Stiff Leg Windmill

Hi, 

Would be really grateful for clarification - when performing the SLW should there be any bend in the lumbar spine? Or is the movement and bending forward purely hip flexion? 

Best, 

Luke

Hi Luke,

No bending of the lumbar spine. As you bend forward the hip rotates.

I have so much work to do...  Thanks for quick response! 

Luke

Should the non dumbbell hand go down the externally rotated leg or directly under the pelvis?

Hi Michael,

Go ahead and keep your bottom arm between your feet or underneath the pelvis like you said.

I performed stiff leg windmill for the second time today. Immediately afterwards I am experiencing pain on both side of my mid back. Is this just fatigue having not used those muscles in this way before. Or have I performed the action wrong and put stress in wrong areas? Thanks.

jack

Jack, this is a tricky area for us to cover on the forum. I get this kind of question a lot with my athletes that do not understand the difference between physical pain and injury, and muscle soreness and stiffness.

This is not a question anyone here at the forum can answer for you.

If you are leaning towards the side of actual physical injury and pain, I suggest that you go see a physiotherapist to make sure you actually have an injury and not just muscular stiffness.

Muscular stiffness is a completely normal adaptation to exercise and nothing to be worried about. I know some newer athletes grow to like the stiffness and take it as a sign and reward of good, and hard training.

Please go see a physio to be sure, and keep us updated, we will be waiting.

Hi Luke, thanks for your quick reply. I'll book in with the physio and report back. Jack

I can share my experience. When I started out I also felt some discomfort in my mid back the day after doing SLW. It was not like the normal muscle soreness you get from training, more similar to a strain. I first thought it was a bad thing. However it always got better in about two days. By keep doing SLW and progressing (reaching deeper and deeper) it got better and I now rarely feel anything in my mid back (the stretch in my legs is a different story  ). I can only assume that my back needed some adoption and that the mobility has improved.

I found the scaling video to be somewhat lacking for this movement. Not sure exactly where this movement should be felt. What exactly is this movement supposed to be stretching?

It's to teach compression, or the ability to press the torso against the thighs, using a much hip flexion (bending forwards at the hip) as possible and as little lumbar flexion (bending in the low back) as possible. The rotation part also helps the thoracic spine (mid-back) to bend forwards and later, backwards.