Stretch or Strengthen
There is always contraversal conversations regarding strengthening or stretching muscles. One study says to stretch while the next article you read tells you not to. I think I have the answer. There are muscle imbalances due to some muscles taking over others resulting in one muscle be tight while another one being weak. For example, your glutes may be weak causing you hip-flexors to take over causing them to be tight. If you find you have a difficult time lifting and lowering your legs in a supine position, you more than likely have very tight psoas muscles (hip flexors) and not so strong gluteus muscles. Solution: Strengthen glutes and stretch the psoas.
An excellent exercise to strengthen the glutes is the Shoulder Bridge. Lying supine with legs hip-distance apart, spine and pelvis neutral. Lift your hips off the mat resting between your shoulders. Do not come up so high your are on your neck. Then engage you glutes. Lower and lift your hips 5 times - engaging glutes deeper with every lift. I you find that your hamstrings are taking over, bring the feet closer to your glutes and engage glutes more. Eventually the glutes will take over.
To stretch our Hip Flexors: Kneel on a mat. Bring you right leg forward into a kneeling lunge position. Lunge towards your right leg resulting in stretching your left psoas muscle. To get deeper into the stretch, reach your left arm to the ceiling, slightly extend you upper back and tuck your tailbone under.
Feel free to respond to this blog. I look forward to your opinions, thoughts and suggestions.
Ellen Vriend
An excellent exercise to strengthen the glutes is the Shoulder Bridge. Lying supine with legs hip-distance apart, spine and pelvis neutral. Lift your hips off the mat resting between your shoulders. Do not come up so high your are on your neck. Then engage you glutes. Lower and lift your hips 5 times - engaging glutes deeper with every lift. I you find that your hamstrings are taking over, bring the feet closer to your glutes and engage glutes more. Eventually the glutes will take over.
To stretch our Hip Flexors: Kneel on a mat. Bring you right leg forward into a kneeling lunge position. Lunge towards your right leg resulting in stretching your left psoas muscle. To get deeper into the stretch, reach your left arm to the ceiling, slightly extend you upper back and tuck your tailbone under.
Feel free to respond to this blog. I look forward to your opinions, thoughts and suggestions.
Ellen Vriend
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