Pelvis Strengthening Exercises
Beginner:
Squat:
- Start with your feet approximately shoulder/hip width apart, toes slightly pointed outwards.
- Keeping your abdominals and core tight, sit your butt backwards as though you are sitting in a small chair behind you.
- Once your hips are just below your knees, use your glutes to push yourself up to the standing position. This is one rep.
- Keep knees over your ankles, do not allow them to track over. Keep weight over your heels, no weight over the toes.
Repeat 10x, 2x/ day
Clam shells:
- Start lying on the floor on one side with your legs bent at around 90 degrees at the knees. Angle your thighs from your body at around 135 degrees. Shoulders, hips, and feet stay in alignment.
- Keeping your hips stacked vertically on top of each other, hinge at the hip to bring the knee of your top leg up, opening your legs like a clamshell.
- Keep the heels touching each other, and squeeze the glutes to drive the movement. It’s very important not to let your pelvis roll backwards as you raise your upper leg.
- Use your free arm and place your hand on your upper glutes, so you can feel the glute muscles working throughout the exercise. This kind of ‘palpating’ for muscles working can actually increase the amount of muscle recruitment and activation.
Repeat 10x, 2x/ day
Pelvis Strengthening Exercises
Intermediate:
Lunges:
- Start standing upright with feet together, and core muscles engaged.
- Keeping the left leg straight the whole time, take a large step out to the side with your right leg, bending at the knee.
- Sit your hips back and push your butt out behind you as your right knee bends, as if you were sitting in a chair.
- Pushing through your right heel, drive up as you engage your glutes to push up out of the lunge and return to the starting position. This is one rep.
- Repeat on the same side, or alternate sides (your preference) for the desired number of sets and reps.
10x, 2x/day
Side Lunge:
- Start standing upright with feet together, and core muscles engaged.
- Keeping the left leg straight the whole time, take a large step out to the side with your right leg, bending at the knee.
- Sit your hips back and push your butt out behind you as your right knee bends, as if you were sitting in a chair.
- Pushing through your right heel, drive up as you engage your glutes to push up out of the lunge and return to the starting position. This is one rep.
10x, 2x/day
Pelvis Strengthening Exercises
Advanced
| Bridge:
1. Start lying on your back on the floor, with your knees bent and your feet flat at shoulder with apart about a foot or so away from your butt. 2. With your knees apart and without actually moving them, imagine squeezing an imaginary ball between your knees. Hold this for the entire exercise, as this can help activate your glutes. 3. Clench your butt cheeks tightly together, and squeeze hard for the whole exercise. 4. Keeping your core tight, drive strongly through the heels of your feet to drive your hips up in the air. 5. Lower back down to the starting position, and repeat for the desired number of repetitions. 10x, 2x/day |
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| Bird/ Dog
1. Begin on all fours with your hands directly underneath your shoulders and knees directly below hips. 2. Engaging your core, bring the spine into a neutral position (straight back – neither arched, nor hunched over). 3. With control, raise your right arm straight out in front of you, and at the same time, extend you left leg out straight behind you. 4. Hold at the top of the motion and give you glutes a little squeeze to get your leg as high as it will go. 5. Lower back to the starting position, and repeat with the opposite leg and arm. 10x, 2x/ day |
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| Fire Hydrant
1. Engage your core muscles so that your spine is in a neutral position, neither arched or hunched excessively. 2. Keeping the right leg bent 90 degrees at the knee, rotate at the hip in order to lift your outer right thigh up in an arcing motion out to the right side of your body. You want to aim to get your thigh parallel with the ground (out at 90 degrees to your supporting left leg), however, this can require some flexibility. 3. Most people have a limited range of motion in their hip joints, so this is not only a great hip-opener and mobility exercise, it also works the butt and core stabilizing muscles. 4. Squeeze the glutes to hold your leg in the cocked position for 1 second or more, and then lower back down. 5. Repeat with the other leg. 10x, 2x/ day |
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Resisted Knee Raise1. Secure the ankle strap around your active ankle and stand 3 to 4 feet away from the door with your back to the door. 2. Position your body with your active leg back and far enough away from the door so that the band(s) are starting to stretch. 3. Keep your back straight, chest up, head straight and stomach tight. 4. Bring your active leg up and forward until your knee is at hip height. 10x, 2x/ day |
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The Iliotibial Band (IT Band for short) is a very long, thick band of fascia that runs from the hip down to the knee. This is the primary cause of knee pain for runners but can also affect just about anyone else who overuses it. Golfers may find pain during their swings and even going for a walk could cause pain.
Let’s face it, golf is a very important part of a lot of people’s lives. Having to give it up because it causes too much pain is not ok. Even if you just want to improve your game, setting up a consultation with Dr. Chris can be the first step to a healthier, happier (longer driving) you. Consultations are free and Dr. Chris offers a variety of ways to support his patients from chiropractic care to weight loss to custom made orthotics.