Lateral plyometric power

There are plenty of other lateral movement exercises that could be included. Keep in mind exercise selection should be given careful consideration based upon the individual.