New hip flexor stretch Day 2

New hip flexor stretch Day 2

Hip flexor warm-up

Just in case you need some motivation, here is a hip flexor stretch that I made up for myself. Sometimes I get tired on the old lunge stretch for the hip flexor and found this is really great. You can control the amount of stretch by pulling your upper leg to your chest. It will act as the lever for your stretch. To increase the effectiveness of the stretch, engage your abdominal muscles to help control the alignment of your pelvis.

My hip flexor stretch

Hip flexor stretch

Stretching your hip flexors is helpful to anyone for many reasons.

We all sit too much. It has been said that we are a “sitting society”. Work, school, computers, television all contribute to this problem. Our hip flexors get tight from all this sitting!

To dance well, you need to have long hip flexors.

Several years ago, I attended a summer workshop for ballet teachers at Pacific Northwest Ballet School (excellent program)! Karen Clippinger had a dancer lay down on a table on her back. She showed us how to test a dancer’s hamstring length. One leg was on the table and the other was hanging down for the table. It was an informative test.

Dancers’ legs will hang below the edge of the table below 90 degrees. If your leg is higher than 90 degrees, you will definitely benefit from this stretch. If it is below, keep stretching it in order to improve your arabesque and your turnout in your hips!

Benefits for ballet:

Increased rotation or “flat” hips ~

Tight hip flexors hinder your turnout. Look at yourself in seconde position from the side. Are your hip bones in a straight line from the hip bones to the top of your thigh when standing in seconde? If not, your hip flexors are shortened. This means that when hip flexors are tight, they pull the thigh toward the trunk, causing the pelvis to tip forward. You cannot fully access your rotation with tight hip flexors.

Increased height in arabesque~ Tight hip flexors also restrict the height of your arabesques. It is also 1/2 of a split. Be sure to keep your back leg turned in while in the splits and you will increase your splits and arabesque.

Lastly, if your hip flexors are tight; you will have back pain and your bones will out of alignment

Next time, a new split stretch that really works!

Habit Challenge Schedule

Original article and pictures take i0.wp.com site