Why Strong Hip Flexors Make Elite Athletes

Most parents don't know what hip flexors are. But every elite athlete has strong ones. Your hip flexors are the muscles tht lift your knees. They're small but they control everything - your first step, your stride length, your ability to change direction

Here's what weak hip flexors cost your athlete:

• Slow start off the line

• Short, choppy strides

• Poor knee drive

• Easy to knock off balance

• Tight hips that lead to injury

Here's wht strong hip flexors give you:

• Explosive first step

• Longer, more powerful strides

• Higher knee drive for speed

• Better balance and stability

• Protection against hip and back injuries

The difference is obvious on the field. The running back who explodes through the hole. The receiver who gets separation on their route. The defender who closes ground fast. They all have one thing in common - strong hip flexors.

At Elite Speed & Conditioning, LLC, we test hip flexor strength in every athlete we work with. It's one of the first things we address because it impacts everything else.

Want to see if you athlete has strong hip flexors? Have them stand on one leg and lift the other knee as high as possible. Hold it for 10 seconds. If they wobble, drop the leg, or can't get the knee to hip level - we need to talk.

Strong hip flexors separate good athletes from the elite ones. Which one is our child?

The Two Windows for Training Speed & Agility!

I am writing this blog in hopes of helping some of our parents and athletes to see the importance of training speed and agility early in our athletes.

There is actually a window that closes on an athlete when it comes to developing speed and agility. The age window for young athletes to focus on speed and agility development is generally divided into two periods: The first one is Early Childhood, which is between the ages of 6-8 for girls and 7-9 for boys. During this period, the focus of training should be on developing fundamental movement patterns, quickness, agility, change of direction and reaction time.

The second window is Adolescence. Age range is normally 12-18 months after their growth spurt, normally age 12 for girls and age 14 for boys. Training focus should be on building on the fundamental movement patterns but now incorporating advanced speed and agility training techniques, such as plyometrics and sprint mechanics.

The timing of these windows vary with individuals. Additional considerations should include mental development, injury prevention, long term athletic development, such as strength, power and endurance programs.

By understanding these windows of opportunity and tailoring the programs for athletes, coaches and parents can help these young athletes maximize their potential for speed and agility development.