Drill Spotlight: Shinbox to Hip Extension to Stand — A Solid Hip Primer
Here’s one of our favorite all-in-one hip focused warm-ups that we’ve been loving lately. It’s simple, sneaky effective, and great for everything from prepping squats and hinging patterns to priming before a run. As a bonus it also wakes up your brain first thing ;)
We didn’t break this one out during the recent Annadel race warm-up (wet grass + gravel dragging knees = not recommended), but on drier days, at home or the gym? Gold.
Here’s the move (and video link):
Start in a shinbox position → drive into a tall hip extension → sit back down → extend again and move into a step-up or full stand → reverse the pattern back to shinbox → switch sides and repeat.
This sequence blends mobility, coordination, and strength — all in one smooth, flowing drill. It’s rotation to extension, floor to feet, side to side. And it feels good when you get in the groove. Try your best to control your way down into the seated shinbox positon and drive through your glutes/hips on the way up. You can play with foot position and shin angle to start-even helping with hands- so you can connect with the movement in the hips.
Why This Matters: Priming
Hip prep isn’t always essential — if you’re short on time and just need to squat or slowly warm-up your run with a light jog, that’s totally fine. But when you do have the space, smart warm-ups can do more than just “warm up.” They prime both tissues and movement patterns. Much of what we learn as novices in the realm of strength, speed, etc can b boiled down to skill. For instance, while we may be adding weight to the bar as a beginner lifting weights, many of the first major adaptations are neurological as you learn the skill.
Priming is a concept borrowed from athletic performance and sport science — popularized by strength coaches and movement specialists and mentors like Mike Boyle and Eric Cressey — and it’s all about preparing the nervous system and body to perform a task specifically, not just move.
There are some key sides to priming:
Tissue-level priming: Waking up muscle groups (think glutes, adductors, deep rotators) and improving local circulation and elasticity in tissues. This makes movement feel smoother and reduces the risk of stiffness or strain.
Neuromuscular priming: Rehearsing the coordination, sequencing, and control of movement patterns you’re about to use — this enhances proprioception (your body’s ability to sense where it is in space), improves balance, and increases motor efficiency.
This drill checks both boxes. Going from internal rotation to hip extension to a full stand mimics the demands of running, single-leg work, squatting, getting off the floor — basically all the things that make us functional, upright locomoting humans. And by moving fluidly through each transition, you’re not just loosening up your hips — you’re practicing the control and rhythm you’ll rely on later when you need to move with power and intention.
If you’ve got five minutes before a workout, a run, or even first thing in the morning, try a few rounds of this drill per side. No equipment needed, just space and intention.
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