Cure Tight Hips Forever: Simple Hip Movements and Muscle Activating Techniques

Cure Tight Hips Forever: Simple Hip Movements; Muscle Activating Exercises (Simple Strength) is a new (and cheaper ebook) by Sean Schniederjan that has some really good and helpful hip exercises. I bought his first ebook The Ultimate Hip Knee, and Ankle Guide for One-Legged Squats back in February and immediately took a liking to many of the exercises. Some of the exercises seemed to be works in progress (which is a good thing-learning new tweaks and stuff) and Sean provided updated video links to help with the exercises. You can also learn to move like Shakira (even if live me you don't know how Shakira moves)

This week, his new ebook came out (this one on Amazon). I asked Sean before purchasing the book if it was any different than his first book and he said it is 40-50% new material. I noticed that some exercises where missing and there were some new ones. I guess the first ebook is geared toward fixing the hips in order to do strength moves like squatting and in particular a pistol (one-legged squat). 

The new ebook is more geared towards just working the hips so they can be more open, balanced, and free. I have gone through the exercises a few times and they are easier as the target is just the hips. I am not sure the exercise have been the ultimate cure-all for me at this point, but they have greatly helped things along. I have also heard from a few readers of my blog who have found Sean's exercises very helpful to them also which is great feedback.

 The last month of running has been really rough for me as my hips moved way out of position. I did try a new therapist this week who uses a variety of cutting edge techniques (another day's post) and just one session put a lot of things back in position (mainly pulling my left hip back to be even with my right hip). I noticed how some of the techniques she used were similar to techniques in these books, but on a more gentle scale and even with less movement. She used some Muscle Activation Techniques and Muscle Energy Techniques and I don't know what the karate chops to my arches and heels were, but that was the only non-gentle part! Anyhow that evening I felt incredibly balanced while running and did my first track workout since my hip operation (6 X 800 meters) and the pace and ease exceeded my best expectations. 

If you are looking for cutting edge and usable ideas to fix tight hips, I can recommend this ebook. The one improvement I would like to see in the ebooks is how to learn the correct amount of force with these movements. My therapists  and what I am learning from M.A.T, M.E.T,  nd Somatics is that sometimes the you need to push gently and not force movements. I always am one to normally push and force a stretch or an exercise to the max and that may not be the best way to improve quality of movement.

Here is Sean describing his ebook and the kick back exercise for the hip flexor.



Here he teaches you how to move like Shakira!



Sean also has videos demonstrating his exercises, but those are only for people who buy the ebooks.

And OK, I had to find out how Shakira moves her hips, so here you go. I only know her from The Voice.