Weak hip flexors, hamstring&glute

[alpinerabbit]

Gals,

my PT recommended lunges for the hamstrings&glutes, which are noticeably weaker on my right side. My hammies also easily cramp when I try to do a curl.
I've been slacking on those because I felt my kneecaps were a bit overused and reacted to the lunges.

Also, my hip flexors are kind of weak, also more noticeably on the right. They are the muscles that start burning after about 90 miles.
What can I do for these? Lying on the side leg lifts? Perhaps with a Theraband?


Is there anything I can or should do at a gym (currently have free gym access)?

[Zen]

Lay on your side as if to do a leg lift.
Raise the leg.
Swing it to the front, tap on floor.
Swing to the back, toe tap.
Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat.


Clam shells
you don't have to use the band, of course
muscles used during clam shell

or you could try these

[kelownagirl]

I was told the same thing. MT told me to put theraband around ankles, keep hips level, take 5 side steps to R, 5 to left, 4 to right, 4 to left, etc down to 1 step. Do 3 times a week. Should see a diff in a month. I found it made a difference but I stopped doing it and now having problems again. I'm going to do it regularly from now on.

Also, was told to do one legged squats. Good for hip flexors.

Third - Yogamazing Podcast Episode #140? Yoga for Runners. 20 minutes workout, really good for hips/ITB etc.

[OakLeaf]

Re: cramping hamstrings, that's a problem for me as well; if I engage my quads just a little bit, it seems to prevent it.

[emily_in_nc]

For hip flexors, marching in place with ankle weights on (if you have some) works if you bring your working leg up nice and high. Also, with or without ankle weights, seated on floor with legs straight in front of you, back straight, lift and lower leg as many times as you can. I had to do a lot of hip flexor rehab after fracturing my pelvis as I was much, much weaker on the right side, and these are the ones my PT had me do. Still challenging if you do enough of them!

[NadiaMac]

my pt has me doing side planks and front planks (exercises 2 and 4 on the core fitness handout here: http://www.smiweb.org/omt/guides.html) for hip strengthening, in addition to lunges (hard for me due to my knee injury) and leg raises as described above.

[OakLeaf]

TE, the neverending source of ideas for my strength training classes.

They were already doing plenty of planks with all kinds of variations... but those clamshells are great!


I'd be careful about some of those knee-to-chest exercises though - they're great if you stay in neutral spine, but for the majority of people whose hip flexors are already stronger than their deep core stabilizers, and also pretty tight, it seems like they could cause back trouble if you "cheat" by flexing your lumbar spine to tilt the pelvis, to bring the knee in closer?

Just as a matter of physical space, it's tough to do a plank on your elbows and bring the knee in, while staying in neutral spine. You pretty much have to do it on your hands, and even then it's really tough for me and most of my participants to stay in neutral spine, just because of hip flexor tightness and back laziness.

My LMT has promised that we're going to work on trigger points in the iliopsoas over the winter. Won't that be fun.

[Pedal Wench]

I was told the same thing. MT told me to put theraband around ankles, keep hips level, take 5 side steps to R, 5 to left, 4 to right, 4 to left, etc down to 1 step. Do 3 times a week. Should see a diff in a month. I found it made a difference but I stopped doing it and now having problems again. I'm going to do it regularly from now on.

My PT has me doing those for my knee problems, but in a squat position - tush out, head up, and then crab/duck walk across the room. Ouch!

[maillotpois]

One legged pedaling - either on your bike on a trainer or a spin bike if it has clipless pedals and is set up to fit right.

[alpinerabbit]

This is definitely on the menu for winter - as it happens, I am moving to a new place with my own GYM! (well it's the basement but....!!!!)

[Wahine]

I would second what Oakleaf said about neutral spine. I like this video for knee to elbow in a plank. But one of the best exercises is one leg pedaling mentioned by Maillotpois. I have another exercise that is a favorite of mine but is hard to teach in person, let alone over the net. This is a good one too.

[Dogmama]

If you have access to a gym and it has a roman chair, that is a great hip flexor exercise. Or, just hang from a bar and bring your knees up. Big hint - you can keep from rocking if you control your movement on the way down.

+1 on clamshells too.

[Wahine]

The Roman Chair can help with hip flexor strengthening but it is also an exercise that is difficult for mastering good form. The key with the Roman Chair is to keep the low back flat against the backrest at all times. If your back arches at all, you are risking irritating the joints in the low back. So it's important to move slowly and with awareness during this exercise. It is also better to allow your knees to turn out slightly as you bring them up. That de-emphasizes the tensor fascia lata (TFL) which is often tight and over active in these types of muscle imbalances.

[SadieKate]

How about this? And can you do a home version using a Dynaband>

http://www.youtube.com/user/ironstri.../1/wW1Zok5Apts

[Wahine]

That's a really good one Sadie and in fact it's very similar to my favorite exercise for this muscle group. Imagine the same leg action but with the person in standing on one leg with a resistance band on the non-weight bearing foot, leaning forward with pressure on the hands (simulated cycling position). It's a tough exercise to do well while maintaining a neutral spine. So what I often do is get my clients to reach back with one hand and pinch a fold of skin in the small of the back while the low back is in a neutral posture. The skin fold should run horizontally. As the hip flexion motion is performed, if lumbar movement occurs it will cause the pinched skin to escape your fingers. This gives very good direct feedback about lumbar posture and stabilization during the exercise.

ETA - I really should do up some youtube vids of my favorite exercises.