Female Athlete Development- Relentless Athletics- www.RelentlessAthleticsLLC.com At relentless, we introduce conventional hinge variations to our athletes after they have demonstrated a strong understanding of the weightlifting variants
We use the conventional hinge as a means to overload the posterior chain for hypertrophy and strength in the glutes and hamstrings, a necessary area of development especially for the female athlete population
Our first progression is the DB STIFF LEG RDL
In this movement, we tell our athletes to shift their weight slightly back in their foot while maintaining FULL FOOT contact with the floor. Here we tell the athletes to keep the DB as close to their body as possible, allowing it to touch them in the descent and ascent of the movement. With this variation we better engage the posterior chain as they keep a very soft knee bend, allowing their chest to orient towards the floor as they hinge back
Our second progression is the BARBELL stiff leg RDL
This movement allows us to overload the intensity of the movement pattern while continuing to instill lat engagement as they try to break the bar in half, again allowing the bar to touch the body throughout the descent and ascent of the movement
Our third progression is the SUMO DEADLIFT
Wee like this variation as it helps our athletes differentiate a conventional hinge from a weightlifting hinge. The wide stance also allows our athletes to better feel their posterior as they hinge their hips back. Here we remind the athlete to maintain VERTICAL SHINS and to BRING THE BAR TO THEM before initiating the pull. This variation is especially beneficial for longer limb athletes who may find it difficult to orient the bar around their knees
Our final progression is the conventional deadlift
We use this variation with the switch grip to help our athletes again differentiate the different movement patterns in a weightlifting versus a conventional hinge
Here the athlete maintains a weight distribution slightly further back in her foot while maintaining her entire foot in the floor throughout the lift. In this lift the shins will be more vertical to the floor and the torso will be much further over the bar with the chest oriented more towards the floor than in the weightlifting derivatives. With this set up, the athlete’s hips will be higher, allowing her to better feel her posterior, as the breaks the bar in half and completes the movement
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