These muscles get negatively affected by poor
hip angle when seated for long periods of time.
Several studies have been performed to explore the way in which hamstrings EMG amplitude changes
with hip angle during resistance training exercises (Da Silva et al. 2009a; Zebis et al. 2013).
They noted that the split squat stance with the shortest step length (55 % of leg length) and a perpendicular shank angle (90 degrees) involved the most acute peak
hip angle for both legs.
Earlier this year, we saw how gluteus maximus activation is affected
by hip angle when performing its hip extension function.
One of my favorite coaches, Mark Rippetoe, uses this to his lifters» advantage when squatting, since a pair of taut hamstrings will usually be coupled with a much
smaller hip angle, potentiating much more hip drive to finish the lift.
In contrast, they also found that EMG amplitude was greater at with
reduced hip angle in the supine slide - board curl, prone leg curl, Nordic curl, 1 - leg glute bridge, horizontal back extension, and back extension.
Several dynamometry studies have been performed to explore the way in which hamstrings EMG amplitude changes in
various hip angles and have generally reported that changing joint angle has little or no effect (Lunnen et al. 1981; Worrell et al. 2001; Mohamed et al. 2002; Guex et al. 2012).
Of note is that Zebis et al. (2012) found that hamstrings EMG amplitude was greater with
increasing hip angle in the Romanian deadlift, 2 - hand kettlebell swing and seated leg curl.
Peak
hip angles also do not differ between straight barbell and hexagonal barbell deadlifts.
Split squat stance with a short step length (55 % of leg length) and a perpendicular shank angle (90 degrees) involves the greatest peak
hip angle for both legs.
The hip extension moment arm length of the adductor magnus changes
with hip angle and it is a more effective hip extensor than either the hamstrings or gluteus maximus when the hip is flexed.
Intervention — any acute study assessing peak
hip angles in the sagittal plane during the split squat exercise
Anatomical factors may include high or low arches,
hip angles or hypo / hyper mobility in foot and ankle joints.
Play around and find
a hip angle allows you to pull your knee the furthest - try bringing your knee out to the side rather than straight toward your head.
When people refer to «hinging» as it relates to squats, they're referring to the initial «break» coming from changing
the hip angle when they begin the movement.
Peak
hip angle is more acute during the back squat than the front squat, Smith machine squat or deadlift.
BUT if you happen to have bucket seats or don't have this adjustments, you can attempt to use a pillow placed under your sit bones and your low back to try to improve
your hip angle.
Choose
a hip angle and hold it there.
They reported that front leg peak
hip angle was always more acute than the rear leg peak hip angle.
Altering
the hip angle alters the length of the gluteus maximus, hamstrings and adductor magnus muscles, while altering knee angle alters the length of the hamstrings muscles only.
After
the hip angle measurement, initial knee angle was recorded using a goniometer with measurements taken using the following landmarks; the lateral malleolus, the lateral epicondyle, and the center of the vastus lateralis.
The angle, to which the right hip was stretched, was measured and
this hip angle was used for all subsequent ROM measurements during each experimental condition.