Why + How Hip Extension Can Lead to Better Arm Swing in the Sprint
The details of sprinting and biomechanics are not nearly as important as looking holistically at the development of an individual. This includes big picture program design, volume, fatigue, stress, and data.
Furthermore, most individuals we work with have not experienced enough stress to affect their orientation which in turn affects their speed and performance.
As an individual progresses throughout their training lifecycle they will begin to experience more injuries and stress. Resulting in poor postures, gait mechanics, and anatomical positions.
This past summer we spent a lot of time revisiting our assessments, film, and data to see what controllable efforts on our end made a difference.
For advanced athletes, proper positioning mattered.
Most of our male athletes displayed classic excessive anterior pelvic tilts and hyperextension of the lumbar spine to compensate for poor internal rotation.
In sprinting, we know the importance of arm swing and corresponding lower extremity movement. A lot of the individuals we worked with had trouble with optimal arm swing.
In human locomotion, we need to have an appreciation for physics and energy as opposed to muscular driven actions. In sprinting, physics heavily influences the success (or failure) in a sprint.
We know the body will take the path of least resistance. If an individual presents this type of orientation (lack of hip extension) we can infer:
- Poor arm swing and rotation of stance leg
- Other parts of the body (ankles/knees) will initiate torque instead of the hip
- Lumbar extension to compensate for poor internal rotation and hip extension
The Solution?
Two simple exercises that help restore hip extension and rotation without ground based activities.
Exercise 1: Standing KB Hookplank
Exercise 2: MB Rotational Knee Drives