New variant of chair hip flexor stretch

[Jim Pickles]

The standard chair hip flexor stretch (where the arms are supported on the chair seat) is a great and powerful go-to stretch for the front of the hip.

I thought up this variant when clearing up after class this evening (hence the shoes). The front leg is flat along the seat of the chair (in the standard stretch the front knee is bent with foot to the floor). The extra pull on the hamstrings tilts the hips up at the front, so increasing the hip flexor stretch, and the hips are well suspended contributing to a specially good hip flexor stretch. It probably needs a more advanced student to do it, but it feels very good and effective. I'll demonstrate it in the next class, and see if there are any takers.

It gets round a problem with the standard stretch, which is if you have reasonably good hip flexiblity already, to get more of a stretch, you have to tilt the hips up more at the front, and to do this you have to push on the chair seat with your arms which produces a bit of a backbend which might not be good for the back.

If anyone tries it and likes it (or doenst like it), let me know. Ta, Jim.

[Kit_L]

I will try this today, Jim, but already I can tell you: this perfectly manipulates hamstring tension WRT the hip flexors: winner. Consider recording this and I will put it up on our YouTube channel, if you like.

[Jim Pickles]

@Kit_L yes pease do. I'd be interested to know what levels of hamstring flexibility it suits, to see what range of students would find it most useful. I found the hamstrings needed to be warmed up and stretched before doing it. All the best, Jim.

 

[Jim Pickles]

I tried it in my group class yesterday, which has students (mainly older) with a great range of flexibilities. I offered it as a more advanced option to the standard chair hip flexor stretch, and was surprised at how many took it up - clearly it was popular. Will do it again next week too.

Also, attached is a photo of me and Rana Jewell trying it out at a joint session last weekend (photo by Sue Kelso; thank you Sue). We all liked it, though as a reminder, it does need a hamstring warm up first.

[Kit_L]

Excellent, @Jim Pickles. Impressive HF length there.

[Jim Pickles]

Tried it again in the group class yesterday - it was well received by the more advanced students. I also used CR with it for the first time - I hadnt before. The front leg is pressed down into the chair (calf muscle plus heel depending on body/chair size) and the back knee is hooked forward, for the usual 5 count, breath in, out relax, and then pushing the legs further apart. I'm adding a warning here because it is STRONG. I had to come out early on my bad side because I was about to pull a muscle* of the leg that was going back - even though I do forward splits routinely OK on both sides. I think the reason is that in a forward split it is easy to let the hips turn to one side, whereas in this exercise it is easier to force the hips to stay square - with the result that the muscles nearer the groin have to stretch further (also the bent leg postion means the leg cant turn out). Just a warning.

*Not sure which one. Maybe the very origin end of the most medial part of the pectineus.

[Kit_L]

I tried this yesterday, when Liv, Cherie and I were in the Monkey Gym noodling around with box bridges.

@Jim Pickles this exercise of yours is a winner. All the geometry is right; there's a huge hamstring effect on the front leg just in the stat position, and a super upper quad/HF stretch on the back leg, and because the body is already tilted back, it's really easy to put weight into the hip extension. And as you mention, it's easier to hold the hips square (why?).

WRT contractions, the next time you try, consider a powerful front leg knee straightening action: this will allow a unique agonist/antagonist lengthening effect on that leg's hamstring.

I used a piano stool (Liv's favourite stretching prop) with padding for the front leg. I did make sure I did a partner HF stretch before I got into position. And this is an intermediate/advanced stretch, for sure. If I can, I will take a pic and post. Very god exercise.

[Jim Pickles]

@Kit_L Glad you were experimenting with this and found it useful. I tried the variant you mentioned - it didnt improve anything for me. I presume you are talking about the contraction C during the CR part of the process. However I will also say that in the variant I posted, pushing the lower leg/calf of the forward leg into the chair for the C part seems the weakest part of the process. It doesnt do much in me, but I used it as its the nearest equivalent of what you do with the front leg in the standard chair hip flexor stretch. After today's trial, I think what is happening to me, is that my front leg is hanging off it already maximally-stretched hamstrings, and the real effect of activating the front leg is to anchor the body so that it stays in place while you hook the back knee into the ground (which I feel A LOT). However if the contraction you mentioned is for the final move AFTER the R part of CR (where I say "push the legs apart") I agree entirely, and I think is what I do anyway.

You mentioned me recording it; I could do, but I think you would do it better. Let me know what you prefer. Also I'll wait till I hear from others about other variants that have been tried.

Cheers,

Jim.

[Kit_L]

14 hours ago, Jim Pickles said:

I presume you are talking about the contraction C during the CR part of the process.

No, I was talking about a strong knee straightening action from the angle you are showing in your first post—using the quads on that leg to press the leg completely straight, in addition to doing the other three contractions (hooking the heel of the front leg; pressing the thigh straight down on the chair; and pulling the back leg forward). I found the knee-straightening action to be very good, but I am not as flexible as you!