The Best Stretch for Your Hip Flexors
This stretch comes from Olympic Swimmer Dara Torres and we use this stretch a lot for soccer players and other athletes that are coming off hip flexor and quad strains. This is a must for every developing athlete to strengthen this area. This helps with speed development as well as more power in the kicking motion.
This stretch will focus on your quads and hip flexors.
Start on your hands and knees with your feet facing the wall. Lift up one leg, point the foot to the ceiling, and drop the knee about 4 inches from the wall. The closer the knee is to the wall, the more difficult (intense of a stretch) it is; the farther from the wall, the easier it is.
Once you have placed your knee away from the wall, the toes and top of the foot should be resting against the wall – if this is painful for the top of your foot, place a rolled up towel or mat underneath the foot/ankle.
Once in this position, SLOWLY bring the other leg up into a lunge. Make sure that the lunged leg is in a comfortable position and the knee is over the ankle (not past the toes).
From here, kick the foot into the wall to contract (resist)
the muscles on the front of the leg (quadriceps) – this is like doing a leg extension at the gym.
As you kick into the wall, use your other leg to push your body back to stretch the quads. As you go back, be sure to tuck the glutes under (the opposite of sticking your butt out) in order to increase the stretch.
Move back and forth for one minute and try to get 5-6 movements complete within that minute
Hint: As you go back to the wall, the knee that is down should feel like it is driving into your chest like a „high knee‟ exercise.
Let me know if you have questions about this “resistance stretch” but this has helped many of our athletes and I hope it helps you.
**Remember to:
1) Always plan ahead for what you are going to eat
2) Obtain adequate amounts of protein
3) Work on your flexibility and
4) Supplement your diet with a fish oil and multivitamin
Let me know if I can help. Email me at architechsports@gmail.com
Alan Tyson
Physical Therapist, Athletic Trainer, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist