Standing Hip Controlled Articular Rotation

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand tall next to a power rack or sturdy upright, placing the hand closest to it on the rack for balance.
2. Plant your standing leg firmly into the ground with a slight bend in the knee and engage your core to stabilize your pelvis.
3. Create 'irradiation' by squeezing your non-working fist and tensing your entire body to isolate the movement to the hip joint.

How to do it

1. Inhale to create intra-abdominal pressure, then lift your active knee toward your chest as high as possible without rounding your lower back.
2. Slowly move your knee out to the side into abduction as far as possible while keeping your hips square to the front.
3. Rotate your thigh internally, bringing your ankle up and out while keeping the knee high, then sweep the leg back into hip extension.
4. Lower the knee to meet the other, then reverse the entire movement: kick back into extension, rotate the knee out and up, and bring it back to the front chest-height position.

Form checklist

• Keep your torso and pelvis completely still; do not let your lower back arch or your hips twist.
• Move slowly and smoothly, avoiding any 'skipping' or jerky movements through tight spots.
• Maintain maximum tension throughout the body to ensure only the hip joint is moving.
• Keep the standing leg glute squeezed to prevent the pelvis from tilting or leaning.

Pro tips

• Imagine your hip socket is a bowl of soup and you are trying to scrape the edges with a spoon without spilling a drop.
• Focus on 'maximal effort, minimal movement' everywhere else in the body to isolate the joint capsule and improve mind-muscle connection.

Make it harder

• Perform the movement without holding onto the rack to significantly increase balance demands and oblique engagement.
• Increase the 'irradiation' or internal tension to 100% effort, moving as if pushing through thick, heavy wet concrete.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the standing hip controlled articular rotation work?

The standing hip controlled articular rotation primarily targets the abs, glutes, and hip flexors, and also works the erector spinae, obliques, and quadriceps as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the standing hip controlled articular rotation?

The standing hip controlled articular rotation requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the standing hip controlled articular rotation good for beginners?

The standing hip controlled articular rotation is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Down To Upward DogIntermediate · abs, erector spinae, glutes, hip flexors, obliques, and quadriceps
• Kneeling Forward Hip CirclesBeginner · abs, adductors, erector spinae, glutes, hip flexors, and obliques
• Medicine Ball Single Leg Balance ThrowAdvanced · abs, glutes, hip flexors, obliques, and quadriceps
• Alternating Hamstring Curl JackIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps