Video from the U.S. Army Physical Readiness Division on the conducting of Army Physical Readiness Training (PRT) Hip Stability Drill (HSD)
Table of Contents
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1. Lateral Leg Raise
- Form: Lie on your side with your legs extended straight. Keep your lower arm bent for head support, and place your top hand on the floor for balance. Raise the top leg as high as it can go without bending the knee and then lower it back down without letting it touch the bottom leg.
- Benefits: This exercise primarily targets the hip abductors, especially the gluteus medius and minimus. It helps in strengthening the outer thigh and hips.
- Targeted Muscles: Gluteus medius, gluteus minimus.
- Variations/Modifications: Add ankle weights for more resistance or perform the exercise while standing up, using a wall or chair for balance.
2. Medial Leg Raise
- Form: Similarly, lie on your side, but this time raise the bottom leg while keeping the top leg stationary. This will require you to lift against the weight of the top leg.
- Benefits: Focuses on the inner thighs or adductors. It’s great for balancing out the muscles of the thighs and promoting hip stability.
- Targeted Muscles: Adductor muscles (adductor magnus, adductor longus, and adductor brevis).
- Variations/Modifications: You can add ankle weights to increase resistance.
3. Bent-Leg Lateral Raise
- Form: Start in the same side-lying position. However, this time, bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. Raise your top leg, keeping the feet together and lifting only from the knee.
- Benefits: This exercise offers a more concentrated effort on the gluteus medius and minimus by limiting the range of motion to the hip.
- Targeted Muscles: Gluteus medius, gluteus minimus.
- Variations/Modifications: As with other leg raises, ankle weights can increase the challenge.
4. Single-Leg Tuck
- Form: Start in a supine position, lying flat on your back with arms at your sides. Raise one leg straight up, then bend at the knee, bringing it towards your chest. Extend it back out and lower it without touching the floor.
- Benefits: Engages the lower abdominal muscles and hip flexors. It also offers a slight stretch for the hamstrings.
- Targeted Muscles: Rectus abdominis, hip flexors, and to a lesser extent, the hamstrings.
- Variations/Modifications: For a greater challenge, keep both legs off the ground throughout the movement.
5. Single-Leg Over
- Form: Begin lying flat on your back, arms stretched out to the sides for balance. Raise one leg straight up, then lower it to the side, aiming to get it as close to the ground as possible without touching.
- Benefits: This exercise works both the abdominals and the adductors and challenges your range of motion and flexibility.
- Targeted Muscles: Obliques, rectus abdominis, and adductor muscles.
- Variations/Modifications: Keep the opposite shoulder on the ground to ensure you’re not twisting too far and risking injury.
- Exercise 1: Lateral Leg Raise
- Exercise 2: Medial Leg Raise
- Exercise 3: Bent-Leg Lateral Raise
- Exercise 4: Single-Leg Tuck
- Exercise 5: Single-Leg Over
Remember, with all exercises, it’s essential to maintain proper form to ensure safety and effectiveness. It might be beneficial to perform these movements in front of a mirror initially to check your form or to work with a fitness professional who can provide feedback.