A few months ago I was watching some video of my advanced athletes training and running. I saw a connection between the shoulder and opposing hip flexor. Intrigued, I put one of my athletes on the table to see if I could find the connection between the shoulder and the opposite hip flexor using RPR® Level 3 Testing Methods.
But first, a little background on locomotion in hip flexion. We know that the hip flexor is connected to the thoracic spine area. You can actually see how this recruitment pattern for the hip flexor is evidence of one way the body functions during gait patterns. The connection between the shoulder and opposite hip flexor actually helps to stabilize the pelvis and allows for more effective usage of the stretch reflex during the recovery cycle of the leg while running and walking.
When the leg is in the recovery cycle, and the hip flexor is activated. The opposite shoulder area is also working to help stabilize the pelvis. This connection between the two muscles is part of the anterior sling as I will show in detail later in my anterior sling series.
This sounds obvious, but this connection wasn't clear until now. I have termed this the "Thoracic Tuck Method" and should be used in your coaching exercises if needed in the weight room.
This is something that should happen naturally but doesn't in people with compensation patterns and/or weakness in their slings (like the lateral sling and anterior sling that we are talking about right now). Please don't over-coach the thoracic tuck.
Chris Korfist actually explains this upper and lower body connection in his Advanced Speed Course. He analyzed video of youth athletes during a state track meet comparing the slowest versus the fastest. He identified two key factors in speed performance–the Spring Heel Flick and the upper body connection. He covers both in detail in his course, the lecture is in Section 1.5–The Core Integrity for Speed Principle.
Checkout the video below where I break down how activation of the hip flexor is a key factor for optimal performance and show you the mechanism that facilitates hip flexion.
- Cal