Suggestions for single exercise

jeolds

So I am on the third day of recovery week and am having some issues with a single exercise within the Core Cardio & Balance routine. In particular it is the last hip flexor move where you hold your knee waist high and raise your lower leg up. To me it seems really difficult to have my leg full up and parallel to the floor without standing on the toes of my other leg. I do recall that when doing P90X I had a similar issue with fifer scissors in the Ab workout.

To improve this I have been stretching my low back and hamstrings, but I'm really unsure if this it the correct approach. Has anyone else had this issue and overcome it? If so suggestions would be appreciated.

mat233

I could be wrong, but It sounds more like a balance issue to me. I had lots of people with balance issues in the martial arts. I always taught people to 1st make sure your body is in line. Buttocks, spine, shoulders, head, all need to be in line (centered) with each other. This will transfer your center to the floor. Which should be a point between the ball of your foot and your heel. When you are properly centered your are almost unmovable. This is keeping your one point, your center. You can feel the floor pushing back against you.

If your head and shoulders are leaning forward even a little bit, it is possible you will go up on your toes of your other foot to counter this feeling without even realizing your doing it.

Try doing the exercise with your head and shoulders leaning back just a bit. Just out of center over your heels. See if you want to go on your toes when you raise your knee. Maybe its just your posture, which you can fix.

I actually have a hard time lifting the heel of my other foot off the floor when doing this exercise.

Not sure if this helps but it might.

jeolds

I can make it through all of the balance exercises in this without wobbling and through the P90X yoga video without any issues and I did gymnastics in my younger years, so it is hard for me to suspect balance. That is also why I wanted to point out that I had the same problem doing Fifer Scissors, which is the same move, except laying on the floor. Literally the only issue is getting it to lift that extra three inches or so to make it parallel to the floor. I have to pull really hard and concentrate on leaving the foot on the floor flexed to get it there and it is hard to hold.

From what I can tell I am thinking it is one of two things, or a combination of them. Flexibility through my low back area to hamstrings being one. The strength of my hip flexors and quads being the second. I think the lifting on to the toe is actually to unflex and relax the leg on the opposite side because it is being pulled too tight.

mat233

I'm sure you will figure it out. Just don't push too hard. You certainly don't any injuries doing Insanity. Good luck.