Sometimes it can be extra hard to get your muscles to loosen–particularly the hamstrings–no matter how much you work to foam roll or stretch them out. Why? Because the problem is actually in your torso, says James Cerbie, C.S.C.S., founder of Rebel Performance, and strength coach at Pure Performance Training in Boston, Massachusetts.
“With all of the push and pull on the body that occurs both in the gym and in everyday life, a lot of people end up in a position called bilateral extension,” says Cerbie. “Your ribcage protrudes out and upward while the top of your pelvis tilts forward and down, increasing the arch in your lower back.
But why would this make your legs tight? Think about where your hamstrings are in relation to your pelvis. “When your pelvis tilts forward and down in the front, the opposite side pulls upward on the muscles in the backs of your legs,” Cerbie says. So if this is happening to you, your hamstrings are already being stretched. More stretching doesn't help this. In fact, it could make the problem worse, says Cerbie.
What you need is to get your body into a position that allows your hamstrings to relax, which you can do with the routine that follows. While Cerbie cautions that one given method won't work for everyone, this strategy often helps many of the athletes he trains.
First, test your hamstring flexibility by performing the straight-leg raise–part of our new functional training plan called Men's Health Thrive –in the video below.
Then perform a few repetitions of the cat cow as shown in the video below to loosen up your spine.
After a few reps, get into the cat portion by arching your back, tucking your hips toward your elbows, and pressing your knees and hands into the floor. Maintain this position while you take five slow and controlled breaths. Do not return to the cow position until you've finished all five.
“Breathe in through your nose as if you're trying to draw the air into your upper back to push it towards the ceiling,” says Cerbie. “Then exhale out through your mouth like you're blowing through a straw, making sure you expel all of the air from your lungs by drawing your ribs down towards your hip bones,” says Cerbie. Once you finish your exhale, pause for 3 seconds before inhaling again.
Repeat this for 2 or 3 sets. And then retest your hamstring flexibility with the straight-leg raise. You should notice a small difference in your flexibility because you've essentially pressed the “reset” button on your body, Cerbie explains.
“Since the rounded-back position is the opposite of bilateral extension–when your ribcage and pelvis protrude forward, arching your spine–the muscles that are pulled and tugged into tension get to relax and loosen little by little,” he says.
And while Cerbie still recommends seeing a trainer to correct your problem long-term, working this drill into your warmup will help alleviate some discomfort and better protect you from injury during your workout.
Feel like you don't have enough time to warm up before you hit the weights? Here are 10 Ways to Find 15 More Minutes in Your Day to make sure you do.
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