HIP
FLEXOR STRETCH - KNEELING
CORRECT FORM
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1) Kneel
as shown with one leg in front of the other. Your feet should
be 4-6 inches apart and not one right in front of the other.
2) Shift
your weight forward onto your front foot but keep your back
and torso straight.
3) Hold
at least 30 seconds.
4) Go
into and out of the stretch slowly. |
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| Doing
this incorrectly and leaning forward will take much of the
stretch away from the hip flexor muscles.
You should
feel this stretch entirely in the groin and hip flexor area.
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MUSCLES
STRETCHED
SAFETY
CONSIDERATIONS/PRECAUTIONS
The goal is to
isolate and stretch the hip flexors or the illiopsoas muscle. These
muscles tend to be tight on people with a large arch in their back.
The first mistake
in stretching these muscles occurs when you lean forward. This will
only decrease the amount of stretch placed on the illiopsoas muscle.
The second mistake is by arching backward, causing a backward bending
moment of the lumbar spine. This will cause compression in the lower
back and will be easily felt. You should ONLY feel this stretch
in the front of the thigh.
Some people
should not stretch this muscle. If you are able to shift very far
forward and keep your back straight, yet feel little stretch if
any in the hip flexors, they are probably very stretched out to
begin with, and a hip flexor exercise may be more appropriate for
you to shorten it some.
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