good hip stretches, posture advice

[indysteel]

Given what you've described, I would recommend a regular yoga or pilates practice with an instructor(s) who really understands anatomy. Stretching will presumably help with some of your flexibility issues, but I don't think it will help you strengthen your core and/or deal with your muscular imbalances in the way that a regular (and by regular, I mean 2-3 classes a week) practice will. I started yoga at about the same time I started riding and it's worked wonders for my back, abs, hamstrings and hips (although they remain my bugaboo). It's a very good counterbalance to cycling.

[Di bear]

I have tight hips, IT bands, and spinal muscles, mostly on the right side. Because of that imbalance, I've had a lot of pain from my ankles all the way up to my neck. I have knee pain sometimes while riding because my IT bands get so tight that they pull the knee cap to the side. I've used chiropractic care and different types of massage. I'm using those methods less now that I have a good stretching routine.

Here is a list of my favorites that have done a lot for me in the order I find most beneficial:

* Wide-legged forward bend - I usually rest my hands on the floor in front of me and allow my muscles to relax, then I'll place my hands on a two-foot high table in front of me and stretch out my back, kind of like doing a dog pose.
* Standing half forward bend or the Standing forward bend. I usually slowly move into the latter as my muscles relax.
* I can't find links for the following, but these are probably the two most important poses for me: lying twists. To start out, I lie on my back, bend my knees, and bring them up. I lower my knees to my side and rest them on the ground and rest for a while. Instead of working my abs and bringing them up with core strength, I use my hands to help lift them. My goal here is to stretch and relax, not contract. Then, I stretch to the other side. For the second round, I bring my legs up and keep them straight. I rock my hips to the right a little - scootch your butt to the right - then lower the legs to the left. I rest again. When the muscles relax more, I may flex my feet to feel a deeper stretch through the IT band and knee. Then, I scootch to the left and repeat to the other side.
* Triangle pose
* Half lord of the fishes pose

These poses have done wonders for my back, and they feel incredibly good while I'm doing them. They help bring balance and allow my spine to fall closer into place.

I like Hero pose for after rides. Depending on my flexibility that day, I may or may not use a block. Sometimes I remove the block as my flexibility increases.

I use yoga poses because I am quite flexible. The problem is the imbalance between the right and left sides. So, I usually hold the pose longer for my tighter side. When it feels relaxed, then I am finished. I never stretch to the point of pain.

I hope this helps.

[OakLeaf]

I was taught to put my heel by my ovary when doing Pigeon Pose. (I have no idea how that instructor tells men to do it!)

I can get pretty deep into the pure piriformis stretch, but the other inner and outer thigh muscles that are targeted in Pigeon Pose are very tight on me. I can't even begin to get my pelvis on the mat. Maybe if I did it more often

[chickwhorips]

I've become aware of the same problems.

Thank you for everyone that posted links.

[tulip]

What Oakleaf says: Pilates. Just make sure you go to a real pilates place, not some hybrid pseudo pilates class that some gyms offer. You need to make sure that you learn to do it right, otherwise, you could hurt yourself. I can't say enough about how much pilates has helped my IT/hip/lower back problems. Chiropractor helped too. My chiropractor actually suggested pilates in the first place.

[Wahine]

I also recommend pilates for many of my clients. I would just give a little word of advice about maintaining other forms of strength training that involve your glute max outside of pilates. In pilates the glute max is often de-emphasized so that the practitioner has to use their trunk muscles more to produce movements/stabilization. This is generally a good thing. But I am seeing more and more people as of late with problems with pelvic stability because they've completely forgotten how to use their glutes related to years of pilates only for strengthening!! This group includes very accomplished and respected pilates instructors that I treat.

[tulip]

Wahine, I hadn't thought about the glute side effect of pilates, but I can see how that would be. And now I know why my pilates instructor has no butt! Yes, strengthen the glutes (I can think of some pretty good ways to do that )