This is one of the most important stretches you can do for lower back flexibility and general mobility. It’s also very beneficial for playing sports because it opens your stride and makes movement more efficient. According to physiotherapists at the r renowned Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida, this is the one stretch they strongly advise all players to do before stepping on the court. The hip flexor is considered the body’s number one posture muscle.
1 – Rest one knee on the cushion. Your back should be straight and your stomach tight, with your pelvis in a neutral position. Place one hand on your hip and the other on your knee. With shoulders and arms relaxed, take a deep breath.
2 – The driving force of this stretch is the opposing muscle in the gluteus maximus. Tighten your buttocks to extend your hip and push forward from your hips. Keep your hand passive until you reach your barrier, then use it to push through to a point of slight irritation. Hold for two seconds and return to neutral. Repeat 10 times. It’s important to not allow the knower to go over the front of the foot to avoid straining the patella ligament (where the quads are attached just below the knee cap)
3 – The effects of stretching the hip flexor run from the upper thigh into the anterior lower lumbar attachments. Interestingly, not everyone has a psoas minor. The only way to know is to have an MRI.
Exert from the book “Stretch Your Life” from Tim Noonan and Chris Watts.
This is a stretch you can do yourself. However, at Stretch Asia, our team can do it all for you, so that the stretch goes a bit further for longer-lasting results.
Here is how it looks like:
