Lower Body Exercises with Misaligned Hips

[darksakura]

Hi Rebels! I've been back in the gym, already seeing my body change, and it feels great! I just have a few exercises that annoy the stew out of my hips, which regularly are misaligned due to a former injury. I went to the gym today, and this is what I did:

 

• 5 Minutes - Arc Trainer
• 5 Minutes - Yoga Stretching for Back
• 5x5 Weighted Squats - 27 lb bar
• 5x5 Leg Press - 130 lbs
• 5x5 Calf Raises - 130 lbs
• 5x5 Hip Adduction Machine - 90 lb - 80 lb - 70 lb x3
• 5x5 Hip Abduction Machine - 90 lb - 100 lb - 115 lb - 105lb x2
• 5x5 Hamstring Curl - 80 lb - 70 lb - 60 lb x3
• 10 Minutes - Yoga Stretching for Legs and Back

The weight differences there are me seeing what my limits are. =P

 

So I went to do lunges, and it was so uncomfortable! Does anyone have a good alternative to that and the Hamstring Curl machine?

 

Thank you!

[El Exorcisto]

I personally don't like much of what you are doing, but I am an anti-technological barbarian when it comes to training. I'd rather see fire hydrants, clams, and maybe banded adductions if absolutely necessary in place of the good girl/bad girl machines. I dont like calf raises since they end up limiting range of motion which will end up buggering your squat. Do squats hurt your hips? If not then you should honestly just replace your whole leg day with good solid squats, and if you really need it then do some good mornings or RDLs for ham work. You could do clams and fire hydrants as activation movements, but squats will work the muscle groups sufficiently on their own. If you are dying for a better ass, and honestly who isnt, then some barbell bridges or hip thrusts would fill the bill there, along with helping to stabilize your pelvis and keep you out of anterior pelvic tilt.

[darksakura]

I've been trying to get away from the machines, actually, which is why I've turned to the forums. I usually do my deadlifts on my middle days (back/ab/chest). Squats don't hurt my hips unless I use too much weight or don't rest long enough in between sets.

 

I've been using the adduction/abduction machines solely for strengthening my hips until I can do leg lifts with the weighted bar. I'm not super familiar with the exercises you named, but I'm willing to try anything. I just know lunges usually has my right hip hurting for days, usually just on one side.

 

As for looks? I don't care what my butt looks like. I want to get stronger.

 

I did forget to add the other thing I did, which was standing on the BOSU to check my balance. 

 

Thanks!

 

PS: I'm looking up everything now. Funny, RDL was the only way I knew how to deadlift.

[El Exorcisto]

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/dispelling_the_glute_myth

 

^This... all of this...

 

Limited ROM, open chain, isolated movements are bad for bodies when not balanced correctly. Ditch the machines and love the barbell. Bret's activation movements helped me a lot early on and hip thrusts put the last nail in the coffin of my anterior pelvic tilt.

 

If squats don't hurt, then do them. Rest adequately and move up in weight conservatively. The squat is a natural human motor pattern as much as an exercise. Doing squats will get you a very long way towards being strong and will get your hips healthier faster than isolation movements that can cause hip impingement (bad girl especially).

 

I'm just curious, but how are your hips "misaligned?" Is it pelvic or capsular?

[darksakura]

The problem is mostly capsular, though I do have some pelvic alignment problems, too.  In a nutshell, two car accidents while braking at impact AND having fallen eight feet onto my back on a tree trunk makes for unhappy back and hips. I regularly go to a chiropractor (my regular doctor didn't do a thing for it but give me drugs) and keep the joint from stiffening on me with regular yoga. I've never been what anyone would consider to be a delicate lady, but I've done my best to work hard to get my body healed up and functional without having to rely on a brace or medication.

 

I've really been trying to abandon the machines all together. I hate relying on them, especially if I'm having a poopy day and don't want to go to the gym to exercise. I just didn't have any idea what to do to build my hips up (which I thank you for!). As for the squats, I've gone from using just my body weight to using a 27 lb bar, sticking with the 5x5 reps/sets. I plan on moving to a 30 lb barbell in two weeks (I'm ALMOST there). I'm deadlifting the olympic bar (I think 45 lbs?) and am about ready to add on another ten.

 

Thank you for the link! I've found it very helpful! These are things I can also mostly do at home, so bonus. 

[El Exorcisto]

Does a 3 pound jump affect you in a really big way? If it does then maybe look into some other big leg movements that don't aggravate them so much. Maybe trap-bar deadlifts? Goblet and front squats would allow you to keep a more upright torso which may or may not help.

[darksakura]

Sadly jumping does get me, but I have been doing weighted step ups recently, though I still have to watch the hips. I love goblet squats. No idea why I haven't been doing them lately. Front squats are a bit harder for me, but I'm willing to give them another shot. The trap-bar deadlifts look AWESOME, I just haven't seen if my gym has one. Looks like I get an adventure on my next weight training day.

[El Exorcisto]

By 3 pound jump I meant an increase of 3 pounds. If goblets don't irritate your hips then I wouldn't imagine front squats would either. I'd say start front squatting and loading it more aggressively.

 

If your gym does have a trap bar then you'll probably fall in love. If not and it's in your budget see if you could buy one and keep it at the gym or see if the gym would be willing to buy one.

[darksakura]

I totally misunderstood you. One of the trainers at the gym was having people jump and I tried one and said "No." 

 

The 3 lbs probably won't do that much more, but I still have a bit of a struggle on my last set with the 27 lb bar. I just moved up to it last week from 21 lbs, but it's already becoming a bit easier. I'll give the front squats a go with 30 to start and work up from there.

 

For the record, I watched at least five different videos of trap bar deadlifts and I am seriously in love. I'm going to call my gym and ask them, now that it occurred to me.

While we're having this discussion, I've almost fully switched to free weights and barbells for upper body work, and I'm using hanging handles for rows and push ups. I still use the assisted chin up and dip machine because I can't lift my own weight yet, but I'm getting there. 

[El Exorcisto]

Get some bands for doing chins. They help most at the most difficult part of the lift but barely help at all in the most important, the top where your lats are contracting the hardest. I got mine from EliteFTS but Iron Woody's are the same quality at the same price point. You can also use them for just about anything you'd use cable for, plus you can do banded deadlifts and trap bar deadlifts which would overload your legs after most of the range of motion had gone. It's a power lifting strategy but could potentially work well for you if your pain tends to be in the hole/off the floor vs at lockout. Bands are incredibly versatile, and for the price are really hard to justify not having. You can use them for dips, too, of course.

[darksakura]

I'll look into that, thanks! You're a geyser of information!