As part of our Energize Method at Energy Fitness, we’re always assessing functional strength and stability. Two of our favorite exercises that support hip and pelvis stability, mobility, and balance are the One-Leg Deadlift with Outer Thigh Lift and the Plank Reach. These exercises challenge your balance and activate muscles that are often neglected, and we’d love to incorporate them into our Titleist Performance Institute Level 1 screening to further assess our clients’ functional movement but we don’t as the screen itself tells us you may need these.

We’re consistently amazed at how some clients perform these with ease, while others struggle to stabilize or balance themselves. If you have shoulder issues, these exercises can be even more challenging, but that’s part of what makes them a true test of core and hip stability and shoulder and spinal stability for the plank reach.

Exercise 1: One-Leg Deadlift with Outer Thigh Lift

This exercise targets the outer thigh muscles (abductors), which are key for maintaining balance and stability and often overlooked in traditional workouts. Weakness in this area can lead to issues like IT band tightness in runners, poor gait, and knee instability.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Stand on one leg with a soft knee bend.
2. Hinge forward slightly, lifting the opposite leg beside you.
3. Rotate your torso slightly open, creating a contorted position that challenges flexibility and balance.
4. Lift the top leg to hip height or lower depending on your flexibility and balance level, keeping your torso rotated and stable. Use a block or prop for height you need if needed to help stabilize.
5. Aim for 25-50 pulsing reps on each leg for 2 sets.

You may find that the stabilizing leg is already fatigued when you switch sides, which is perfectly normal. This exercise is highly effective for strengthening the abductors and building better balance.

Exercise 2: Plank Reach with One Arm

The Plank Reach is an excellent way to engage your core and test shoulder stability. This exercise requires you to engage your scapula and activate your core to prevent rotation, building stability across your whole body.

How to perform it:

1. Start in a plank position, either on your knees or toes.
2. Extend one arm forward, keeping the opposite arm and shoulder stabilized. Maintain level hips and avoid rotating. It’s kind of a two step movement with the arm. Reach out straight then lift toward ceiling. If you are having trouble keeping arm straight you will have to lift arm in more of a diagonal (right arm out further right and left out further left) until you have mobility and flexibility in that scapular region. You may consider a massage or sports massage or trigger point ball therapy to help speed you along getting that stuck fascia all workout out and in the right position.
3. Alternate sides, reaching with the opposite arm and balancing on the opposite shoulder.
4. Aim for 10-15 reps on each side, challenging yourself to maintain core stability. Keep your chin slightly tucked and head retracted (like you are pushing a drawer back with your skull)

The hardest part here is resisting the urge to let your hips rotate. Keep your shoulder stable by pressing your trap muscle away from your ears and ensure your scapula is in the correct position.

Why These Exercises Matter

These exercises may seem challenging initially, but trust our expertise—they’re worth it! With our years of experience, we’ve seen the effects of aging and sedentary lifestyles on our clients’ balance and mobility. Exercises like these are instrumental in counteracting that by engaging the entire body, encouraging balance, and ensuring multi-directional movement.

Try incorporating these exercises twice a week for six weeks, the time frame in which you should ideally switch up your workouts. If you love the benefits, keep them in your program once a week to maintain stability and mobility. And if you rotate them out, test yourself now and then to see if you still retain the stability and flexibility they build.

Take the challenge—your body will thank you.