Walking up a set of stairs, bending over to pick up an object and leaning over the kitchen bench are all tasks that most of us complete on a daily basis. Ensuring we can perform these tasks for as long as possible is essential to remaining independent. A common factor all these tasks have, aside from being everyday functional tasks is that they all involve either a hip hinge or single leg movement in some form. Therefore a home exercise program should include some form of a hip hinge or a single leg movement.
What is a hinge movement?
Think of your hips as a hinge point and your thighs and torso as two moving pieces. A hinge movement involves our hips moving backwards or “hinging” whilst the angle between our torso and thighs decreases.
What is a single leg movement?
Single leg movements are more self-explanatory, in that we recruit one leg only or one leg more than the other. These movements assist with the above tasks by strengthening the musculature of hips and addressing any single sided differences. When done well, these movements are valuable tools in our home exercise program toolbox.