Unique Times

Happy Move It Monday. As you may have noticed, I haven’t done a fitness post for quite a long while since I’ve been busy ,with lots of closures, poetry, work and construction projects.

So, I thought today, I would get back to fitness and get hippy on you. No, I’m not talking about weed or speed but hips as in glutes that power us through our day and give us the strength and stability we need to maintain flexibility and reduce injury. Strong gluteal muscles help keep our pelvis strong and in alignment which helps us track so when we walk, run or perform other exercises, we have optimum body mechanics and strength.

Wait, but what are gluteal muscles? That would be your derriere, buttocks, butt, ass, as in get off your arse and move before you can’t. Otherwise, know as your gluteus maximus muscle. To be exact the gluteus maximus muscle is located in the buttocks and is regarded as one of the strongest muscles in the human body. It is connected to the coccyx, or tailbone, as well as other surrounding bones. The gluteus maximus muscle is responsible for movement of the hip and thigh.

If our hips are off we can experience pain in our legs, knees, back, inner groin, hips and even shoulders since all of these muscles and bones are connected. Also, impingement of a structure can create pain. As they say, the knee bone’s connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone’s connected to the… you get the idea.

As you may remember I had a few falls a while back and I have had some issues with my hips. That and along with the heredity issue of bad hips, hasn’t helped but I’m recovering.

If you don’t have hip issues you might want to skip this post all together but you may want to know a little bit about the anatomy and function of what their job is so you can avoid future injuries and make sure that you are using proper body mechanics to avoid problems that can be avoided with a bit of knowledge. I’m all about prevention and maintenance before you have an injury in the first place. Otherwise, ear mark this for a later time. I’ll try to keep this in as basic as possible without a lot of jargon and medical terms.

It may not be hip to be square but a strong derriere will get you……almost anywhere if you’re walking. Jet, plane or train may be sexy but 2 legs walking will take you, well…. everywhere!

Cindy

What you need to know about Hips:

• They are one of the largest weight bearing joints.
• They are a ball and socket joint; meaning they are one of the few joints that move in 3 directions made up of the femur, and pelvis and has a lot of movement since it circumducts simply meaning it moves circles as it sounds.
• They set the stage for the rest of the body and other body parts
• Sitting is one of the biggest culprits and we have to move in order to avoid shortening our hip flexors which can leave us tight and in turn puts pressure on our back resulting in pain.
• Stretching and strengthening our many muscles keeps us in optimum shape.
• Hips abduct meaning move away from the center of your body or adduct meaning come in towards the center of your body
• They also move into extension moving towards the back away from you or move into flexion as in marching when the knee comes up and the leg moves forward.
• Injuries from a sudden fall or a or sharp movement from a jolt can tork or tear muscles and or tendons.

Muscle Groups

The various muscles which attach to or cover the hip joint generate the hip’s movement.

• Gluteals: The gluteals are the muscles in your buttocks. The gluteals (gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus and gluteus medius) are the three muscles attached to back of the pelvis and insert into the greater trochanter of the femur.
• Quadriceps: The four quadricep muscles (vastus lateralis, medialis, intermedius and rectus femoris) are located at the front of the femur. All four attach to the top of the tibia. The rectus femoris originates at the front of the ilium.The three other quads attach around the greater trochanter of the femur and just below it.
• Iliopsoas: This is the primary hip flexor muscle. The three parts of the iliopsoas attach the lower part of the spine and pelvis, then cross the joint and insert into the lesser trochanter of the femur.
• Hamstrings: The three muscles at the back of the thigh are called the hamstrings. All three attach to the lowest part of the pelvis.
• Groin muscles: The groin or adductor muscles attach to the pubis and run down the inside of the thigh.

What you can do to heal injuries

You can try some basic movements that strengthen your hips but if that doesn’t work, you may need to see a P.T. or a trainer that knows correctional exercises and can access you to to determine what is going on and make a treatment program. I personally find that many times in 4-6 weeks is the determining factor and if someone isn’t getting better, I refer them out.

Rest is imperative as well as strength and stretching.

Basic Exercises to strengthen your hips:

Clam

Pelvic tilt:

One leg extensions

45 degree angle kicks

Back kicks

Side walks with tension

Squats:

You can build up as you go and do more compounded exercises as you get stronger and have more access. The real trick is creating a balance between strength and flexibility. Both are needed and finding the sweet spot for each of is is vital to continue to have supple yet strong bodies.

Ok, so ready to get hippy and do some hip hop? I WISH because that is lots of fun but first we need a solid foundation for your hips to even do that, so I’ve put together a mini hip workout that I have been doing for myself and am noticing good results.

Note: My counting is off which is about on par with what my clients would tell you about me, so count your own numbers. Oops!

Watch the below video to see where we’re we’re going with this. I remember these days but I gotta say they’re retired; plus I like even 8 counts as opposed to uneven counts which hip hop uses. Practice the above exercises and next Move It Monday, I may give you a modified version and we’ll have auditions coming later. 😂

Have a great Monday! I’ll see you Wednesday with some poetry and then Friday to put the YAY back in the day. But don’t wait for Friday or the weekend, to have fun. Do your best to find joy in everyday moments.

Get moving whatever you do. Life is fluid, dynamic and liquid and we are meant to live in our bodies healthfully and mindfully and all you need to do is listen and they will give you signals.

Stay Active and blessed. An active body gives the mind a rest and the body a lift to live our best lives.

Blessings of love,

💖

Cindy