Race Walking - Hip Drills

“If racewalking is not popular in the Philippines it’s your job to make it so! By walking in the local running races you are a visible ambassador of racewalking. Don’t be afraid to be vocal” exerts from an email to Amado Castro by DAVE McGOVERN a globe-trotting racewalking coach and a member of the US National Racewalk Team with a master’s degree in sport science from the United States Sports Academy. For his complete details visit his website http://www.racewalking.org

To follow Dave’s advice I thought of presenting a series of video drills that would guide interested individual to take up the sport. Having thought of the above, it was then my task to tap a resource person who should be well knowledgeable on Race Walking. Coach SATURINO A. SALAZAR is one of the only two Filipino IAAF Level 4 coaches (the other being Coach Ferdinand Espejo). Furthermore, Coach Salazar is a bronze medallist in the 16th SEA Games in Jakarta Indonesia for 50km Race Walking. Coach Salazar is as well dedicated to the sport offering his knowledge and experience to beginners so should you be interested to learn systematically do not hesitate to approach him at Ultra Oval or you could contact me and I can provide you his mobile number.

For us to proceed, we need first to define what is Race Walking;

- Race walking is a progression of steps so taken that the walker makes contact with the ground so that no visible (to human eye) loss of contact occurs.

- The advancing leg must be straightened (i.e., not bent at the knee) from the moment of first contact with the ground until in the vertical upright position.

Race Walking Demo

Using your legs properly get you moving, but to go really fast you must learn to use your hips correctly. The hips are the body’s primary source of locomotion. When we rotate the hips forward, the swinging leg is pulled off the ground. As we repeatedly pivot the hips forward, they act as the body’s motor, propelling it forward one step at a time. Knowing then the importance of the proper hip motion, it is but of utmost importance that we remember the following drills to develop the flexibility, elasticity and increase range of motion.

I herewith present 7 drills that would get your hips in the proper motion;
Drill No. 1
Drill No. 2
Drill No. 3
Drill No. 4a
Drill No. 4b
Drill No. 5
Drill No. 6
Drill No.7

With the lack of proper hip motion immediate consequence is it slows a walker down;
Wrong Hip Motion

With proper hip motion by actively swinging the hip forward lengthens the stride from the top of the legs while increasing stride length behind the body.
Proper Hip Motion

Lastly, improving technique takes more than just knowing what to do. Walkers must develop and maintain flexibility to gain the full benefit of hip motion.

Again, to quote Dave McGovern's email "By the way, there were three walkers from the Philippines at the 2001 World Cup Racewalking in Turino, so you're not alone!" I recently found out that two of the three Dave McGovern was refering to are personally known to me MICHAEL EMBUEDO and SATURNIO SALAZAR small world!