Disclaimer: I would like to begin this article by stating that many of my ideas and approaches stem from my education from the Postural Restoration Institute. Through their integrative approach to movement and behavioral patterns, and the restoration of effective, triplanar, alternating and reciprocal function, I have extrapolated my own ideas and applications. The exercises outlined in this article would be best served following successful completion of some ground based PRI non-manual techniques, that I encourage readers to learn about by attending a primary PRI course.
In the previous article, I introduced some lunge patterns and ways of coaching them that will improve the loading phase of a rotational movement. I would like to finish that thought process by introducing two more exercises:
- The first to deliver the concept of how to achieve internal rotation of the lead leg, so in essence the “finished product” of rotation.
- The second, a whole phase transition from one side to the other.
In most sport situations experiencing a rotational movement to the extremes of a hockey shot, baseball swing, tennis stroke, or likewise, the lead leg finishes in more of an extended position, with the center of mass traveling from a low to high path. Rarely if ever, does the center of mass travel downward, or stay the same. In order to achieve this, the rear leg must exert both horizontal and vertical forces into the ground, and the body must have the ability to travel through the transverse plane efficiently through all joints, from internal rotation to external rotation, adduction to abduction, and flexion to extension. Thus, using cues such as “drive the floor away” for the back leg are very beneficial.
To work on the lead leg, I take a stiff leg deadlift approach, with a smaller knee flexion angle, and emphasize the hip moving posteriorly. However due to the rotational need, I rely heavily on the frontal and transverse planes when I coach it. It should be said, that in order to achieve sufficient IR of any hip, the posterior capsule of the hip socket must have enough give to receive the head of the femur. While these exercises are mobilizations in and of themselves, due to the high coordinative efforts of the exercises, sufficient posterior capsule mobility should be worked on prior.
Here is the stiff leg deadlift variation I use: this would be for a right stance leg
- Set up your athlete in a parallel stance, feet roughly shoulder width apart.
- Have them supinate their right foot, and shift their weight to the right, maintaining frontal and sagittal ribcage position, until their nose is aligned over the big toe (this may require active left foot pronation cueing if they don’t do it automatically). This should be an active effort, cueing them to pull themselves over to the right with their supinated foot (often times I cue my athletes to pull the ground to their right).
- This should get their medial hamstring/adductor group to fire in conjunction with their internal obliques which at this point should be keeping the ipsilateral ribcage in IR.
- Once they achieve this position, cue them to continue pulling themselves to the right and take their left foot off of the ground, which should cause their left hemipelvis to drop, and right to elevate.
- Now, with a slight knee bend, cue them to keep pulling right, try and internally rotate their femur at the same time, and push their hip backwards. Maintaining ribcage position, have them continue to hinge back, actively pulling and rotating into their right hip, as they breathe in the nose, and out the mouth.
- Once they achieve close to parallel thorax to ground relationship, have them “pull the ground back” and drive through their heel to come back up, all while still pulling into their hip through that supinated foot. If done correctly, they should feel their hamstring and adductors, especially proximal attachments, like never before.
- Perform 5-8 reps, and then switch sides.
Key points:
- Actively pull into ipsilateral hip
- Use the floor as leverage
- Maintain ribcage sagittal and frontal control
- Maintain heel referencing
- Supinate, supinate, supinate!
- Promote full inhalation and exhalation throughout
This exercise is incredibly important for any rotational athlete, as it keep them grounded, and more importantly, helps fix the common compensation of back extension as a means of transferring weight from one leg to the other. Athletes who lack hip IR in the lead hip will almost always extend in their lumbar, and plantar flex excessively with the rear leg to transfer weight, ultimately never achieving AFIR (acetabular femoral internal rotation) of the lead, sticking leg. This stiff leg deadlift variation is working on just that.
Now, the next step is to link the loading mechanics with the lead leg AFIR end product, to form a complete, biomechanically sound rotational movement.
There are many methods to do this, whether that be a MB throw, cable rotation, band rotation, or merely a bodyweight rehearsal of the movement. I will outline the cable version.
For a righty forehand or swing: (note: this video shows MB throw version)
- Place your athlete perpendicular to the cable, with the handle at hip height. Have them setup with feet shoulder width apart, and grab the handle with both hands.
- Cue them to allow the cable to assist them rotating and shifting their weight into their back hip, and have them load their center of mass down and back. The back foot should be supinated, and the contralateral arm actively reaching across their body to help align the thorax over the pelvis.
- Have them inhale, and upon exhalation, drive their back foot into the ground, while simultaneously pulling into the lead hip, just like the stiff leg deadlift, achieving a supinated foot in the lead leg, and promoting AFIR and FAIR of the lead hip. The exhale will also help maintain sagittal rib cage position. I find it also helps to cue retraction of the lead scapula, and protraction of the trail scapula to assist in the rotation of the thorax.
- Cue them to stick into the lead hip, gain a sensory awareness of heel stability, supination, and lead hip internal rotation, with internal oblique activity keeping lumbar extension at bay.
- Perform 6-8 reps and then replicate on the other side.
Once the athlete gets good at these movements, I start loading the single leg stiff leg deadlift as much as they can tolerate without compensation, and turn the rotational swing into more of a ballistic movement. The ultimate goal is for this to transfer to their sport, so I will even place a racquet or bat in their hand and have them practice their actual sport movement, referencing the anatomical sites I cued, and driving awareness to the sensory experiences I am after.
About Colby Mamigonian
Colby is a New Hampshire native living in New York City. He currently is an independent trainer, and a physical preparation coach for elite junior and professional tennis players. A student of all things in relation to human performance and well being, Colby works to integrate PRI teachings, neuroscience, and psychological concepts in conjunction with applied physiology and anatomy with his clients and athletes to improve their movement behavior.
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