Are All Hip Extension Exercises Created Equal?

Abstract

TARGETED HIP EXTENSION EXERCISES ARE OFTEN PERFORMED TO DEVELOP STRENGTH, POWER, AND ENDURANCE IN THE HIP EXTENSORS. ALTHOUGH THESE EXERCISES CAN POSSESS SIMILAR MOVEMENT PATTERNS, BIOMECHANICALLY THE INSTANTANEOUS TORQUE AT DIFFERENT RANGES OF HIP EXTENSION VARIES DEPENDING ON BODY POSITION RELATIVE TO SPACE. FOR THESE REASONS, IT IS PROPOSED THAT: (A) HIP EXTENSION EXERCISES MIGHT TRANSFER BETTER TO SPORT ACTIONS WHERE THE REGION OF FORCE ACCENTUATION IS MOST SPECIFIC; (B) HIP EXTENSION EXERCISES MAY LEAD TO UNIQUE STRUCTURAL ADAPTATIONS; AND (C) A VARIETY OF EXERCISES MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO MAXIMIZE HIP EXTENSION STRENGTH AND POWER THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE RANGE OF MOTION.