Psoas (hip flexor) release

Hey Mark, just wanted to say that the moment I saw your picture, it immediately reminded me of this:

http://www.strongfirst.com/posture-an-easy-way-to-up-your-performance/

Interestingly enough, while you recommend it to release the psoas, Pavel uses for thoracic mobility

Does the foamroller/block only go from the top of your shoulders to between the shoulder blades or all the way down to the bottom ribs?

Alan Tseng said:

Hey Mark, just wanted to say that the moment I saw your picture, it immediately reminded me of this:

 

http://www.strongfirst.com/posture-an-easy-way-to-up-your-performance/

 

Interestingly enough, while you recommend it to release the psoas, Pavel uses for thoracic mobility

Releasingbthe psoas will release the thoracic and lumbar spine, hips, knees...great for the whole body.

Nick Roy said:

Does the foamroller/block only go from the top of your shoulders to between the shoulder blades or all the way down to the bottom ribs?

Don't go too low otherwise you will push the ribs up and the psoas won't release. You are better to start high and keep the ribs down. As you progress move the roller down. I usually find no lower than the lower scapula.

Gotcha gotcha

How is this supposed to feel? I have been doing this 3 days in a row now for roughly 40-50 min each time. I can feel my back getting a bit closer to the floor but I feel this could just be that my upper back is sliding away from the support.

I don't feel any release or anything in the muscles except for a nasty DOMS in my adductors.

gohei_ said:

How is this supposed to feel? I have been doing this 3 days in a row now for roughly 40-50 min each time. I can feel my back getting a bit closer to the floor but I feel this could just be that my upper back is sliding away from the support.

I don't feel any release or anything in the muscles except for a nasty DOMS in my adductors.

Can you post a picture. 3 days is not that long to spend releasing. You also need to keep the ribs down with your day to day activities. If you walk around for 15 hrs a day with the ribs up, laying on a roller for 50 mins will not be enough to counteract the poor positioning.

Mark Collins said:

Can you post a picture. 3 days is not that long to spend releasing. You also need to keep the ribs down with your day to day activities. If you walk around for 15 hrs a day with the ribs up, laying on a roller for 50 mins will not be enough to counteract the poor positioning.

Oh yeah I'm not believing that just a few sessions will fix everything, but I figured that maybe I would get some tiny release happening, and in that case if I would be able to feel it.

I'll see if I can get some photos up in a day or two.

Do you place the edge of the roller at the inferior angle of the scapula or at medial border?
i used a 10 cm foam block with a thin pillow and that seemed to be plenty of height. The foam roller felt to high for me in order to keep my lower back relaxed. 

The roller is in between the scapula 1/2 way between the inferior angle and superior border. Post a picture from side on so I can see if the psoas if overactive.

If it makes you feel any better before I started Foundation I was worse than you. It feels like the last 3-4 years has been spent restoring my body back to normal so I can really get going with my training. 

Not sure where you got this Mark, but it's a 'classic' Iyengar Yoga set up. Absolutely great stuff.

If you want to take it to the next level -

- Place a stretch block between your ankles and cinch a strap tightly around them, so the feet can't fall to the sides

- Place 10-20kg worth of weight plates on top of your thighs. It's more comfortable if you place a blanket on your thighs.

Lay there 5-10 minutes

@Mark Collins I don’t feel any better, or worse, haha. Unless we get in tune with ourselves, how else can we find harmony within ourselves and others? To be honest, we must confront our weaknesses (psyche and physical) and EXPOSE them to the world, which is what we’re most afraid of. This forum and form checks are turning out to be a great playground for this. Great team work!

I appreciate you know what I’m talking about in my MN/PE2>iM post. I strongly sympathize with your sentiment of restoring our bodies back to "normal." Although, I don’t like to use that word because nowadays normal means not using, or not learning to control the 3D ROM that we’re born with. I've been calling it restoring our bodies to a natural state, so we can enjoy living/training. The more people who think and act this way, the more "normal" could shift in a positive, responsible direction. I find it sad that most people never get to experience a fraction of what’s possible with our bodies. Or I should say, that their experience is limited to being a spectator via a screen. 

I’ve been at it for some years too. The complexity and interconnectedness of all the systems at play never cease to amaze me. Nothing changes overnight when it's a product of decades in the making. I’ve spent tens of thousands of $ educating myself and building a company centered in the concept of a balanced body-mind. I don't mean this is in a bragging way. it's simply an indication of how serious I am about this.

Yes, @Cole Dano I learned that one in an Iyengar class, minus the 10-20 kg. I'll try that version too and post pictures soon.

After 14 hr day... Not sure if doing this right. Seems to straighten my spine. Other releases have knees bent, supported underneath to slack the Psoas.

No wonder you have a problem!

You need to spend lots of time doing this. At least 1/2 hour a day. Also take note if your ribs are thrusting forwards and up through the day. You need to let the ribs relax down, which will let the psoas and erector spinae relax throughout the day.

12 hours ago, Cole Dano said:

Not sure where you got this Mark, but it's a 'classic' Iyengar Yoga set up. Absolutely great stuff.

If you want to take it to the next level -

- Place a stretch block between your ankles and cinch a strap tightly around them, so the feet can't fall to the sides

- Place 10-20kg worth of weight plates on top of your thighs. It's more comfortable if you place a blanket on your thighs.

Lay there 5-10 minutes

I got this from Katy Bowman who is a biomechanist. 

Told ya about erector spinae, like steel cables. Many, many years of prolong sitting in front of a computer. I'll show you how I usually do this release. My Psoas is not tight per sé but I'd say overactive. Manual thetapist insist in that it's heathy and not tight like most.

The photo above represents the starting position. I was alone in studio and had 10 sec from the time of pressing the camera button to getting into position. 

Most manual therapists only palpate the superficial and lateral fibres of the psoas. Unless they go deep and press on the anterior disc where the psoas attaches it is often missed. It can be risky if you squash the intestines!

It is also common for the psoas and erector spinae tightness to be secondary to the lumbar joints. Once these are mobilised in an Anterior Posterior direction with oscillations these muscles relax quickly. 

Yes, lumbar joints is where I feel the most pull and stiffness! but also up the spine, including cervical. PT told me I got stiff joints/ligaments. Call the newspapers. Another reason why my back muscles are chronically tight is that a straighter spine cannot absorb and redirect forces as efficiently than one with optimal curves...

I've been doing various forms of traction, side flexion and rotation with inversion table and supine dynamic Plow limbering. Also Knee hangs force my lower posterior chain to engage, which allows my electors to "relax." I could post images, but I'm afraid it's not GB content and not sure if ok. I use the position you demo for the Iliacus release a la Thomas test with roller  good stuff.

On 2/24/2016 at 8:59 PM, Mark Collins said:

 

You need to spend lots of time doing this. At least 1/2 hour a day. Also take note if your ribs are thrusting forwards and up through the day. You need to let the ribs relax down, which will let the psoas and erector spinae relax throughout the day.

Having trouble visualizing what you mean by this..by down you mean walking around with a sort of PPT?

Ribs down is to make sure the thorax is over the pelvis. You do not want the pelvis in PPT as you walk around as it will cause problems.

You can test if the thorax is over the pelvis by placing one hand on the mid sternum and pubic bone. From side on they should be in line.

@Mark Collins in regard to this muscle, do you typically see one side of the body more overactive than the other? Is this due to movement patterns, crossing our legs when sitting, etc.? I'm asking because I think my psoas muscle on one side is significantly tighter than the other, so I'm feeling curious. Also does this muscle influence the IT band in any way? Thank you for all of your helpful shares btw! 

I do. In my experience it is pretty common, especially if you have a C-curve spine or even the slightest scoliosis. I've found that you may not only feel a noticeble difference (limitation) in obviously sagittal plane motions, but also in the sometimes forgotten frontal plane or transverse plane! depending if your pelvis is rotated right or left a few degrees.

I'm sure Mark will have some great points on the subject. Great question, Kirsten. Cheers.

I do find that one side is worse, but generally both are tight due to our sitting culture. I am not sure why one side is worse. It could be that our body is not symetrical and it is a normal variation.

Thank you @Eva Pelegrin and @Mark Collins for your replies. trying to learn to understand human body function and movement better partly bc it's fascinating and partly to avoid some of the dumb mistakes I made when I was younger lol. Thanks again for taking the time to respond!

Nice. I've done a similar stretch in yoga. They really don't do that stretch enough. 

I've also done myofascial release with a lacrosse ball and a kettlebell like this. Seemed to help a lot.