The Hip Whip

January 11, 2017

One of my favorite movements when I want to play on the ground. Takes some practice and lots of control, but once you let yourself go and trust the twist it’s freaking awesome.

• Start in a half kneeling position making sure your rear foot is dorsiflexed. Yes, you should be in bare feet. Why? More stimulation into your brain. You want to take advantage of the elastic recoil of the plantar fascia and push off of the big toe.
• Do a few rotations with the arms and upper torso to ‘load up’ the twisting spring. This is a massive challenge to your front plane stabilization and stability of the downward hip.
• When you twist you will be moving into a yoga Pigeon Pose with the bottom leg in hip flexion and external rotation and the rear leg in extension.
• The key is to use controlled momentum for the twisting. Keyword: Control
• You will be spinning on the downward knee like a top and torquing the hip joint. Joints like controlled torque.
• Transition to the opposite side and repeat the movement. This is considered one complete Hip Whip repetition, Repeat 10 times.
• Also a great stimulation for your vestibular system with the circular motion and level changes. The vestibular system performs essential tasks. It engages a number of reflex pathways that are responsible for making compensatory movements and adjustments in body position. STOP the movements if you become dizzy or nauseous.
• Sink your chest close to the ground at end range and hold for a few seconds.

Have fun and I will see you on the floor.

Remember, there is no wrong way to play.

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Just one of the many things you learn at our courses and inside the site.

Rolling Pattern Variation from Dr. Perry Nickelston on Vimeo.