Weighted Hip Flexor Stretch

[lewkowicz613]

Does anyone know of a good weighted stretch for the hip flexors that is similar to the weighted pike for hamstrings?
Thanks

[Alexander Egebak]

I am very interested as well!

[Jan Reipert]

i dont know if that is really necessary but you could for example do the thomas test and use ankle weights.

[Jeandel Matthieu]

You can use a Glute-Ham-Raise chair and work as for bridge. 

 

But more on psoas than quads. You need to find a solution to bend your knees.

[lewkowicz613]

The best idea I came up with is to so a hip flexor stretch with your foot on a chair and the other leg extended.  Then hold a weight (I started with 10lbs) in the opposite hand then hold.

The picture shows the front foot on the ground but I stared with my front foot on a chair.

[Christoph Pahl]

The most effective hip flexor stretch that I know are simply front splits (of course they stretch also quite some other muscles). Doing them you use most of your body weight to stretch the hip flexors

[Joseph Blazuk]

do what that guy is going in the picture but in a smith machine with bar overhead, weight over center of mass

[Sailor Venus]

Here's what I did a few days ago. In a kneeling lunge position (the back knee can touch the floor), rest a barbell on your front thigh; have the barbell as close to your body as possible. And listen to your hip flexor in the back leg moan. The heavier the barbell is, the more stretch you'll feel in the hip flexor in the rear leg. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! If you conjunction that with Thomas Kurz's PNF stuff... well it won't be long 'til you'll have legs flexible than a woman's artistic gymnast. You can say hello to needle poses eventually.

 

I don't like the idea of holding weights overhead because when you hold weights, you'll be engaging lots of muscles. I tried it myself before and got burned out. I personally don't like engaging muscles whilst stretching (unless I do some pnf). And when you hold weights above your head for too long, its starts to get uncomfortable. Thats why I choose to rest heavy objects on my front leg instead.

[Karl-Erik Karlsen]

Kelly Starrett's super couch stretch is very powerful. Best hip flexor stretch I've tried.

[Kevin Haimann]

Kelly Starrett's super couch stretch is very powerful. Best hip flexor stretch I've tried.

And dont forget the 50-100lbs band to load the anterior hipcapsule

[Mark Schoenhard]

I like to use a kettlebell in rack position on the extended leg side.  Helps keep PPT.

[Pasha Muravyev]

Not a weighted stretch, but I did a bunch of research on splits at one point. One really interesting idea I found was sitting in as wide of a straddle as you can, and attempting to rotate your hips in either direction (to face one foot, then the other). 

 

An extension/partner version of that which I tried yesterday with amazing results was: have the partner sit behind you while you are in a wide straddle - they pull with both hands on one hip, while simultaneously pushing with the knee on the other hip, rotating your hips towards one side (then repeat on the other side). Obviously normal safety/overstretching caveats apply. I've found that when properly done, partner assisted PNF stretching is pretty much as good as it gets for developing flexibility quickly (having someone push down on me in frog / half frog has gotten me more progress in the past few months than in the preceding year of individual middle split stretches. I'm finally able(ish) to do all 3 splits).

[Willem Oudemans]

Today I tried some weighted flexor stretches. What is your opinion on this variation?

[Luke Smith]

Here is a weighted with a friend hip flexor stretch (

). I didn't watch the video as I'm on mobile data but I'm assuming it's the correct one.

If it's not that video I'm sure you'll find the correct hip flexor stretch on his YouTube page.

Also, Thomas test with someone pressing the knee down and pushing the hanging foot underneath the table (creating more flexion in the knee). Both require another person so if you don't' have a partner then you'll have to use a bit more imagination

[Jan Reipert]

Today I tried some weighted flexor stretches. What is your opinion on this variation?

 

i like it. in fact, i will try that today

[Kate Abernethy]

My dynamic stretching exercise for the hip flexors is deep lunges all around the gym, add in a medicine ball held overhead.

[Sailor Venus]

Elliot Hulse's hip stretch is nice. I was doubtful at first. Came back to his video some time later and gave it a shot. Feels nice. Since I don't have a partner what I did is this: Go down on one knee, put the opposite leg (lock this leg out!) on something high. That could be a bed, chair, sofa, pile of books, whatever. You'll feel a nice stretch in your upper quad with its knee on the floor. Feels nice, its simpler than stretches mentioned in my last post. I stopped doing the stretch in my last post as its a pain in the ass to set up and less effective than what I tried now.

Edited September 4, 2014 by Sailor Venus

[David McManamon]

When your hips are square and your shoulders stacked above them in a lunge or splits you most likely will want to take weight off, your torso is heavy enough.  Focus on alignment and make sure you are combining strengthening & stretching together.  I do occasionally add up to 50lbs in an over-split although a square split on the ground & some conditioning work would be a pre-req. before adding weight in an over-split.

 

[Douglas Wadle]

I've always liked these: http://martialartsplanet.net/forums/showthread.php?s=c2110107e33add556c4ba2e60dcfe71e&t=96381

The progression is for side splits or front splits.

[Mikkel Ravn]

I've always liked these: http://martialartsplanet.net/forums/showthread.php?s=c2110107e33add556c4ba2e60dcfe71e&t=96381

The progression is for side splits or front splits.

I've seen this before, and wondered if it works. Does anyone have experience using this protocol as in actually achieving the splits?

[Murray Truelove]

I've seen this before, and wondered if it works. Does anyone have experience using this protocol as in actually achieving the splits?

I know that it's built on Thomas Kurz method which is supposed to get you the side splits on only a matter of months. He makes the point that Olympic weight lifters get very flexible and almost always start as adults. It's basically squatting past parallel and widening the stance until your essentially squatting in side splits.

[David Rioux]

I like to use a kettlebell in rack position on the extended leg side.  Helps keep PPT.

 

 

Kelly Starrett's super couch stretch is very powerful. Best hip flexor stretch I've tried.

 

 

And don't forget the 50-100lbs band to load the anterior hip capsule

 

3 FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!         STRETCH YOUR HIPS, INCREASE ROM IN YOUR SHOULDERS, MOBILIZE THAT T-SPINE.

 

 

Need to find this exercise, obtain a copy of PAVEL'S  "RESILIENT" DVD.  Also it can be found in FMS " KETTLEBELLS FROM THE GROUND UP 2". As a matter of fact, I couldn't think of a better group of exercises to add to FOUNDATION then these two videos. 

 

Start in half kneeling position (normal hip flexor stretch position) with a kettlebell held in a rack position over extend hip. Press the bell overhead and work on extending the hip, contracting gluts and abs, & at the same time pull the bell behind your head with a straight arm, working your shoulder further into flexion, open your chest.

 

A band can be added off from a remote point to give distraction to the anterior hip capsule. IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS SET UP, VISIT KELLY STARRETT'S WEBSITE before trying this set up.

 

Anyone who has extremely tight hips or shoulders may have to spend some time in the rack position for a while before progressing to the overhead position. Weeks or month's may be required before advancing.

 

On the other hand, more advanced students will able to elevate their rear foot as in KELLY STARRETS "Couch Video" 

 

Further advancement involves turning 90 degrees to the side for mobilizing and working that T-SPINE, obliques, external hip rotators & flexors.

 

If you already acquire great mobility and strength a heavier bell, OR a combination of movements and positions will be for you.

 

Well, If your already a STUD, then you will show us with a heavier bell and a combination of movements.

 

Last note: A Kettlebell works better for this exercise and its variants, because it will assist you with achieving better shoulder flexion.

[Douglas Wadle]

I've seen this before, and wondered if it works. Does anyone have experience using this protocol as in actually achieving the splits?

 

I wish i could tell you more objectively, Ravn, but the only experience I have is my own and it's fairly short.  I've been doing these for a month and have gained 6 inches, which is better than i can say of other things i've tried.  It's not even that i want to do the splits, I just want to increase my straddle flexibility.  I feel much more stable in the position, or strong I should say.  It's easy to do at the end of the foundation session.  It's been wonderfully curative for my gracilis strain as well, with all the isometric contractions.  It's not easy or comfortable, though, that's for sure. 

[Mikkel Ravn]

I wish i could tell you more objectively, Ravn, but the only experience I have is my own and it's fairly short.  I've been doing these for a month and have gained 6 inches, which is better than i can say of other things i've tried.  It's not even that i want to do the splits, I just want to increase my straddle flexibility.  I feel much more stable in the position, or strong I should say.  It's easy to do at the end of the foundation session.  It's been wonderfully curative for my gracilis strain as well, with all the isometric contractions.  It's not easy or comfortable, though, that's for sure. 

Ok, sounds interesting. Every time I tried to improve my splits, which are ridiculously bad, my gracilis has inflamed, stopping me in my tracks. Too much too soon, obviously, but it's tricky - I more or less only have to think about the splits, and the gracilis seem to give me grief. Could be I have some leftover chronic tendonitis there from when I did karate 15 years ago. Back then it was also a problem...

[David McManamon]

I don't think

 

leftover chronic tendonitis

Is a thing but muscle imbalances are real and will quickly lead to inflammation.  The old stretching references are worth taking a look at along with what the contortionist crowd is doing today.  One impressive contortionist whose hand-balancing videos occasionally show up on this forum is Ricardo Sosa, you can see him doing an interesting weighted stretch here:

http://instagram.com/p/k8gk8Ps7be

It is probably a good stretch only for those whose preparation is sufficient, ie be sure to start your work at your level not his.  Over-do that type of weighted stretch and you won't be in for a pleasant surprise.