Guess where I’m going this morning?
No, it’s not the gym (that’s later). No, it’s not the grocery store (again, later). And no, it’s not Tom Brady’s house (only in my dreams).
I have to head to the RMV this morning to get my driver’s license renewed.
(Cue sarcastic “yay” here)
I can think of a bazillion things I’d rather do than spend a few hours at the RMV:
- Take a piano lesson.
- Eat sawdust.
- Jump into a shark’s mouth.
- Listen to a John Tesh cd.
- Talk about my feelings.
Alas, it has to be done. I haven’t had an updated picture on my license since 2006 when I first moved to Boston (and when I still had some hair). So, in the unlikely event that you don’t hear back from me due to my life being sucked dry of every ounce of enjoyment and reason to live, remember I love you all.
I need to hit up the RMV early this morning, so today’s post is going to be quick and to the point. Here’s a cool, new hip thrust variation I’ve been using myself and with my own clients.
Band Resisted 1-Legged Hip Thrust
Who Did I Steal It From: You’d assume Bret Contreras, and you’d be wrong. I actually “stole” this idea from my boy, Dean Somerset.
What Does It Do: Outside of making badonkadonks bootylicious, I like this variation because it allows for some semblance of loading hip extension
Admittedly, the band doesn’t add a ton of resistance. But it’s juuuuust enough to make it worthwhile, especially for high(er) rep sets. This is a great way to kick your hip thrusts up a notch – especially for those who don’t have access to a hip thruster or who find setting up band resistance with a bunch of DBs on the floor too cumbersome.
Key Coaching Cues: For starters, slow the frick down. The biggest mistake I see most people make with hip thrusts in general is that they go too fast. The movement ends up being all in the lower back and not in the hip/glute.
I like to cue the shoulders to be externally rotated as I feel it helps to “open” people up. I also cue “head should follow the hinge.” As in: don’t just let your head/neck crank back the entire time. As you hinge and your torso moves, your head should follow.
Take a resistance band (I’m only using a 1″ jump-stretch band in the video), double loop it, and wrap it around the bottom of your foot and your thigh.
Foot stays flat on the floor and be sure to push THROUGH THE HEEL. Keep a controlled tempo and “feel” the glute fire at the top. Pause for a 1-2s count and repeat.
As noted I like to perform these for high(er) reps – 12-15/20. The resistance of the band isn’t going to feel like much to start, but once you get up there in reps you’ll learn to appreciate it.
