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Develop body coordination and strength with tripod hold hip extension!

Besides looking cool and having a neat party trick in your arsenal, the tripod hold hip extension is excellent in developing your body control and awareness in a very unusual position. As you get more comfortable holding this awkward position, you’ll also get better body control and awareness in your usual upright position.

This exercise also trains your upper body and core as they are mostly working to keep your body upright upside down. You’ll get stronger arms, shoulders and core stabilizers which are very transferable benefits to other exercises.

The leg position of this headstand variation allows you to have more control. Don’t try extending your legs straight yet. Having a shorter leg position keeps the center of gravity a tad bit lower.

As you also get more comfortable upside down, it will help you unlock other more advanced skills that require you to be comfortable in an inverted position.

Next step, moving your legs in various positions. Soon, handstands!

👍HOW TO KNOW WHEN IT’S SAFE TO ATTEMPT?

Before attempting this move, you should have at least a good duration of a basic tripod hold. The basic tripod hold positions you with a lower center of gravity. This means you’re going to be more stable and easier to hold. As you extend your hips upwards, to the tripod hold hip extension, it will be a lot more difficult (and a tad scarier).

Be sure to be comfortable with the basic tripod so you know that you also have the basic strength to test the skill.

✅Summarized Benefits

1. Strengthens shoulders and back muscles
2. Strengthen core muscles
3. Strengthens the arms
4. Develops body awareness and coordination
5. Improves your confidence in an inverted position
6. Prepares you for more difficult inverted position-based skills
7. Improves balance in inverted position

How to Perform💪

1. Place hands on the rings and hang with legs together and straight.
2. Tuck knees up into the chest and lean back rotating legs around.
3. Hang with shoulders extended and legs together hanging downward.
4. Lift your hips rotating you into an inverted position
5. Let your hips drop back again so you’ll hang in shoulder extension with legs still together hanging downward
6. Repeat the lifting of the hips and down for another repetition
7. Repeat for a set number of reps

👉Keep in mind

Keep your lower body tight too!

A common reason why people tend to have a weak tripod position or having a hard time progressing into more difficult tripod holds is that they usually lack muscle tension in their lower body.

Keep in mind that this exercise is a full-body movement (basically all calisthenics exercises are). Keeping your legs flexed allows you to have control. That’s also why pointing your toes is an important form check as it forces your legs to be under tension. Try doing the tripod hold hip extension with loose legs then tighten it up. You will feel the difference in control. You’ll have more balance too!

Move slowly

Going to the position from a basic tripod hold, don’t just kick your way to get to the tripod hold hip extension. Gently move your body in position as this gives you more control in each position.

This also gives you more confidence as you ease your way slowly rather than kick to the position and just praying you’ll stick it.

Moving slowly gives you the chance to try each degree of the position. You don’t have to get to the complete 90-degree bent hips if you’re not quite ready. Just move in slowly.