Tip The Right and Wrong Way to Stretch Hip Flexors Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip The Right and Wrong Way to Stretch Hip Flexors Yes you need to stretch your hip flexors but you' d better do it right Here' s what you need to know by Dr John Rusin September 5, 2016April 28, 2022 Tags It Hurts Fix It, Tips, Training Chronic sitting will turn the front side of your body into a functionally shortened mess – never a good thing when it comes to performance or injury prevention. The region that suffers the most? Hip flexors, both the superficial and deep muscular layers. Most people know they sit too much during the day, and they know their hips are tight as a result. So they think if something has become "short" over time, the most effective way to increase length is to stretch it, right? Wrong! Functional trainers love this half-kneeling position, but forcing the hip into ultra-terminal extension with your shin lodged up against a wall while your spine is smashing itself into hyperextension is dumb. Not only does this position hurt (which most people perceive as a good thing), but it's ineffective at best and injurious at worst. While putting tissues through a full range of motion and achieving terminal end range is the goal for transferable mobility, extending terminal ranges of motion by the use of compensation patterns is dangerous when you do it repetitively. Rear Foot Elevated Hip Flexor Stretch When you stretch you should achieve and maintain a neutral position in the joints and spine in order to isolate the tissues you're targeting. The half-kneeling position should make you achieve centrated and neutralized joint positions at the shoulders, hips, and spine. It should also transfer these positions into useful strategies to improve the response of your rectus femoris and deep ilio-psoas group, not only a mechanical standpoint but also to "release" neurological based tone and tightness. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Loosen Up Stiff Shoulders in 2 Minutes Grab a stick and run through these quick drills to get your shoulders ready for heavy, safe lifting. Exercise Coaching, Mobility, Tips Kurt Weber July 12 Training The 50 100 Push-Up Challenge Taking a push-up challenge isn't just an ego thing. Done correctly, it can be a programming method that delivers big results. Try this one! Challenge Training, Chest Al Kavadlo May 17 Training Shoulder Rehab Wendler Style An effective shoulder rehab plan needs to be intelligent, slow, and methodical. Check out this one by Jim Wendler. It Hurts Fix It, Powerlifting & Strength, Shoulders, Training Jim Wendler July 9 Training Tip The Smart Way to Lift Twice a Day No, you won't overtrain... if you do it right. And the gains are awesome. Bodybuilding, Tips, Training Michael Warren November 30