T&C April/May - 34

Speed & Agility
UTILIZING THE
4-WAY HIP
FOR SPEED
DEVELOPMENT
By Dan Hutchinson, MS, ATC, CSCS
T
he emphasis on hip musculature strengthening
has always been a priority when the topic of
linear or lateral speed development is discussed.
Lately, various methods of hip strengthening have been
discussed in the literature as alternatives to traditional
practices, i.e., squats and deadlifts, to better meet the
demands of particular speed movements or specific
sports.
In addition to traditional movements, emphasis
has always been placed on the anterior and posterior
components of the hip, while neglecting the medial and
lateral aspects. Understandably, the majority of our force
development comes from the quad (anterior) and glute
(posterior) regions. The supporting muscles of the hip
complement the 'driving force' behind acceleration and
top-end speed, and are directly related to maintaining
technique and balance throughout the specific skill.
The 4-Way Hip (4WH) machine, seldom seen in high
school or collegiate weight rooms, has proven to be a
valuable tool in hip musculature development but has
been severely under-utilized and under-estimated in
the strength and conditioning environment.
In comparison to its counterpart, the glute-ham
machine, the 4WH allows loaded movement in all
four muscular directions - flexion, extension, abduction,
adduction - offering specific development in these
areas. The key points of each movement are
emphasized below:
Hip Flexion: Muscles involved with driving the knee up.
* Improves drive-phase production of the non-contact
limb during all athletic sprinting movements.
* A limiting factor in progressing to optimal linear
speed development.
* Optimal muscular development for speed occurs with
unilateral loading at 1 x bodyweight (BW) for hip
flexor strength. (Hint: A 180-pound athlete should be
able to rep 180 pounds on each individual leg during
the hip flexion exercise on the 4WH).
34 | Training & Conditioning | April/May 2023

T&C April/May

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of T&C April/May

Table of Contents
Editor's Letter
From Rehab to Robustness
Nutrition: Myth-Busting Nutrition Tips
Strength & Conditioning: Prioritizing Preseason Programs
2023 Tech Guide
Measuring Motion
Decreasing Injuries with Data
Tactical Transition
Developing a Strong & Powerful Base
Product Focus: NATA AT Expo Sneak Preview
Product Marketplace
Advertisers Index
T&C April/May - 1
T&C April/May - 2
T&C April/May - Table of Contents
T&C April/May - Editor's Letter
T&C April/May - 5
T&C April/May - From Rehab to Robustness
T&C April/May - 7
T&C April/May - 8
T&C April/May - 9
T&C April/May - Nutrition: Myth-Busting Nutrition Tips
T&C April/May - 11
T&C April/May - 12
T&C April/May - 13
T&C April/May - Strength & Conditioning: Prioritizing Preseason Programs
T&C April/May - 15
T&C April/May - 16
T&C April/May - 17
T&C April/May - 18
T&C April/May - 19
T&C April/May - 20
T&C April/May - 2023 Tech Guide
T&C April/May - Measuring Motion
T&C April/May - Decreasing Injuries with Data
T&C April/May - 24
T&C April/May - 25
T&C April/May - 26
T&C April/May - 27
T&C April/May - 28
T&C April/May - 29
T&C April/May - Tactical Transition
T&C April/May - 31
T&C April/May - Developing a Strong & Powerful Base
T&C April/May - 33
T&C April/May - 34
T&C April/May - 35
T&C April/May - 36
T&C April/May - 37
T&C April/May - Product Focus: NATA AT Expo Sneak Preview
T&C April/May - 39
T&C April/May - Product Marketplace
T&C April/May - 41
T&C April/May - Advertisers Index
T&C April/May - 43
T&C April/May - 44
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/february-march-2024
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/august-september
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/2023-video-playbook
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/june-july
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/tc-april-may
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/october-november
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/august-september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/june-july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/training-conditioning-video-playbook-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/april-may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/october-november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/august-september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/june-july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/april-may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/october-november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/august-september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/may-june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/march-april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/october-november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/august-september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/Training-and-Conditioning/may-june-2019
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