The 4 Best Hip Flexor Stretches

If you don’t know how important your hip flexors are, you are seriously behind the eight ball. There isn’t a muscle group in your body that is more important as you age than your hip flexors.

A quick look at the news this week reveals how many athletes are hit with an issue involving their hip flexors. Here is a quick glance at some news that hit the presses today showcasing athletes with hip flexor problems.

Why do Our Hips Become Tight?

Think about what you do all day. Most likely, you spend your time working or in class. When you are sitting down, you literally train your body to create a hunch that stays that way. Repetitive motions make the body do things that become set in stone. Just like facial expressions in a repeated manner lead to facial wrinkles (which need to be treated with an anti aging cream), the muscle groups in your body do the same thing.

How does this happen?

Whenever you make your muscle contract, it shortens. It’s as simple as that.

Why Are My Hips Tight?

When you sit down, you have your hips in a “flexed” position. The subsequent muscles that are used to flex the hips are shorter than normal. If you spend most of your time in this position, think about all the time you are essentially shortening your muscles. Eventually, you will have them so tight that you lose range of motion to the point that it affects you greatly.

Related Content: How to “unlock” your hip flexors.

4 Stretches For Success

Credit goes to Stack.com for this amazing series of stretches.

#1: Kneeling Stretch

Thrust your hip forward as you drop your opposite knee to the ground.

#2: Pigeon Stretch

This one is like Yoga. You’ll take your heel of the leading leg and cross it in front of your opposite leg.

#3: Spider Man Stretch

This is a popular stretch at CrossFit. Simply extend one leg backwards and the other forward while twisting your hips and reaching for the sky.

#4: Hip Flexor Mobilization

Using a foam roller, drive your hip as close as you can get it. When you rock back and forth, you will break up the surrounding tissue. As you feel tenderness, make that an area to concentrate on to help alleviate any tightness.

Those are four simple ways to help stretch your hip flexors. Please leave a comment if you have any questions.