How to unlock the hips for powerful kicks!

[@heartandmindovercome3214]

This guy's awesome! 👌 I've been stretching my hip flexors wrong the whole time. I can feel a difference after one round of these drills. Thanks, Valuable info for sure 👍🔥

[@heatrick]

Great to hear! 😁👊

[@sportmuaythaiv1045]

This clip should be great for beginning senior muaythai students. I started muaythai at 57, and was a true desk jockey. I was taught how to kick properly, but just could not roll my butt to execute kick with good form, I suspect my muscles and tendons around my pelvic bones had stiffened up from inactivity. It took me more than than seven months to finally roll my butt correctly.

[@heatrick]

😁👊

[@01sevensix]

Awesome video and what a great repository of information! Thanks so much!

[@heatrick]

Thank you for the feedback, and you're welcome! :)

[@neilkool3522]

Hi Don, Do you happen to know Hip Distraction exercises that do not involve equipment such as bands, thanks 🙏

[@harvestblades]

God bless you! There is such a wealth of info in these movements as to why it works. I am a 42 year old construction worker so low back, & hips are chronically tight. It has really limited my ability to kick, & turn my hip over in MUay Thai, as well as hip, & low back mobility in bjj which is critical. I will implement this starting tomorrow, and I am sure it will improve my mobility, & decrease the pain, & risk of injury from forcing the movement. Needless to say I am subbing, & will be digging through your content. Thank you from Nebraska, USA.

[@heatrick]

Thanks for the feedback Larry, much appreciated. And thanks for subbing... there's lots more I'll be sharing. :) There's a ton of info on the website too. One article I'd recommend is one on including general mobility exercises in your training sessions here: heatrick.com/2014/05/05/gym-mobility-exercises-for-muay-thai/ Have fun unlocking those tight bits! Reclaiming lost motion feels great.

[@shanefolden4784]

This is excellent, thank you very much for the great info.

[@heatrick]

You’re welcome Shane. 😁🙏

[@KelpWolf]

Great advice! I worked through these exercises as you described them and definitely see some benefits. My biggest mobility and flexibility challenge is the side splits. I'm not even able to achieve a 90 degree angle, except on a good day. Any videos you can point me towards?

[@heatrick]

Thank you! Glad it’s helped. Check this out to fast track Your side splits: heatrick.com/2022/10/07/the-splits-stretching-routine-for-fighters-kicks/

[@TheStunnedHD]

Don, I have snapping at the front of my hip when I throw teeps. It causes some pain at the top of my quad in the front and makes me hesitate to throw them. Do you have any advice? Love your work

[@KingOfDark115]

Same here

[@voreqejackson1238]

Don, I have recently been looking for ways to increase the speed of my roundhouse kick when throwing it without hopping forward or "bouncing" off the rear foot, as this telegraphs my kicks. The main thing I feel is responsible for hindering this speed is the fact that I have to lift my leg off the ground when kicking. Would strengthening the muscles that lift my leg help to increase the speed of my kick and if so how would I go about doing this?

[@heatrick]

Plyometrics, explosive lifts, and strength lifts will all help. If it’s hip flexion in particular that your thinking of, strengthening that could help if you’re particularly weak there. Bear in mind that plyometric exercises like box jumps and hurdles training hip flexion speed too. I’d suggest that one of the biggest differences you can make to your kicking speed technically, is to relax and think “loose and fast” rather than “power and effort”. Your footwork rhythm and timing will also make a huge difference.

[@ibrahimsaleh3314]

hey mate thanks for the video really helpful just wanted to ask during the anchor exercise are you driving it through your groin, or working that part of your body

[@heatrick]

You're very welcome! Glad it's helpful. You just stretch out that hip flexor in the rear leg, descending as low as you can go while maintaining form. Just stabilising and working the full range in the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat creates enough activation through the muscles we've loosened up. ;)

[@chrischan3297]

Thanks! This is really helpful :)

[@yodawg.9500]

Hello, I have a dominant right leg, and can throw a right roundhouse kick no problem but when asked to do a switch kick, there is a 'snap' feeling when I put down my left leg. People say I have Snapping Hip, is this exercise helpful for that condition?

[@heatrick]

If you feel the snapping sensation in the front of the hip, i.e. you have Internal Snapping Hip Syndrome, then yes this will help. Especially if you focus foam rolling the front of the hip. Also consider strengthening exercises such as double leg bridges, single leg bridges, resisted hip extension, sidelying hip abduction, and hip clam exercises. Exercises that cause the “snapping sensation” or discomfort should be avoided. Be careful with the volume of switch kicks you practice if it causes a lot of snapping.

[@ORIGINOLINDIVIDUAL]

in your opinion Can knee valgus be fixed without surgery ?

[@heatrick]

Yes it can. :) Check out this article for more detail: heatrick.com/2015/05/31/valgus-knees-corrective-strength-and-conditioning-exercises/

[@kaser666]

What is your opinion on the psorite and dynamic mobilization

[@heatrick]

The Pso-Rite looks like a handy way to get into hard to reach areas, but I've not used it myself. I stick to rollers, balls, kettle handles, barbells etc to get in there. ;) What specifically do you mean by dynamic mobilisation? Can you give some examples?

[@Subwzer0]

Can the foam rolling part be accomplished with a massage gun instead¿

[@heatrick]

Yes, if you have a massage gun that can work too. :)

[@Subwzer0]

@@heatrick thank you 🙏🏼

[@emilyhoward5223]

Recently I've done something to my left hip. I had to stop left kicks all together for a while. It no longer hurts now but I find it very hard to roll my hip over when kicking. It's like something is blocking it. Is there anything else I can do to help loosen and open my hip back up. Thank you

[@heatrick]

I'd recommend practicing the Shin Box Switch. I haven't put a video out on this exercise yet, but here is one demonstrating it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmaqnK2lo7Brh5Y Pay attention to where you feel the block in your movement, and how it differs as you move from one side to the other. ;)

[@emilyhoward5223]

@@heatrick thank you so much for your help. The block is right at the end of the rotation.

[@commentstealer4460]

Do i need strengh or just stretches to do a thai low kick ? What about punching ? Does it require alot of core strengh ? Thank you

[@heatrick]

You need sufficient strength and flexibility to perform an effective low kick. Being a low kick though, the flexibility requirements aren't very high. However, having flexibility that exceeds the range of motion that you are using for the kick will result in a faster, more powerful kick. For punching, yes, the core is heavily involved... Research shows that expert boxers generate the majority of the punch force with their legs (greater than 38%), and secondly, just under 38% of the force via the core. Incidentally, only about 24% of the force comes from the punching arm itself. Check out this video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/epeQmIOihdV4p7s

[@commentstealer4460]

@@heatrick thank you so much, i have what you call an anterior pelvic tilt will getting into a posterior pelvic tilt make my strikes and balance better ?

[@heatrick]

@@commentstealer4460 You're welcome! A mild anterior pelvic tilt won't cause you much of an issue, but more severe cases will do. The hip flexor release in this video will help. And also practice the Cook Hip Lift afterwards as show here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJ-1p3mCl8yen8k And strengthening the core will help, as shown here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJLMpGqBfdx4apY

[@austin8313]

Hey so I went to try this and it hurts a lot and something is sliding around and making a noise. Is that normal? It's kind of a popping noise. I'm not on the IT band. Also thanks for the video!

[@heatrick]

It sounds like you've got some inflamed/tight muscle tissue going on there! If it doesn't diminish over a few weeks, or you start to feel pain in your general movement, I'd recommend seeing a therapist to make sure something doesn't need doing. ;)

[@jakeeybabii93]

Thank you sir

[@nvanguy6868]

My lower back is so tight after muay thai I never had this problem but now i am 42

[@heatrick]

9 times out of 10, lower back issues are a result of tight hips. Use this exercise sequence to attack the front your hips (hip flexors), but I'd also recommend you target hamstrings and glutes too. Here are some ideas for you... heatrick.com/2014/05/05/gym-mobility-exercises-for-muay-thai/ And look at the “Improving hip strength and activation” section here too: heatrick.com/2015/05/31/valgus-knees-corrective-strength-and-conditioning-exercises/

[@nvanguy6868]

Thanks so much for the advice and quick reply😁 Ill have more questions for you in the near future

[@anonymous-zp5mh]

New subscriber here!

[@heatrick]

😁🙏

[@anonymous-zp5mh]

@@heatrick just a question, any recomendation how to get rid neck pain or spasm after clinch training?

[@heatrick]

@@anonymous-zp5mh After initial injury/pain has diminished, specifically build your next strength using a progressive approach... Check out this OLD video here ;) heatrick.com/2012/10/08/neck-strengthening-for-muay-thai/

[@Dracon-International]

Devils in the details

[@heatrick]

You got it. :)