Day 78- Psoas Stretch with Pelvis on Log with Hamstring Stretch 3

This Exercise is also intended to open the hip, but it also adds an additional inner thigh stretch to the exercise

To do this exercise you will need a mat, a magic circle, and a foam roller.  Start by lying on your back with your pelvis on the log.  The log is perpendicular to your spine and one foot is planted in the ground with the knee bent and the other leg is in the air with the magic circle hooked around the ball of the foot.  Your hand holds the other end of the magic circle.  As you exhale lengthen both legs away from the midline.  The bottom leg will remain on the floor and the top leg will remain in the air and each leg will move away from the midline of the body.  Inhale as you bend both legs and then exhale as you lengthen both legs away from the midline.  Repeat several times and then switch sides.

Things to think about

As with all exercises that are intended to open the hips it is important to keep the pelvis neutral or in a slight posterior tilt to protect the back.  This will also insure that you are getting as much length in the front of the hip as possible.

Day 77- Psoas Stretch with Pelvis on Log with Hamstring Stretch 2

 

This exercise is intended to continue the process of opening up the front of the hips, which will relieve tension in the low back and at the base of the ribcage.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat, a magic circle, and a foam roller.  Start by lying on your back with the foam roller underneath your pelvis.  The foam roller will be perpendicular to your spine.  One foot will be planted on the ground with the knee bent and the other foot and leg will be in the air.  Wrap the magic circle around the ball of the foot that is in the air and hold on to it. Then you will begin reaching both legs long and across the body.  The bottom leg will remain in contact with the floor as you reach it across your midline until the knee is straight.  At the same time the top leg will cross the body as you straighten the knee. Maintain the tension on the magic circle to be sure that the lateral hamstring is stretching.  Inhale as you bend both knees and then repeat again.

 

Things to think about

Like all hip flexor and psoas or illiacus stretches, it is important to keep your pelvis neutral or in a slight posterior tilt.  If you let the pelvis move with the leg then the oppositional force is lost and the stretch is lessened. To increase the stretch use the exhale to find a slight hollowing in the abdomen so that the pelvis is being pulled away from the lower leg.

Day 76- Psoas Stretch with Pelvis on Log with Hamstring Stretch 1

This exercise is intended to open the front of the hip for a wider range of motion that will expand a person’s gait by lengthening the length of a person’s stride.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat, a magic circle, and a foam roller.  Start by lying on your back with the foam roller underneath your pelvis so that your head neck and shoulders are on the ground behind you and your feet are on the ground on the other side of the log.  Then reach one leg up towards the ceiling with the magic circle wrapped around the flexed foot that is reaching towards the ceiling and your hand is holding the magic circle so that you can pull back on the toes.  Then stretch the other leg long beneath you.  This is a dynamic stretch so once you find this first position you’ll bend both knees sliding the foot on the floor back towards you, then straighten both legs to increase the stretch.  Inhale as you bend both knees and exhale as you straighten them.

 

Things to think about

 

To get the most out of this stretch it is important to use your abdominals to keep your pelvis rocked towards your belly button. If you let your back arch and your pelvis rock towards your tailbone, then the muscles that should be releasing will be gripping and putting strain in the low back.

Day 75- Hamstring Stretch with Magic Circle

This exercise is a hamstring and calf stretch.  It allows the stretch to be both static and dynamic so that all parts of the muscle and fascia can benefit.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a magic circle.  Start by lying on your back with one leg reaching long along the floor.  Place the pad of the magic circle on the ball of the other foot, and then reach towards the ceiling, holding the magic circle with your hand.  This will create the initial stretch behind the back of the leg.  You can then take this into a more dynamic stretch by gently circling the leg in the hip socket.  Be sure to keep the pelvis stabile as the leg moves.  Next, cross the leg over the body, while keeping the pelvis connected to the floor. To finish the series open the leg out to the side to stretch the inner thigh. Breathe into this stretch and then complete the series with the other leg.

Things to think about

When stretching the hamstring while lying on the back it is important to remember that it is not about how much you can pull the leg to the body.  It is more important to keep the pelvis in a neutral position and then to think about reaching through the bottom of the leg.  Imagine reaching the heel to the ceiling.