The Sweep Squat is a great exercise that manages to help build strength, while also helping improve your hip joint’s range of motion. Why is this so cool? Well, most clients or athletes that I work with have restricted internal or external hip rotation that can seriously hinder performance. We can help combat this issue by working on movements that increase your hip mobility, such as this sweep squat.
A lot of fitness enthusiasts can really benefit from this type of exercise. The problem is that most lower body exercises that I see performed are predominately in what’s called the sagital plane. The ankle, knee, hip and spine are basically all in the same line and they are only flexing and extending or bending and straightening. While this isn’t necessarily bad, it can be a bit of an overkill, especially when you think that we spend the majority of our days in a flexed hip position (seated at the desk, car or couch) and usually only extend at the hip when we are walking or running.
It’s really rare to see any lateral (sideways) movements and almost unheard of to see any rotary hip movements. Yet, being able to move through all possible joint ranges of motion can not only help prevent injury, but can also have a high carry over to your overall athleticism.
So, take a look at this “Sweep Squat†video and get ready to open up those hips!
Very nice – direct application to traditional martial arts of keeping the hips low (and in same horizontal plane) whilst transferring weight from one leg to another. Lots of pratical application as well apart from the obvious hip mobility, i.e. balance, strengthening of the quads, knee mobility, etc.
Another arrow that gets added to the quiver of good health practices!
Thanks
Wow, what a great comment Abhijit! That’s exactly why this is one of my favorite leg exercises. The list of benefits goes on and on! Thanks for the feedback again.
Will try tonite – thanks!
Great nunh! Let me know how it goes.
This is great! Thanks!
Great dynamic warm-up as well as teaching tool for body weight transfer. I did find the pigeon toed starting position challenging to perform and not sure if many of my clients would be able to do as well. Any thoughts?
Please let me know your suggestions for the pigeon toed stance to begin this mobilization. I found the position challenging and am sure my clients will as well.
Hey Benay, thanks for the question. The goal of the exercise is to go from a internally rotated position at the hip to an externally rotated position. So you would just bring your cross over foot to the furthest point of internal rotation possible. Even if it’s just a few degrees, you should find that you gain more range with each rep. Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions. Thanks Benay
Just heading to the gym now to try this exercise out!;-)
OK, tried it out,this is great for a warm up and I’m sure it will benefit balance and co-ordination. Slightly tricky when bringing the second leg into the sweeping movement but i will keep practicing!