Fix Your Hips – Perfect 4 Exercise Circuit
If you want to squat deeper, you not only have strengthen your core, you need to work on your hips. Specifically, you need to ‘loosen’ up your hips and create more mobility so you can squat through a fuller range of motion.
As there are proven squat progressions, there are also proven movements that will help you move better and typically alleviate any back pain you’re having. And the cool thing is that when you ‘fix’ your hips, a lot of other great things happen.
Creating more mobility in your hips – along with more core stability – will allow you to get AND stay in better positions for all other full body strength exercises. You will deadlift better, lunge better, jump better, run better, power clean better,
Fix Your Hips Circuit
This Fix Your Hips circuit contains the following:
1) Bodyweight Squats
2) Cossack Squats
3) Deep Lunge (with Hip Flexor Stretch)
4) External Rotation on Bench
You want to move smoothly and transition between exercises with purpose. Spend some time at each position until you feel comfortable.
The great thing about this ‘4 punch combo’ is that it is not reserved just for the warm-up. It can and should be performed in between your primary exercises. For example, if you are squatting, do this:
Set 1) Squat with Barbell Only x 20 reps (warm-up)
Bodyweight Squat => Cossack Squat => Deep Lunge => External Rotation on Bench
Set 2) Squat x 135lbs x 10 reps
Bodyweight Squat => Cossack Squat => Deep Lunge => External Rotation on Bench
and so on… until you are hitting depth and are ready to move into your heavier sets.
Try out this new quick circuit and let me know in the comments how it worked for you.
By Smitty on April 22nd, 2013
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So how many times would you run through this each leg during warm up.??
Grant, we usually go through this 2-3 times and hold each position for 5-10 seconds.
This was exactly what I needed! U DA MAN!
Thanks big guy.
Fantastic post as always Jim. Whilst I always advocate Deep Squats & Cossack squats as part of a Mobility protocol, I now have two more exercises to implement. Thanks ‘Smitty’.
You’re the man Gareth. Thanks for your continued support.
Great circuit Smitty! Perfect little warm-up for a squatting day.
thanks brother
Looks great Smitty! Definitely going to try this out.
Thanks Conor
Apart from the external rotation that is my warm up on leg day! I can highly recommend it for anyone who wants to squat deep and maximum results from their workout…….must add the rotation for myself though….
Before squatting? Oh no Im doing these as soon as I get out of bed before breakfast! I of course will fit them into my warmups. They will improve my dancing as well. Im not kidding. Thanks a bunch!
Thank you , started crossfit and i need to go deeper