5 Exercises for Runners to Work on Hip Drive with a Stable Spine
What are we even talking about when we say “hip drive with a stable spine”?
When we’re running, we want to push the ground behind us as we propel forward. For many of us, to make this happen, we arch or rotate our spine in order to get the pushing leg extended behind the torso. Ideally, we want to take advantage of the large glute muscles to extend the hip, which positions the leg behind us, and keep the spine/core stable. If this “hip drive” doesn’t happen, we miss out on maximizing our running performance and shift loads elsewhere, which could contribute to a higher risk of injury.
What are common signs you might benefit from working on your spine stability and hip drive with running?
- Low back pain with/after running
- Knee pain with/after running
- You’ve been told you’re a “backseat runner,” i.e. you lean backward when you run.
- You tend to “overstride,” or reach the landing foot far in front of you.
5 exercises to work on hip movement with a stable spine
- Pigeon with knee extension. Assume the pigeon pose, with the back knee bent and resting on the floor. Then extend the knee, which also extends the hip. Being in the pigeon pose makes it very hard to arch your back, so you learn to move your hip without also arching your back. Do 20 reps on each side.


2. Donkey kicks with dowel feedback. Start on hands and knees, with a PVC, broomstick, or other dowel balanced across the low back. Kick one leg up toward the ceiling without arching your back. If the dowel moves, your spine likely moved. Do 20 reps on each side.

3. Single leg RDL with dowel feedback. Start in a standing position and hold the dowel behind your back. You should feel contact behind the head, between the shoulder blades, and at the sacrum. Perform a single leg RDL, aka tippy bird, keeping the same contact points on the dowel the whole time. If one of the three dowel contact points changes, e.g. you lose contact with your sacrum, your spine position likely changed. Too challenging? Start on two legs, then progress to single leg. Do 4 sets of 5-8 reps.

4. Banded hip extension with dowel feedback. Set up with the dowel in the same manner as step 3. Pulling against a miniband or long band anchored in front of you, extend your leg behind you. Again, if you lose one of your contact points with the dowel, your spine moved. Do 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps.


5. Running man with dowel feedback. This exercise progresses the banded hip extension by adding speed. With the dowel as described in step 3, jump into a staggered stance with one leg behind you, then jump and switch legs. Again, the hip of the back leg should extend behind you with very little spine movement. Do 2 sets of 10-20 reps.
*Please note that ideally, your leg should actually be behind the line of your spine when you’re extending your hip. In the photos, the extending leg only gets to the line of the spine because somebody needs to work on her hip flexor mobility.


Conclusion
- Efficient, powerful running comes in part from hips that extend on a stable spine to drive the ground behind us.
- Lacking this hip drive can hinder running performance and contribute to a higher risk of injury.
- Practice the exercises outlined above to learn how to stabilize the spine while extending the hip for a powerful drive.
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Disclaimer
The information provided in this content is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you are experiencing pain or any symptoms, please consult your healthcare provider promptly. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen in our content.