Hip Opening (hip flexors stretch)

Lie down, come up to bridge position, and place the soft roller under your sacrum. First, pull both knees toward the chest, and then stretch one leg down toward to floor. Stay here up to 1 minute to lengthen the hip flexors.

Because of our life style, everyone spends more time sitting than moving. Therefore, your hip flexors get tight, and sometime they are so tight that they become painful around the groin area.

What are the hip flexors?

The iliacus and psoas major, together called the iliopsoas, are important hip flexors and low back stabilizers. It stretches from the lumbar vertebrae, underneath the inguinal ligament, to the lesser trochanter. Now, it makes sense that when it is short and tight, you have low back pain.

When Do You Use your hip flexors?

Hiking, climbing or walking up an incline. Riding a bike. Getting up from a reclined position (sit-up). Reaching up, against gravity. Doing abdominal exercises, single leg stretch, leg drops, V-sits.

Fun Facts: Carnivore friends, you eat them as “tenderloin” or “filet mignon,” the long, slender psoas major is located deep to the abdominal contents.

Foam roll to Look younger

When you foam roll, you directly affect your connecive tissue. What is connective tissue? Isn't just my skin?? Nope!As the name implies, connective tissue serves a connecting function. It supports and binds other tissues in the body. Connective tissue has cells scattered throughout an extracellular matrix of fibrous proteins and glycoproteins. The primary elements of connective tissue include a ground substance, fibers, and cells.There are three main groups of connective tissues. loose connective tissue, dense connective tissue, and specialized connective tissue. With foam rolling, we are affecting directly the dense (fibrous) connective tissue. Its structure helps attach muscles to bones and link bones together at joints. Dense connective tissue is composed of large amounts of closely packed collagenous fibers.

• Tendons and ligaments are examples of dense regular connective tissue.

When you foam roll slowly and regularly, you are breaking down tight connective tissue (fascia). Since damaged connective tissue can contribute to pain at “trigger points” that restrict blood flow to nearby areas, causing pain, you are helping to decrease pain and stiffness. In turn, you have better performance in sports and better movement in life.

Let's ROLL, everyone!

For Better Posture...

Lie flat on the roller, and keep your spine stable. Simply and slowly lift and lower your arms toward to floor. Try to touch your thumbs to the floor, if you can and hold for 5-10 secs. Repeat up to 10 reps. If you can't touch your thumbs, keep practicing the movement and make sure to keep your elbows as straight as possible, and arms close to your ears