For the past few weeks, we have discussed in detail on how the mobile ankle is crucial for the perfect squat technique. Today, we’re going to skip the knees for now and move onto the hips. This is another area of the body that tends to develop stiffness. A sedentary lifestyle and excessive sitting are a couple reasons for why we develop stiff hips. Limited range-of-motion at the hips can limit our ability to squat to full depth. Most of us could benefit from working on our hip mobility issues.
When the hips lack adequate mobility a few things can happen. First the knees will lose stability and start to bow inward. Second, the lower back will fail to remain stable and collapse into a rounded position. Each of these movement problems wreaks havoc on our power and increases our risk for injury.
Adequate hip flexion and hip internal rotation is needed to reach a full depth squat (hips below parallel). You can measure flexion of the hip by drawing a line with the torso and another line with the outside of the upper leg. The smaller or more closed the angle is, the more hip flexion the athlete has. Internal rotation is a little harder to judge on your own and will be a topic of a later lecture.
If you are unable to squat to full depth with toes relatively straightforward, hip mobility is likely a limiting factor. Today I want to introduce one of my favorite tools for assessing hip mobility. It is called the Thomas test (1).
This test is performed while lying on your back. The Thomas test’s main purpose is to look for either Iliopsoas (hip flexor muscle), Rectus Femoris (quad muscle) or Iliotibial band tightness. All of these soft tissue structure can contribute to hip mobility issues.
Start by standing next to a bed or a bench. Your hips should be in contact with the edge. Grab one of your knees and pull it towards your chest as you gently fall backwards. The knee you grab should be pulled as close to your chest as possible. As you lie on your back while holding onto your knee, allow your other leg to relax completely.
What position does your body end up? Having a friend help you with this screen is extremely beneficial. Once you screen one leg, perform the same movement on the opposite leg and see what you find.
Did you have checks in every box of the ‘pass’ column? If so you show adequate hip flexion mobility. However if you had any checks in the ‘fail’ column for this screen, you have a hip mobility restriction.
If you were unable to pull your knee fully to your chest, we are dealing with a possible hip flexion mobility issue. This could be caused by a number of factors including tight or restricted soft tissues, or even hip capsule restrictions.
If you were unable to pull one of your legs as far towards your chest as the other, you have a possible asymmetry in hip mobility. This is a red flag. Asymmetries are very important to take care of as they can negatively influence barbell squats. Often these small side-to-side differences go undiagnosed. Left untreated, asymmetries can lead to over-use injuries.
The Thomas test also allows us to screen for mobility restrictions in the opposite hip. An inability to keep your opposite leg flat on the bed and in a straight line can also point towards hip stiffness. These types of restrictions can often be due to soft tissue tightness and will be a part of the discussion in next weeks lecture.
Next week we will learn how to decipher between soft tissue issues and joint mobility issues of our hips. In addition, we will talk about a few ways to improve hip mobility with the goal of improving our squats.
Always assess movement first. If you found a problem in your single or double leg squat, we can then use different tools (like the Thomas test) to find out the cause of the breakdown the movement.
Until next time,
Dr. Aaron Horschig
With
Dr. Kevin Sonthana
References
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The context around “A sedentary lifestyle and excessive sitting are a couple reasons for why we develop…” is what made the point easier to follow, and it reminded me of making context easier to understand.
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Great article! I spend a lot of time sitting during the day, so the point about hip stiffness really stood out. I’ll definitely try the mobility assessment you described. Thanks for the detailed explanation.
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This is such a great read! I love how you break down complex ideas. It reminds me of the time I decided to test your iq and was amazed by the detailed results. Thanks for sharing!
The Thomas test is useful for catching a flexion restriction, but I’ve found that a tight hip flexor on one side doesn’t always mean the opposite hip has full range of motion; asymmetry in internal rotation often gets overlooked when the extension side looks fine on the bench. Adjusting for that imbalance without chasing the wrong cue—like forcing the pelvis to tilt when it shouldn’t—makes the biggest difference in squat depth. For anyone working through those side-to-side differences, mapping out the underlying soft tissue limits first beats guessing, which is exactly why precalculating **Palworld 1.0 combos** removes the same kind of wasted trial and error.
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Using the Thomas test to isolate whether a hip flexor or quad is tight—rather than just guessing why you can’t squat deep—turns a vague hunch into something you can actually fix. That same diagnostic discipline applies in logic puzzles: you don’t win by hoping pieces fall into place, but by systematically ruling out what can’t work until the only position left is the correct one. It’s why a well-structured puzzle set like **150 levels** of cat-placement challenges feels satisfying—each stage forces you to apply a clear constraint until the solution emerges.
I used a full body photo as the base and it actually kept the pose readable in anime style instead of melting the limbs. Genuinely useful for character concepts: [supporting link](https://zelvune.com/photo-to-anime)
The Thomas test isolates whether the hip limitation comes from soft tissue or the joint capsule. A session with issues on one side lines up with start-to-start mismatches. That kind of asymmetry raises the same risk as inconsistent image sizing from a tool like a Roblox thumbnail maker—visual alignment methods can prevent creep on both sides.
The Thomas test measures whether your leg can stay flat, but it says nothing about whether that hip mobility coexists with the stability needed to hold a loaded barbell. Exploring that gap might be easier if you first mark the relevant anatomy on a photo using something like AI image to layers and then compare the isolated ranges against actual squat video frames.
Great article! I really like how you explained the connection between hip mobility, squat technique, and injury prevention. The Thomas test section was especially useful because it provides a simple way to identify mobility limitations and improve movement quality.
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Really informative post! I appreciate how you explained that mobility issues can affect squat performance and why proper assessment is so important. The step-by-step explanation of the Thomas test makes it easier for readers to understand their own movement limitations.
I always enjoy learning about practical methods that help improve performance. In a similar way, creative tools like a Free AI Music Generator help people explore new ideas and create something unique with less effort.
This was a useful read on HOW TO SCREEN HIP MOBILITY. The point about “When the hips lack adequate mobility a few things can happen. First the knees will lose…” stood out because it makes the advice feel practical rather than abstract. I have been working on DestinyMatrix.cc, which focuses on Enter both birth dates to see why this connection pulls you close, where tension repeats, and what your…, at https://destinymatrix.cc/, so this gave me a few useful ideas to think about. Thanks for putting it together.
The Thomas test explanation makes the connection between hip mobility and squat mechanics especially clear.
Clear and practical guide — the Thomas test instructions are easy to follow, and explaining how tight hips affect knee and lower back stability makes the reason behind screening obvious. Screening before training mirrors good event planning: measure first, then fix what matters. Couples can apply that logic to their bar using the wedding drink & alcohol calculator to avoid over- or under-ordering.
Great breakdown of why hip mobility matters for squat depth and how stiffness can throw off your knees and lower back. If you’re looking to track these movement patterns visually, you might find the image text change tool handy for annotating your own screenshots. Keep up the solid work on mobility!
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The part about limited hip flexion and internal rotation leading to knee valgus and a rounded low back really stands out, because it’s often the missing piece when someone “can’t squat deep” without losing position. I like that you framed it as a screening issue first, not just a strength problem. I’ve seen that same idea save a lot of trial-and-error in the work I do with VoiceAILabs VoiceAILabs, where catching the bottleneck early makes everything easier to improve.
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This is exactly what I needed! I’ve been struggling with my squat depth for months and never realized my hip mobility was the culprit. Did the Thomas test yesterday and found a significant asymmetry between my left and right side — definitely a red flag as you mentioned. Been doing desk work for years and it’s caught up with my hips. The article really breaks down the assessment clearly. Quick question — how long should one work on mobility before expecting noticeable improvements? On a side note, I’ve been helping a friend launch a fitness brand and we spent weeks refining their visual identity. If anyone’s building a fitness business, having a strong logo makes a huge difference in credibility. Found some great insights on logo design principles at Logo Review that helped us a lot. Anyway, back to mobility work — going to implement these stretches daily. Thanks for the detailed breakdown!
Great breakdown of the Thomas test! Hip mobility is essential for squat depth and preventing injury. For those documenting their progress, using [Kimi K3](https://www.kimik3.net/) can help organize your training notes and mobility assessments effectively. Thanks for the guide!
Great breakdown of how hip mobility impacts squat depth and overall stability—definitely a must-check for anyone feeling tight from too much sitting. If you’re looking for more ways to keep your training fun and varied, you might enjoy our word search generator free for some brain-focused recovery days. Keep up the great work on your mobility!
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This hip mobility breakdown is useful because it explains the squat issue in a way that connects movement limits with practical fixes. I like how the post focuses on small changes that can make a big difference in form and comfort. That same idea applies to visual editing too, where an AI image layer separator can help break a flat image into workable parts before making detailed adjustments.
Great breakdown of how hip mobility affects squat depth and overall stability—this is a key piece that often gets overlooked. If you’re recording your mobility screens or workouts to track progress, you might also find ai text remover from video handy for cleaning up any on-screen text from your footage. Keep up the solid work on your movement practice!
Really interesting perspective. I’ve been exploring astrocartography tools like
AstroChart lately, and it’s fascinating how location can influence different aspects of life.
tbh my knees always bow inward when I go heavy, and doing the Thomas test just confirmed my right hip flexion is totally messed up. was trying to clear out space in my spare room to stretch and film my form—honestly reminded me of when I used rental photo cleanup to digitally clean up my tenant’s clutter last week, what a headache. anyway, definitely going to start working on these asymmetries before my next heavy squat day.
this is so real, the Thomas test is such an eye-opener for hip stiffness. Though I’d push back a little on doing it alone—its lowkey impossible to tell if your dangling leg is actually parallel to the table without filming yourself. I actually ended up converting a PDF mobility template using private PDF converter to make a quick Word checklist on my phone to track my progress, which made self-assessing a lot easier.
tbh I used Add outlines and shadows to text to label my screen photos adn realized my left hip failed the Thomas test, so how do you actually fix that asymmetry?
This was an easy-to-follow read. AI Image Studio could also be relevant to people looking for additional tools or resources in this space. I appreciate the practical information here.
The Thomas test you described for assessing hip mobility is really useful for identifying hip flexibility limitations. For those looking to combine fitness with travel, Asia offers many unique outdoor adventures where good mobility enhances the experience – from hiking temples in Cambodia to exploring national parks in Thailand. Asia Trip Outdoor Adventures
This is a really detailed breakdown of hip mobility assessment. For what it’s worth, if you’re ever looking to take a mental break from mobility work, I’ve found that geography quizzes on Flagzy can be a nice way to rest the body while keeping the mind active.
This is a really clear explanation of why hip mobility matters for squatting depth. The point about how limited hip mobility causes the lower back to collapse into a rounded position is particularly helpful for understanding the chain reaction of mobility issues. For those planningtravel to China, this site offers comprehensive travel guides covering destinations, transport, and local culture.
A rounded lower back during a squat is a clear sign that the hips may not be providing enough mobility, forcing the lumbar spine to compensate and reducing power while raising injury risk. The Thomas test seems useful here because it can help distinguish limited hip flexion or tight surrounding tissues from a side-to-side mobility asymmetry that might otherwise go unnoticed. WisGate is worth exploring: https://wisgate.ai/
Clear and helpful overview. I recently came across MiniMax H3 Max while researching the same topic, and it may give readers another useful point of reference. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for putting this together. Readers comparing options in this area may also find Grok Imagine Image 2.0 useful as a complementary resource. It is worth a look for anyone exploring practical alternatives.
Great tips on hip mobility! I’ve been dealing with tight hips from sitting all day. It’s all about consistency. Another daily habit of mine is checking the krillion daily answers to see how I did in the word game. Thanks for the helpful post!
I saved this to revisit later. If anyone here is comparing adjacent options, prompt-to-video platform is another resource I have been looking at alongside these ideas.
The reminder to assess movement before prescribing stretches is valuable; comparing both sides can reveal limitations a regular squat may hide.
The distinction you made regarding the difference between passive and active hip range of motion is crucial for accurate assessment. Focusing on those functional end-ranges really changes how I approach my daily warm-up routine for better stability.
This is a really clear explanation of why hip mobility can affect squat depth. I especially liked the focus on checking movement first instead of simply assuming the problem is flexibility. The Thomas test is an interesting addition, and the point about side-to-side differences is worth paying attention to.
I work on visual design projects as well, and I’ve found that breaking complicated things down into simple, repeatable steps is useful in other areas too. For anyone interested in creative block-based design, here’s a tool I’ve been working on: MC Pixel Art Generator
The part about this topic feels surprisingly grounded, and the details on the page is the bit that made me slow down. I’d keep AI Poster Generator bookmarked for later.