Answer To Your Fitness Questions" />Hip Flexor Stretch
August 2, 2008
The rectus femoris has two places it inserts, the hip and the knee joint.
The tightness of the hip flexors can affect the lower back and cause a misalignment of the pelvis. And, ouch, that can become a chronic problem. For me, it was some back aches that sometimes seemed like sciatica.
So what is the hip flexor stretch that will help to alleviate these problems mentioned above? The hip flexor stretch! Simple but oh so important.
The hip flexor stretch begins with both knees on the floor, and then one foot coming forward. Keep your pelvis neutral, relax your shoulders down, gently tuck your chin towards your chest, as in a cervical nod in Pilates.
The action performed in a hip flexor stretch is while not moving your lumbar spine, gently move into an extension of the front of your quadriceps, while drawing the belly into the spine in a hollowing out type of feeling. Keep the tailbone long and drawing down towards the floor. If you are particularly flexible in the hip flexors then lift the back foot off and reach around and grab it. This will definitely give the quad and the hip flexors and serious stretch. But whether or not you can execute this to this degree, begin today doing this hip flexor stretch just for the mere fact you or we all sit alot! We need it simply for that!!
The Beauty Of Chaturanga Dandasana!
July 9, 2008
The benefits are wonderful if done correctly: It does build healthy shoulders, tones the abs, prepares the students for arm-balances, back bends, and inversions, and strengthens the arms and the legs. Plus, it develops core stability! But there are a few contraindications such as wrist injury or shoulder injury. But the good news is that anybody can do it when they learn proper alignment! So right here and now decide to set yourself up carefully and you will see that doing this pose is not just about the strength of the upper body, but is about learning to distribute throughout the entire body the power. Particularly the core, the spine, the legs and feet.
I see many students practice this pose as if it were a pectoral push up with the arms splaying out, which will put a lot of pressure on the shoulders. Hence, a misalignment! Ouch! The elbows must hug into your ribcage (sides), making sure the head of the arm bone (humerus) is in line with the elbow, and the sternum is lifted or light.
Now let’s take a look at how you can begin to execute a well-aligned chaturanga:
I always ask my students to put their knees down on the floor and watch that their elbows glued to the ribs. Then notice just how deep you are going as you descend towards the floor, always catching yourself before you do too deep and drop the shoulders below the elbows.
Next share all of the effort throughout the body, recruit the lower body and the upper body will thank you. All have an active role.
Remember you will always start with weak upper body strength, unless you are a guy who comes by this naturally, and must protect the shoulders while developing that new strength. See that your hands are directly below the shoulders and your heels directly over the toes when in plank. Draw your navel in engaging the core muscles, lifting your sternum more forward and press back into your heels. You will begin to feel length and strength throughout this position. Notice your tailbone next, and grow it long towards your heels! This is a real key to the core strength. Keep looking forward so as not to pull the shoulders more forward and also lift the belly, no sagging anyone!!
When we imprint a pose, do it with the precise alignment! Do not lift the buttocks up nor drop your shoulders toward the floor or let your elbows splay out, and worst of all allow your shoulders to hunch next to your ears. Take time to align and realign until the imprint is there and the strength is there.
One thing I notice is when you bring your legs into the pose, your shoulders are much happier and you save them from terrible injury or overuse injury!
You gotta love Yoga, Namaste everyone!
