It’s Home Exercise of the Week time and this week I would like you to try the Rolling Hip Raise.

The Rolling Hip Raise is a great exercise that targets your hamstrings, calves, and glutes.  Since you will be using a ball for this exercise your core, along with the other stabilizing muscles of the legs, will be working to stabilize you through the movement as well.

A ball is ideal for this exercise to really maximize the stability work but if you don’t have one then that’s ok.  You can just place your feet flat on the floor (this is a great start for a beginner) or on a chair to get even more range of motion.

Let’s take a look at how to do the Rolling Hip Raise properly.

• lay face up and flat on the floor with your feet up on a stability ball
• your feet, ankles, and a bit of your calf muscles should be resting on the ball (you don’t want the ball too high up on your leg or you won’t be able to get the proper range of motion)
• lift your hips off the floor and contract your abdominals and glutes to stabilize yourself
• roll the ball in towards you while driving your hips up as high as you can at the same time
• once your legs reach a 90 degree angle, roll the ball back out and return to the starting position making sure that you don’t let your butt touch the floor throughout the entire set
• if you find yourself rolling all over the place, try placing your arms out to your side on the floor and this will help stabilize you

So there you have the Rolling Hip Raise.  Add 1 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions to your leg or full body workout and feel the hamstrings burn!