help with tight hip flexors

sherry7899 · 04-10-10, 09:53 AM

I'm slowly trying to get back to exercising after an injury. (low back pain due to hip imbalances) I attempted to do cardio (one mile Leslie) and my hip flexors are SO tight that the workout was painful. I did do Jill Miller's Quick Fix RX Hips segment beforehand.

Can anyone suggest some stretches/workouts to help with tight hip flexors?

I have Jill Miller's PAS-which segment has the most stretches for the hips?

I'm thinking walking workouts might be too irritating for now. I'm not sure what other type of cardio to do.

Thanks for any help-
Sherry

horsemom2 · 04-10-10, 10:02 AM

do the Egoscue Supine Groin stretch
be patient with it, relax and let gravity realign your joints.
if having the extended leg flat on the floor is too painful, elevate the extended leg onto a yoga block or pillows but still have it against a surface to keep it upright and prevent it from floppy outwards.

http://forum.videofitness.com/showthread.php?t=147487

Barb S

sherry7899 · 04-10-10, 10:04 AM

Hi Barb,

I did that this morning, too

I'll try it again, though..

I think Leslie/walking for cardio is out for now.

Thanks!
Sherry

horsemom2 · 04-10-10, 10:16 AM

Leslie's workouts irritated my right hip, even when I wasn't having a problem with sciatica and lower back pain.

Try different warm ups to do as your workout.
Healthbouncing with the feet planted and sidewinders on the UR is a great way to loosen up then anything that uses the hips slowly and gently like warm ups from Classical Stretch, Misty Tripoli, Kathy Smith's Peel Away the Pounds Pilates cardio, Barefoot Dancer, Nia, Chiball, Carol Argo, etc.
(I'm sure you have hundreds of gentle warmups)

Barb S
who especially likes doing Classical Stretch warm ups back-to-back as a gentle workout

ETA: and don't forget warm ups sitting on a stability ball!

anne · 04-10-10, 02:15 PM

I have tight hip flexors, too, especially on my right side, and have found that light/moderate step aerobics such as Kari Anderson (Fitness Formula, Go) and Cher's old workout (on a 4" step) followed by 20 minutes of yoga/pilates (Yoga Zone Total Body Conditioning, Sara Ivanhoe 20 Minute Makeover Yoga, Firm Pilates) have helped. Kathy's Great Buns and Thighs workout is still kind of painful for me to do but not the bad kind of pain--seems like it's working that area without stressing it out--but my right hip flexor really feels it.

Also, 20 minutes of easy yoga in the am in addition to evening cardio/yoga has been helpful.

Trudie Styler's Core Strength Pilates also seems to really loosen hip flexors--I've done it once but it's very lower body focused and my hip flexors were less tight after I did it. Some of the moves were too difficult to do though.

My right hip flexor is still not right but is better than it was before I started working out again. I think consistent cardio and yoga/pilates has helped--if I don't exercise for a while the tightness gets worse again (sometimes in as little as a few days). HTH

sherry7899 · 04-10-10, 03:07 PM

Hi Anne,

Thanks! Which of Sara Ivanhoe's 20 minute practices did you find helpful for your hip flexors? I have all of them

I looked at the clip of Trudie Styler's Pilates, but a lot of it looks much too advanced for me. Thank you for the suggestion, though.

I do have the Yoga Zone dvd you mentioned.

I'm also going to try Mimi Solaire's Yin Yoga "hips" segment as well.

I'll give those a try-
Thanks!
Sherry

DachsieDogMom · 04-10-10, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherry7899

Can anyone suggest some stretches/workouts to help with tight hip flexors?
Sherry

2 words = foam roller

sherry7899 · 04-10-10, 03:44 PM

Hi,

Do you have any suggestions on specific exercises to do with the foam roller? I do have one, but the last time I tried it, it was very painful.

Thanks!
Sherry

HelloKitty88 · 04-10-10, 05:47 PM

I have always had issues with hip flexors. Mine are flexible after years of stretching, yoga and babying them but they still get very tight at times or when I do something that irritates them.

Any type of cardio where you'd have to do excessive hip flexor work. I'd stay away from a lot of knee lifts, kicks {even low kicks as you still will make your hip go into flexion when you kick even low}. I'm not real familiar with Leslie's workouts but, if they use a lot of knee lifts to get a HR you'd probably want to steer away from those for a while.

Of course, step, kickboxing..etc those forms of cardio use a lot of hip flexor work so, stay away from those. I'd say just plain walking would be best or swimming.

As far as stretching them. Gentle yoga will help. Use postures that stretch the fronts of the hips. The Method Precision Yoga is a good one. Karen Voights YogaSculpt is also a good one. Sara Ivanhoe's yoga workouts are also good. But, you need to make sure you are doing poses that hit the hip flexors specifically. Make sure when you stretch after every workout. If you stretch or do yoga, you should be very warm.

HelloKitty88 · 04-10-10, 05:50 PM

oh forgot to add: Watch doing excessive pilates. If you do a lot of pilates exercises with legs in the air, this will make the hip flexors work and overload them. You want to avoid this right now. Gentle yoga {postures specific to hip flexors} and easy stretching is best at this point. Cardio such as regular walking on flat surface or swimming would be best.

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04-10-10, 09:53 AM
sherry7899 Join Date: Jun 2003	help with tight hip flexors I'm slowly trying to get back to exercising after an injury. (low back pain due to hip imbalances) I attempted to do cardio (one mile Leslie) and my hip flexors are SO tight that the workout was painful. I did do Jill Miller's Quick Fix RX Hips segment beforehand. Can anyone suggest some stretches/workouts to help with tight hip flexors? I have Jill Miller's PAS-which segment has the most stretches for the hips? I'm thinking walking workouts might be too irritating for now. I'm not sure what other type of cardio to do. Thanks for any help- Sherry

04-10-10, 10:02 AM
horsemom2 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NJ	do the Egoscue Supine Groin stretch be patient with it, relax and let gravity realign your joints. if having the extended leg flat on the floor is too painful, elevate the extended leg onto a yoga block or pillows but still have it against a surface to keep it upright and prevent it from floppy outwards. http://forum.videofitness.com/showthread.php?t=147487 Barb S __________________ Barb S Visit my blog for info about various video sites including tips for downloading or streaming video files: neverendingplateau.blogspot.com

04-10-10, 10:04 AM
sherry7899 Join Date: Jun 2003	Hi Barb, I did that this morning, too I'll try it again, though.. I think Leslie/walking for cardio is out for now. Thanks! Sherry

04-10-10, 10:16 AM
horsemom2 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NJ	Leslie's workouts irritated my right hip, even when I wasn't having a problem with sciatica and lower back pain. Try different warm ups to do as your workout. Healthbouncing with the feet planted and sidewinders on the UR is a great way to loosen up then anything that uses the hips slowly and gently like warm ups from Classical Stretch, Misty Tripoli, Kathy Smith's Peel Away the Pounds Pilates cardio, Barefoot Dancer, Nia, Chiball, Carol Argo, etc. (I'm sure you have hundreds of gentle warmups) Barb S who especially likes doing Classical Stretch warm ups back-to-back as a gentle workout ETA: and don't forget warm ups sitting on a stability ball! __________________ Barb S Visit my blog for info about various video sites including tips for downloading or streaming video files: neverendingplateau.blogspot.com

04-10-10, 02:15 PM
anne Join Date: Apr 2004	I have tight hip flexors, too, especially on my right side, and have found that light/moderate step aerobics such as Kari Anderson (Fitness Formula, Go) and Cher's old workout (on a 4" step) followed by 20 minutes of yoga/pilates (Yoga Zone Total Body Conditioning, Sara Ivanhoe 20 Minute Makeover Yoga, Firm Pilates) have helped. Kathy's Great Buns and Thighs workout is still kind of painful for me to do but not the bad kind of pain--seems like it's working that area without stressing it out--but my right hip flexor really feels it. Also, 20 minutes of easy yoga in the am in addition to evening cardio/yoga has been helpful. Trudie Styler's Core Strength Pilates also seems to really loosen hip flexors--I've done it once but it's very lower body focused and my hip flexors were less tight after I did it. Some of the moves were too difficult to do though. My right hip flexor is still not right but is better than it was before I started working out again. I think consistent cardio and yoga/pilates has helped--if I don't exercise for a while the tightness gets worse again (sometimes in as little as a few days). HTH

04-10-10, 03:07 PM
sherry7899 Join Date: Jun 2003	Hi Anne, Thanks! Which of Sara Ivanhoe's 20 minute practices did you find helpful for your hip flexors? I have all of them I looked at the clip of Trudie Styler's Pilates, but a lot of it looks much too advanced for me. Thank you for the suggestion, though. I do have the Yoga Zone dvd you mentioned. I'm also going to try Mimi Solaire's Yin Yoga "hips" segment as well. I'll give those a try- Thanks! Sherry

04-10-10, 03:44 PM
sherry7899 Join Date: Jun 2003	Hi, Do you have any suggestions on specific exercises to do with the foam roller? I do have one, but the last time I tried it, it was very painful. Thanks! Sherry

04-10-10, 05:47 PM
HelloKitty88 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: I love nowhere! Especially the middle section	I have always had issues with hip flexors. Mine are flexible after years of stretching, yoga and babying them but they still get very tight at times or when I do something that irritates them. Any type of cardio where you'd have to do excessive hip flexor work. I'd stay away from a lot of knee lifts, kicks {even low kicks as you still will make your hip go into flexion when you kick even low}. I'm not real familiar with Leslie's workouts but, if they use a lot of knee lifts to get a HR you'd probably want to steer away from those for a while. Of course, step, kickboxing..etc those forms of cardio use a lot of hip flexor work so, stay away from those. I'd say just plain walking would be best or swimming. As far as stretching them. Gentle yoga will help. Use postures that stretch the fronts of the hips. The Method Precision Yoga is a good one. Karen Voights YogaSculpt is also a good one. Sara Ivanhoe's yoga workouts are also good. But, you need to make sure you are doing poses that hit the hip flexors specifically. Make sure when you stretch after every workout. If you stretch or do yoga, you should be very warm.

04-10-10, 05:50 PM
HelloKitty88 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: I love nowhere! Especially the middle section	oh forgot to add: Watch doing excessive pilates. If you do a lot of pilates exercises with legs in the air, this will make the hip flexors work and overload them. You want to avoid this right now. Gentle yoga {postures specific to hip flexors} and easy stretching is best at this point. Cardio such as regular walking on flat surface or swimming would be best.