Suggestions for increasing hip flexibility/ mobility/ explosion (for striking)?

[Connoisseur]

Hey guys, first off I wanted to say hello, first time posting on here (with this account). Basically, i've been training for the last few summers (don't have time during the school year), trained at Xtreme Couture this summer & the summer of '09, so i've been doing MMA/ Jits/ Boxing/ MT on and off the last 3 years.

Just recently i've been training at a gym up in Spokane WA (Hit Pit MMA, has 10'th planet jits & boxing), and since i've been doing boxing 2x a week I've noticed my hands have been getting quite a bit better. Much more individual attention here than at XC; don't get me wrong, Ron Frazier & Gil Martinez are badass dudes, but so many guys go to the boxing classes that I didn't get as much individual attention.

But I digress. The real point of this is, i've just recently started to get good hip rotation & shoulder extension into my cross, and am starting to see a semblance of a left hook. I was wondering what exercises/ stretches that you guys would recommend for me, to increase my hip rotation speed & mobility, I'd really like to get a decent 2-3 going. I've noticed that I feel a bit off- balance when I throw the 3, and I think I need to shift my weight back better as well as retrieve my hips faster.

Anybody?

 

[Connoisseur]

Should I have gone to the strength & power guys with a question like this? I figured since this is the striking technique sub- forum, someone here should have some decent tips

 

[zx]

Yes, you should ask in S&C. First things first: read http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f13/strength-power-faq-read-436935/

.. and work on your technique always.

 

[DrBdan]

If you are feeling off balance it's a technique issue so you should talk to your trainers about it. Pad and bag work are probably your best bet.

For strength info read the S&P FAQ that zx posted and check out this thread for some good routines to chose from.

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f13/faq-update-beginner-intermediate-routines-1210858/

 

[panamaican]

Hip rotation and mobility are functions of core strength and flexilbity. So any exercise that works your whole core will add to hip rotation speed and power. The standards that you'll see mentioned over and over again: squat, deadlift, bench. Performed with good form they will all strengthen your core and you'll see improvements in hip speed

Personally, I've found that squats increased my flexibility and mobility the most, along with the strength gains.

But really, hip rotation and mobility can be trained in tons of ways. The easiest is just continued practice of the movements you want to perfect. Repetition will open up the hip and get them used to running through that range of motion.

S&C will give you good stretches.

 

[Connoisseur]

Thanks guys. I figured as much with the core training; I normally do compound lifts like Squats, deads, cleans, OHP, & Bench when I go lift at the gym.

Alot of it is, as someone else said, rote repetition, and it's just a matter of getting in the reps.

 

[OHNO]

3 years and you can't throw a decent 2-3? Maybe go to a straight boxing gym and learn some basic tech. Sit down on your punches! Sounds like you might be over thinking it or I've totally missed your point.

 

[SpineBreaker]

There are probably yoga stretches that will help. There are a lot of stretches I do in my classes for our hips, but I can't really describe them...

One you could try is lay on your back. Lift on of your knees up (but this is for your hips, so don't think of lifting your knee...lift your hip!) and stretch it out to the side, then across over your other leg and try to make it touch the ground. Look the opposite direction when you do this. You might feel some amazing pops in your spine, and if you're lucky, in your hip. Then just do it for the other leg.

I think Machida actually shows this stretch in one of his DVD videos. But this is a simple one, and it was still hard to describe over the Internet.

 

[Connoisseur]

3 years and you can't throw a decent 2-3? Maybe go to a straight boxing gym and learn some basic tech. Sit down on your punches! Sounds like you might be over thinking it or I've totally missed your point.

Well, this is actually only the 2'nd summer that i've been training striking, and a good deal of that I was focusing on Muay Thai. I went today though, and found that (as you said) I just needed to really plant myself and sit down on my back foot during the 3. Getting full extension on my 2 also helped me really shift my weight from my front foot to my back as well.

Core strength/ good hips are so pivotal to boxing & jits, so I was just wondering, always looking for ways to get better haha.

Any way a mod could move this thread to the S & P forum or should I just repost it?

 

[FyouKantCme]

lol, the S&P thing was a joke. usually their answer to everything over there is "read the FAQ" when no one on this sight reads those things anyway. just keep training boxing, not muay thai. sounds like you haven't even trained a solid year yet

 

[Connoisseur]

lol, the S&P thing was a joke. usually their answer to everything over there is "read the FAQ" when no one on this sight reads those things anyway. just keep training boxing, not muay thai. sounds like you haven't even trained a solid year yet

It's true, I maybe have like 6-8 months of jits under my belt, and probably like 3-4 months of striking training, spread out over a long period of time.