Catalyst Hip Protocol
Walking progression
Activity Ladder — use on non-strength days
Tier Ladder
Tier 1
10 min
Tier 2
15 min
Tier 3
20 min
Tier 4
25 min
Tier 5
30 min
Tier 6
35 min
Tier 7
40 min
Tier 8
45 min Running gate
Tier 9
50 min
Tier 10
60 min
Finding your starting Tier
Tendons don't always react during activity — they often signal overload 12–24 hours later. That's why we start conservatively and observe the next day before committing to a Tier.
1
Look at the Tier Ladder above and identify the duration you think you could complete without exceeding 5/10 pain during the walk and without a pain flare the next day.
2
Choose the Tier that is 2 Tier Numbers lower than that and complete one session there.
Example: If you think you could handle 30 minutes (Tier Number 5), your test session is 20 minutes (Tier Number 3) — 2 Tier Numbers lower.
Starting at Tier 1? That's your test session. If you flare, focus on the strength program for 2 weeks, then retest.
3
Check in 24 hours later — did pain increase from your normal amount?
✓ No flare
You've found your starting Tier. You need 3 successful sessions in a row at this Tier before moving up.
↓ Flare
Rest 2–5 days until symptoms return to baseline, then retest 1 Tier Number lower.
How to progress each week
Once you've found your starting Tier, the same passing criteria applies every week — pain stays at or below 5/10 during, and doesn't increase 24 hours after.
1
Complete 1 session, 2–3 days per week on non-strength days, never on back-to-back days.
Example: If you strength train Mon/Wed/Fri, your walking days could be Tue/Thu/Sat or Tue/Thu/Sun.
2
Check in 24 hours after each session — did pain increase from your normal amount? If yes, that session doesn't count. Reference the Flare-Up Framework.
3
You need 3 successful sessions in a row at your current Tier before moving up. If you flare at any point, the count resets — rest 2–5 days, drop to the previous Tier, and start again.
Reached Tier 8?
Complete Tier 8 successfully (45 min continuous, no flare in 24 hrs) and you have two paths depending on your goals.
→ Running is a goal
Move to the Running Progression Guide. That guide covers pace, intervals, and everything you need to return to running safely.
→ Running is not a goal
Keep going. Continue through Tiers 9 and 10 at your own pace.
A flare is not failure.
It's data — it tells you where your tendon's current load ceiling sits. Drop back, stabilize, and build from there. The 12-week timeline is designed to accommodate this.
A note on pace
Throughout this program, keep your pace casual — a comfortable, conversational walk. Duration is the variable we're progressing, not speed. Faster walking loads the gluteal tendons more, so we save that for later.
Once you've completed Tier 10, you can begin working on pace — but increase walking speed by no more than 10% per week, and never increase both speed and duration in the same week.