Hip Mechanics

The intended sensation is work in the outside hip and glute medius of the top leg. Deadlifting trains posterior hip outlet and posterior capsule stretch under load. Hip engagement during landing reduces damage and stress on the body. Neither over-resisting nor over-yielding to the cable is correct; a light, controlled pull is the target. Cable tension activates the outside hip (glute medius) by pulling the body slightly forward. The top leg reaches long in the direction away from the body while keeping the arch of the foot on or close to the ground. Reaching the top leg long engages the outer hip musculature. The screw-home mechanism involves external rotation of the tibia as terminal knee extension is achieved. The top-leg glute medius should become active after the leg is lengthened and the foot is dorsiflexed and everted. The knee lift should be accompanied by engagement through the inner thigh and outside of the hip. The hip on the lunging side should abduct during the lateral lunge. Making the working leg feel long is intended to create awareness of the glute medius. Co-contraction of the erectors, abdominals, and hamstrings helps keep the pelvis neutral during the hinge. The…