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Hip Flexors - Super Tight

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JNick77
JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
in Social Groups
Okay folks, what do you do to loosen up your hip flexors? I squat three-times a week with MC5x5 and it seems to be taking a toll on my hips flexors. Pre-workout the only static stretch I do is for my hip flexors and then I do a series of active stretches that I saw demonstrated by Joe DeFranco, and then I do a couple sets of body weight squats and side-to-side stretches. Of course I stretch post-workout too. I've tried foam rolling and even rolled on a golf ball to try and help loosen everything up. I'm going to foam roll twice a day for the next week and see how it goes but this is crazy. For the next couple workouts I'm going to ditch the day 2 squat sets from MC5x5 and just OHP and DL.

I feel that my form is pretty good, not perfect, but good and I take a semi-wide stance with my feet outside of my shoulders. This does put more strain on my hips but it seems to take some off my back, which helps me a lot.

Replies

  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    Joined this group just for you.

    My hip flexors got super tight last wednesday, and so I went through damn near every possible stretch to loosen them. Most useful for me:
    warming up with a kettlebell goblet squat and holding at the bottom and pushing knees out with elbows
    Bed-Stretches-Standing-Pigeon-Tight-Hips.jpg except on a box at the gym... kinda trying to push your knee down really opens up hips
    Upside+Down+Pigeon.jpeg
    stuck-frog-post.jpg
    And walking lunges with hands over head, stretching out hips at the bottom. Oh, and my favorite to do in a crowded gym...
    Happy+Baby+Pose.jpg

    I'm no pro, but that's what worked for me. And now I'm trying to continue these and see if the tight hips happens again.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    My wife swears by most of the stretches pictures here...though I can't help but feel like a total...eeehhh...tool while doing them. Ah well, whatever works to get the squat depth right.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,835 Member
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    I get the same thing with squatting frequently. I do a lot of hip flexor stretching and foam rolling but I've found that an actual massage from someone good really frees me up well. It is painful (and a bit scary for me as I tore one of them off the bone a while back) but it definitely works. This specifically was soft tissue therapy concentrating on ligaments and tendons not muscles.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    @Award: Thanks for posting those pics.

    @Chris: Yes, I've been considering going for a massage and I should probably just go do it already.
  • Punktorian
    Punktorian Posts: 224 Member
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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgdeL7-xXGM
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
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    All of the above + dry needling... love it! Here is Australia you can get it done at the physiotherapist, it kills but is very effective!
  • cbarn025
    cbarn025 Posts: 939 Member
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    Find a yoga dvd with a session of hip opening poses. That helped me alot. That gold ball had to hurt man. Try a lacrose ball instead.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    FOAM ROLLER!
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    Joined this group just for you.

    My hip flexors got super tight last wednesday, and so I went through damn near every possible stretch to loosen them. Most useful for me:
    warming up with a kettlebell goblet squat and holding at the bottom and pushing knees out with elbows
    Bed-Stretches-Standing-Pigeon-Tight-Hips.jpg except on a box at the gym... kinda trying to push your knee down really opens up hips
    Upside+Down+Pigeon.jpeg
    stuck-frog-post.jpg
    And walking lunges with hands over head, stretching out hips at the bottom. Oh, and my favorite to do in a crowded gym...
    Happy+Baby+Pose.jpg

    I'm no pro, but that's what worked for me. And now I'm trying to continue these and see if the tight hips happens again.

    I second this.....but with the happy baby pose....try to get your legs behind your head.





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  • SatchGallamax
    SatchGallamax Posts: 549 Member
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    Bed-Stretches-Standing-Pigeon-Tight-Hips.jpg

    I do this one frequently, but flat on the floor. It's become my new favorite stretch!
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    OMGOODNESS i cant wait to do the happy baby pose LOL
  • littlebigsteve
    littlebigsteve Posts: 75 Member
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    Wear neoprene warmup pants if its bad but always do timed body weight squat at the bottom to warm up ... Use a foam roller ... Maybe nock it down to twice a week doing a box or pin squat in place of open air all the time ... Are you oly or power squatting take all into consideration
  • busywaterbending
    busywaterbending Posts: 844 Member
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    hi, cpt and yogini here. The above stretches pictured will NOT stretch or open up your hip flexors. Those are glute and adductor and abbductor stretches.

    1. relax. Train the hip flexors how to relax. After working out, cool down on a flat floor. Eventually work up to cooling down by laying on a bosu

    2. once you can do no. 1, then do the following core workout, and note that you need to perform these range of motion exercises SLOWLY and with good control. Alternate between contracting the abs as you lift your torso, and relaxing your hips as you lay back.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_Ix2zJv3XQ

    happy training!
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
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    Foam Roll...

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