HELP. SLS/PE2>iM Nowhere Close 2 Being Close!

Hello all, This mobility exercise really hit hard on my confidence. Could really do with some good advice on

achieving this. BIG problem is I am nowhere near close to being close. There is no way I am able to get up

from the seated position unassisted. What muscles do I need to work on to have the strength/mobility to

actually start working on this skill. I can sit on the ground cross legged no problem, but when my mind tells

my body to get up it's like being paralyzed as I cannot move an inch as my mind yells at my body to get up.

I've watched a couple of form checks with people having trouble and I say they are well ahead of me though

they aren't close to mastery.

I'm all ears, many thanks.

Maybe this is no news for you but some of the tips given in other threads were as follows:

-Start from an elevated position and then gradually and over time lower it until you're down on the ground again.

-Place feet further apart resulting in a wider stance at the top for better balance while pressing up/lowering down

-Lean forward stronger while attempting to get up so you actually have a chance of getting up and don't fall back down on your rearside

Maybe post a form check so people can see what exactly might be your specific problem

If it is nit a mobility problem, but a strength issue then you have a weak lateral chain. The lateral chain is comprised of the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, vastus lateralis and the fibularis muscles.

Leonhard Krahé said:

-Place feet further apart resulting in a wider stance at the top for better balance while pressing up/lowering down

This ^

Mark Collins said:

If it is nit a mobility problem, but a strength issue then you have a weak lateral chain. The lateral chain is comprised of the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, vastus lateralis and the fibularis muscles.

Mark, what do you recommend for this? I see many people suggesting that we just scale the exercise for less ROM, but that seems like it may lead to very slow progress, especially if the issue is strength and not mobility. Are you in favor of (what seems to be) the standard approach of clamshells, band walks, etc, or is there something you recommend that might tie into F1 better? Thanks.

Bumping in hope for a response!

For this the gradual increase in ROM method is quite effective. I'd really just start with that. This isn't a huge strength move by any means.

However if you want a supplemental exercise one would be lateral leg raises, just lie on you side and life the top leg up as far as possible. To transfer to twisting squats, keep your toes pointing forward. To transfer to straddle related work turn your toes towards the ceiling as you lift the leg. You can do these with ankle weights for more load or with a band tied to the other leg.

Clamshells are also nice, but they won't build any strength for getting back up, they will help with mobility issues.  However, it could be interesting to try them with a band around the working leg so it provides resistance while closing the leg?

Cole, thanks for the suggestions. I've actually been doing PT for a persistent knee problem and have found that doing something like your last suggestion - strengthening internal rotation by using a band - has been helpful for swivel hips. perhaps it will has some carry over to this as well.

I have found holding the bottom position helps.

Holding onto a bar in front,

Slowly lower to the current, pain-free range of motion (example 8 inch platform) crosslegged.

Lightly hold in the bottom position, where glutes barely brush the support, good forward lean.

Hold 10, 15, 30, or 60s, whatever works. No pain, no aggrevating knee pain or other symptoms.

The body starts to sink into the movement, as well as gain mild eccentric strength, or lengthening into the position. (The lack of eccentric control into the crosslegged position is usually what causes a plop at the bottom of the movement)

Then 10 reps at the previous, modified height feels a little smoother for the iM.

I'm happy to report I am making progress, minimal, but progress none the less. I can do the

negative movement ie sitting down and I have used a raised platform of approximately 3 inches

which means I can get off the floor. I'm not able to do 10 yet but it's coming.

Whilst I am not having a strength issue, I am finding the exercise difficult to master due to discomfort in my ankles (sharpish pain as though you have just rolled your ankle).

Any suggestions on how I might alleviate this would be much appreciated.

JP 

Hi,

I am just about to start Foundation 1 and I too am a bit worried about this exercise. I can roll down and up, but it's very ugly - feet wide apart on landing and falling about at the top of the movement.

It sounds like it's OK to go ahead with feet wider apart, but can I check progression? Is it best to keep with the lower reps until I can get up with feet closer together, or should I continue increasing reps with the hope that form will improve over time? I think Marc and Cole might have been answering this question, but I didn't quite understand what they meant!

I plan to include some calf stretching in my warm up, which hopefully will help.

Thanks!

LadyG, best thing is to post a form check and we can start an individual conversation there.

I found this impossible to start with. With perseverance and just trying, using hands for assistance if not managing to get up it eventually just'happened' although took many months. Then after having moved on and not doing for a few months failed again but after a couple weeks managed fine again. I think a lot of it is not directly strength related but practice and becoming accustomed to an unusual movement that you've not tried before. Also clearly related to flexibility because when I was failing miserably I asked my kids to try and they managed no problem without any practice

347mont I really struggled with these too! It took me a few months to get the hang of. Initially I did them off a slightly raised surface as recommended above.

Then I moved to sitting on the floor and tried holding a small weight plate in front as that was my issue, I kept falling back. Then I gradually reduced the weight and eventually got them. Maybe try different surfaces too or as a previous poster mentioned, try doing them more frequently during the week (like Pavel GTG).

I still find 5x10 twist squats pretty challenging though and keep training them to maintain that mobility.

Good luck!

YEEAAAAHHHHHH!!! So pumped at the moment. just finished deload week 8 and can can finally do these unassisted.

The first 2 sets I was using my raised platform which is about 5cm off the ground and I thought hmmm these are feeling

easier today. So the next set I tried them off the ground and I was able to do 10! Coming back down wasn't pretty but

improved greatly on the next 2 sets  . To think I was struggling to do 10 off a raised surface only a couple of

sessions ago is hard to fathom for me, just out of the blue it happened. Today is a good day, I hope you all have one too.