Those darn hip flexors...

Danielle Tillie started this discussion · 4/19/2014

I have a fairly even flexibility. I have decent back mobility, front splits, and middle splits. The only part of me that seemingly refuses to lengthen are my hip flexors! Those darn things are do stubborn! My front splits are seemingly nothing but hamstring flexibility. My bendy back allows me to sit up. This is getting frustrating because I'm doing my best to get them to improve but no dice. Does anyone have tips? I've already done research but I thought I'd just ask the Veena community. Right now I'm doing 3-4 separate hip flexor stretches per flexy session, but the "progress" is still sooooo slow.

13 replies

dustbunny · 4/19/2014
Work on leaning back over the back leg in your front splits. Or bend the leg grab the foot overhead with both hands an work towards straightening the leg back to the floor. These are common stretches for gymnasts and cheerleaders.
Danielle Tillie · 4/19/2014
I've been doing that and all it's done is make my back bendier. That's cool and all but not the goal, lol. I do try to hold my pelvis vertical when doing a lunge stretch. I also lean back and actively straighten the back leg in my front splits. I do pigeon pose and king pigeon. And I've also been leaning forward in my lunge and grabbing the back foot with the opposite hand. That one feels like an intense quad stretch though.
Veena · 4/19/2014
Do you spend a good amount of your day sitting? If so, it's possible that daily posture and activities, or lack there of, could be part of the issue. If you have lumbar lordosis (sticking the butt out arching the low back) when it come to posture this shortens hip flexors, and as mentioned sitting will shorten them as well. So you may be doing all the right stretches but only end up maintaining (if that) when you have daily habitual activities that shorten the flexors. Just a thought.
Danielle Tillie · 4/19/2014
I do have quite a bend in my lower back, that is for sure! And that is how I stand and sit. I actually am either pole dancing for work or serving, so all standing there. So I guess my bendy posture must have something to do with it. Is there a way to correct that? Try not to bend?
Veena · 4/19/2014
Ah yes, then that could be part of your problem, if you habitually stand and sit that way it's like you're always fighting your body! I had Lumbar Lordosis after having all those babies and It can be corrected, body awareness it a good start, but doing daily exercises is very helpful. I'm about to leave for the night, but I can give you some exercises and tips later went I have more time to explain. Actually do you have a webcam I would be happy to meet you in the chat room here after Easter! Otherwise I have FaceTime too.
hookedonpole · 4/19/2014
This is definitely my problem. I just told my husband today I'm sure my hip flexor problem is due to my sitting allllll day at work. I'd love to see the exercise tips also. :)
Kyrsten · 4/20/2014
I'm the opposite - bad low back flexibility with a ton of hip flexor flexibility. I definitely think I have a few stretches I could share. I really like the one Veena does in her splits tutorial, but I'm guessing you use that already. My personal favorite is using yoga blocks underneath my front foot in a deep lunge (with the back knee on the floor). Leaving the back knee on the floor seems to be more effective in hitting my hip than leaving it straight, and elevating your front foot increases the angle there and intensifies the stretch a bit. You can also try doing it in heels - same effect :) You can also use the blocks under your hands in a regular lunge and you'll be able to sit up more into the stretch, but that may not be as helpful if your problem is putting too much of the stretch into your lower back.
Anzia · 4/20/2014
I'd really appreciate Veena's tips too. I have a very hollow lower back and often catch myself standing and walking in 'duck posture'. Very poor hip flexor stretchiness too - and a desk job to make it even worse!
Junes Pole Dance · 4/20/2014
Me too would love Veenas tips in this thread! Hip flexor is my most stubborn part.
Veena · 4/20/2014
Since there seems to be a lot of you who are interested I'll do hip flexors as my next Tips video for you 💜
Nancy Pole · 4/20/2014
Yes, will wait, Veena! I have lordosis (lower back and upper back and kyposis(middle back) at the same time. My whole spine is not right basically. (not to mention scoliosis...) It is like a handicap trying to learn pole dance and that is just how I feel. :-( When I do table pose, I can never have my back straight due to this problem. And of course I have terrible frozen shoulders as well due to this. I got these problems from living decades in a bad posture, and now I am trying reverse them. Not easy but it is getting better. Any tips and stretching exercises specially for the crooked spine would be great!!! Maybe the strecthing routine from the expert like you! Thanks, Veena!!
Veena · 4/23/2014
I apologize it's a bit lengthy I think I could have made a half hour video! Lol. I hope you all find it helpful 💜 https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/535743ed-9b88-4d0d-a481-534e0a9aa0eb
poledanceromance · 4/23/2014
I look forward to watching that video, I have trouble with this as well. Hip flexors and quads are painfully tight for me, and my bendy back compensates, but that only works in certain moves. I've recently picked up a few awesome stretches and exercises for this, mostly from the contortion coach at my studio (the infamous Sofia Vanezetti) that are really working for me right now (like a ton!!) One is to go into the frogger stretch, and one at a time try to lift each leg up and point the foot at the ceiling, which rotates that side's hip down toward the floor and in the process rolls "across" the hip flexor in a way that feels awesome for me and loosens them up better than straight up and down hip flexor exercises (like pulsing up and down in a lunge) which can tend to make them tense up on me because they're so overly tight right now. Another is to simply do a regular lunge, but turn the front foot outward (back foot still pointed straight back) and press forward into the lunge with that front foot turned out for a super deep stretch in the hip flexor. That simple rotation changes the way you're stretching the front hip to focus the stretch more specifically on the back hip flexor. (Got that one from my 14 year old cousin who does competitive gymnastics and who is so bendy she makes me look like a board lol) Another is to lay flat on your back, tuck one foot under your butt so you're laying on your shin, you can keep the other up on the foot...the less arch in the back, the deeper the stretch. This one is more intense on the quad than the hip flexor but both are a problem for me. It's like when you're doing the basic standing quad stretch and you pull your foot back to your butt, but when you lay it down it gets much more intense. If you're having a hard time visualizing any of those I could make a short video. Sorry if you included any of that in your vid veena, I haven't had a chance to watch it yet. Just wanted to kick in a couple things that are really helping me a lot right now.