Stretching with chair in Classical Stretch

[daisymae]

Does it bother anyone else to stretch with your foot on the chair? For example: when you put your heel on the chair, point through your toes and lean forward over your leg. This hurts my heel. Actually, any of the stretches where you are supposed to rest your foot on the chair hurt my feet but especially the stretch mentioned above. It also makes my Achilles sore. I can sit on the floor with legs out and stretch my hamstrings just fine but trying to do it on a chair is just very uncomfortable. Would a pad help? Does it get better the more you do it or should I just modify those stretches by sitting on the floor?

[fanofladyvols]

Yes! I thought I just had a super sensitive heel.

I actually throw a towel on my wooden chair to cushion my heel.

I also noticed I needed to watch how I was holding the heel in there...like if my quad wasn't tensed hard enough supporting my weight in the standing leg, then I would be applying too much pressure on my heel...does that make sense?

But glad I'm not the only one!

[BunnyHop]

I have trouble with balancing for a lot of CS barre work. One leg up off the floor? Yikes.

I use a small step ladder for my support and sometimes just put my foot on a lower step, rather than the top one.

[bzar]

do you have plantar fasciitis? that could be the cause of both the heel and achilles pain.

for me, i have to find the right height of the chair to use since the tendon on the back of my knee of the leg on the chair can sometimes feel awkward. i'm short, so a bent leg at the right height is key. it's not sore, just the angle and height needs to be played with.

EDITED TO ADD: essentially, my knee joint must be "square" when doing the moves, i.e., aligned in the same plane as the calf and thigh and everything is fine after that.

[daisymae]

Originally Posted by bzar

do you have plantar fasciitis? that could be the cause of both the heel and achilles pain.

for me, i have to find the right height of the chair to use since the back of my knee of the leg on the chair can sometimes feel awkward. i'm short, so a bent leg at the right height is key. it's not sore, just the angle and height needs to be played with.

My right heel has been giving me trouble in the mornings lately but as I get up and move around it straightens out, usually in a couple minutes. But the chair stretches have always bothered me unfortunately.

[Paine]

In Classical Stretch/Essentrics, I never liked stretching my hamstrings with one foot on the chair doing windmills. It always feels like I'll lose my balance and I think it is an unsafe move. I would rather stretch my hamstrings on the floor with a strap or even in a standing forward fold.

I like the other exercises in CS/Essentrics using a chair, just not stretching hamstrings.

[daisymae]

Originally Posted by BunnyHop

I have trouble with balancing for a lot of CS barre work. One leg up off the floor? Yikes.

I use a small step ladder for my support and sometimes just put my foot on a lower step, rather than the top one.

Lol! I generally don't have a problem with balance, thank goodness! I have to credit many years of yoga!!

[daisymae]

Originally Posted by fanofladyvols

Yes! I thought I just had a super sensitive heel.

I actually throw a towel on my wooden chair to cushion my heel.

I also noticed I needed to watch how I was holding the heel in there...like if my quad wasn't tensed hard enough supporting my weight in the standing leg, then I would be applying too much pressure on my heel...does that make sense?

But glad I'm not the only one!

I'm glad I'm not alone! That does make sense about putting too much pressure on the heel but if you're leaning over your leg to stretch it how do you not?!

[fanofladyvols]

Originally Posted by daisymae

I'm glad I'm not alone! That does make sense about putting too much pressure on the heel but if you're leaning over your leg to stretch it how do you not?!

Well what I do is I concentrate on having my supporting leg tensed and starting my movements shooting my glutes out so that very little of my weight is being supported by the heel on the chair. It's like 70% of my weight is in the supporting leg.

Maybe one of the CS instructors can explain it better?

I don't have plantar fasciitis ...it just seems like my heel feels so tender when doing it without the towel or a pad.

But not everything is for everyone so don't feel like you have to do every exercise. I know I don't

[yogapam]

Some suggestions that might help....

~Experiment with different chair heights. You can turn your chair around and use a stool against it. That way you still have the back of the chair for balance support.
~Keep the knee of your standing leg soft or slightly bent, don’t lock the knee joint
~Focus more on sitting your bum back than on leaning forward. That will take some weight off your heel & more on to your standing leg. And when you bring your torso forward, lead with your sternum.

There’s no one size fits all. I have students who love chair stretches and some who grudgingly tolerate them. And you can always modify and do your stretches on the floor.

ETA I hope JackieB will chime in!