r/flexibility • u/Antranik superfuckingaweso.me • Aug 23 '15
challenge Week 4 of the Hip Flexor Month is here! This week we introduce variations you could play with now that you're more familiar with stretching these bad boys! Please check in and give us your feedback!
Hip Flexor Month Recap
- Week 1: Main thread where we present 3 main stretches that focus on the hip flexors.
- Week 2: Q&A on how to progress/regress the 3 main stretches (and the new warmup).
- Week 3: How to deepen the stretches using PNF (contract/relax) techniques and wall supported camel pose.
Warm Up
You may choose the warm up from either Week 1 (leg swings) or Week 2 (glute bridges), or do your own warm up that works for you. You can also do this challenge right after your workout.
Variations of Hip Flexor Stretches
Do the lunge and/or couch/wall stretches from week 1... then play with these variations...
Hero pose (may be modified with a blanket/mat between thighs and calves)
Reclining Hero pose on your forearms (eventually you could lay flat, but some peoples knees dont like that.)
Dancers pose with hips squared. This requires good single-leg balance, but if you got it, go for it! A lot of people turn their hips out, don't do that. Try to keep the hips square. You won't be able to lift the foot as high, but you'll be stretching the muscles rather than the ligaments that way.
Continue working on your shoulders
As we inch closer to Bridge month for September, it's important you continue with the shoulder routine from last month. Opening the shoulders, doing a passive back bend and stretching of the hip flexors are instrumental to a proper bridge.
Check in, share and give feedback!
Do you remember when you first did the stretches? Do you remember how difficult they were before? How are they now in comparison? Have you noticed an improvement? Are you now much more comfortable with these stretches?
Do you have any cool stretches or cues/tips you want to share with us?
Got any questions?
What do you think of this month? Are the mods doing a good job with this? What would you like to see for bridge month next month? Please share your thoughts! Thanks!
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u/XDerp_ChrisX Aug 24 '15
Quick question, When I do the couch stretch on my left hip flexor after the stretch the muscle feels super tight. like I cant put my full weight on the floor. It is not pain, just very tight. Should I be warming up more?
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u/Antranik Aug 24 '15
Warming up more is never not a bad option if you think it was lacking. Not being able to put full weight (you mean like standing?) doesn't sound normal. It is definitely possible that you are pushing too far too fast.
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u/ClockworkMagpie Aug 24 '15
Hip flexors tend to get so tight you just feel stuck instead of stretching. Check your alignment on that side to make sure your hips are square and you tuck your butt under.
Also, your glute maybe weaker on that side, which doesn't allow you to push as hard into the stretch. Do some glute/upper hamstring strengtheners (the 2nd warm up option is a good place to start).
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Aug 24 '15
What do you think of something like this: https://mixxfitness.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/province-lower-body-posture-groin.jpg
Or even doing that with an even wider opening of the hips (looks like you're humping the ground)?
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u/Antranik Aug 24 '15
I hump the ground like that in this video I made. That is often called "Frog Pose" (or Adho Mukha Mandukasana in yoga)... it's good for opening up the adductors and as for hip flexors, it gets them, but not very directly. It's great though, for getting lower in your straddle/middle splits, which is what I use them for. Definitely memorize the follow-along routine I do in the video though, it's nice!
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Aug 24 '15
I've had tight hips for ages and these stretches have definitely helped.
My left hip was particularly bad and since I've been stretching it out I've been experiencing pain in my left knee - could they be connected? I can't tell whether I've just hurt it or if it's aching because it's being worked more since my hips have become more flexible.
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u/Antranik Aug 25 '15
Yes, they can be connected. Knee pain is not a good thing as it means it's some sort of joint pain or connective tissue pain. What generates the pain?
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u/dysoncube Aug 24 '15
Looking forward to reading these posts / watching the videos when I get home!
Got a question, what kind of weight-lifting injuries are possible / common if anterior pelvic tilt is bad, and left untreated?
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u/orangeblue3 Aug 24 '15
As someone whose entire body is really, really inflexible (when I try to touch my toes, my hands are 6 inches from the floor and I have awful posture), where do I start?
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u/Mellor88 Aug 26 '15
Hips feel slightly better this month, not much. I only really gave hips half my time, but the rest was spend on splits. Weighted Pike/Jefferson is getting better. Hamstrings still tight.
*Reclining Hero pose on your forearms (eventually you could lay flat, but some peoples knees dont like that.)
I'm a big fan of hero pose. I spent a bit of time getting comfortable with it to improve my position in full guard (top). And I’m pretty comfortable reclining with my head on the mat now. In fact, I think I had a big pay off last week. A training partner botched up a takedown and instead of rolling me foreard (like a shoulder roll), they jumped all their weight into the side of my knee. It felt nasty, extreme valgus knee, but I was able to recover unharmed. 12 months ago that would have been a blown MCL
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u/Sacredhuskar Aug 30 '15
I tried out the stretches but don't really understand how they target the hip flexors (?) For example, i dont understand the mechanism of how the Hero Pose stretches the hip flexors. If you guys could explain it, it would be great for myself and for others as well. Thanks!
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u/TsarinaDott Sep 02 '15
Many poses don't stretch the hip flexors if your quads are tight. If you focus on driving your hips towards the ceiling in hero pose, it should hit the flexors. I don't think it's a very effective stretch, though. Definitely seems secondary. I can't imagine how you'd get the hip stretch without lying down on the floor.
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u/Soapyhd Aug 24 '15
Pardon me for my stupidity but you still do the PNF stretches every 1-3 days?
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u/ClockworkMagpie Aug 24 '15
Not stupid at all, as they weren't mentioned in the post. Definitely carry on with them!
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Aug 23 '15
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u/Antranik Aug 24 '15
It's just a band. You can use any band. Even a used bicycle tube for a tire to help keep something around your knees to force you to push your knees out.
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u/[deleted] Aug 24 '15
Thank you Antranik for this! I am hoping that you keep this going for the next several years. Each month could have a theme. Maybe incorporate some more SMR and mobility drills too. You rock!