My #1 move for hip mobility
“Woah, my hips feel completely different…like I’m floating on air.”
Those were my first thoughts this morning after finishing a third set of seated good mornings. This movement involves sitting on the end of a bench with a wide stance. You can start with your feet flat, knees around 90 degrees, and legs out to around 45 degrees. From there, tilt forward from the pelvis to bring your torso parallel (or as close to parallel as possible) with the floor. After a brief pause, return to an upright position.
In the seated good morning, we keep the femurs in external rotation (kneecaps point up rather than in) as the pelvis moves forward. When you combine that with active abduction—driving the thighs back as you tip forward—and use the hamstrings to pull the heels toward you, the entire lower body lights up in a big way.
Once the movement is doable, we add load. That might look like holding a weight plate on your upper back, or a light barbell on your shoulders. You can also progress the movement by taking the legs straighter and wider toward a straddle position. Eventually, you might lower the hips toward the floor so you’re getting closer to a “pancake” (chest touching the ground with each rep).
What’s great about the seated good morning is that you can get SO much out of it without having to get anywhere close to those more advanced progressions. You could keep working at the height of a bench or chair and forget about straightening your legs. Learning to move your pelvis through this range of motion, under a manageable (but not extreme) load, can transform how your hips feel, move, and perform.
When your hips and pelvis own the kind of mobility required to perform a seated good morning, the surrounding structures benefit immensely:
- Your core and lower back get stronger as they maintain spinal stability
- You won’t have to rely on lumbar flexion and instead can hip hinge from the pelvis
- Your pelvic floor won’t be stuck in a shortened state thanks to freeing the tailbone from a tucked position
If I could only take 3 movements with me to a deserted island, seated good mornings would be one of them. Even after doing this work for years, I stand up after every final set and am blown away by how amazing my hips feel. I haven’t found another movement that can produce the same effect in so little time.
That’s why we’re exploring seated good mornings during Pelvic Proficiency—this month’s online workshop. Together, we’ll combine awareness-building exercises with targeted strength and mobility. Here’s what you can expect to work on:
- Diaphragmatic breathing to enhance your connection to the pelvic floor
- Using external feedback tools (like a massage ball or foam roller) to communicate with specific muscle groups in and around the pelvis and hips
- Movements that target hip mobility (keeping the pelvis as a stable base while the femur moves through a full range of motion)
- Movements that target pelvic mobility (keeping the femur stable while the pelvis moves through a full range of motion)
- Strength work that relies on pelvic proficiency: squat variations, hip hinge movements, and inner unit (core) activations
This workshop is suitable for all levels. It’ll be a safe space where we can talk about the realities of pelvic floor dysfunction and discuss why pelvic pain affects so many strong, healthy individuals. But because I am not a pelvic floor specialist, this workshop is not a space for diagnoses or exercise prescriptions. If you’re currently experiencing pelvic floor issues, I recommend finding a pelvic floor physiotherapist. Attending this workshop in advance of your appointment will arm you with more information to get the most out of your time with them.
Pelvic Proficiency - Tuesday, May 30th at 9:30am PT
Live participation is encouraged but optional. The recording will be available the same day, with the option to download for indefinite access (no expiry).
Register here to claim your spot.
Cecily
ps. In Core Reform, our most-watched workshop of 2023, we explore the entire "inner unit". If you want to apply what you'll learn in Pelvic Proficiency to core-specific workouts, add Core Reform to your purchase and get the downloadable recording for 25% off. Look for the add-on at checkout and click the + to put it in your cart!
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