Swivel hips help

I've been stuck on swivel hips since beginning f1 dec 2016. I don't feel like I've made any progress. Actually, whenever I have tried to push toward the ground, I end up sore and tight at my si joint. I have gone through th pinned swivel hips thread several times, but the amount of information is overwhelming, and don't know what will be important for me. I would appreciate any advice on how to progress. I have the middle and front splits courses, and I haven't missed a week since I started. I have seen huge mobility gains in other areas, but swivel hips is still a distant dream. Here is a video where I try a few different torso and hip positions, but none of these changes how close my legs get to the floor.

Hi Valerie, 

I can better comment on my own experiences than recommend specifically what might help you, but at this point in your internal rotation journey I think you need stronger medicine. Swivel hips are a good exercise, but if you have tight joint capsules like most adults, swivel hips aren't going to do much to clear out the thick leathery restrictions that form there. This is less a muscular/neurological issue and more a connective tissue / gristle issue at the joint in my opinion. 

To clear that out, I'd check out YouTube and there is also a good book on the subject of banded and tool- or buddy-assisted myofascial release that the moderators won't let me name here.

Check YouTube for some banded/loaded and buddy-assisted ways of grinding out restrictions in the joint capsule to regain some internal rotation capacity. Rules of thumb are:

a) start easy to make sure it doesn't hurt you

b) it should not hurt more than a normal stretch when doing it, and it should definitely not bleed tension or pain into your SI joint. The goal here is to laser-focus the stretch/tension onto the area of restriction.

c) you should have greater internal rotation range *immediately* after coming out of the exercise. This means it's working, and that daily application will effect permanent change eventually.

d) Specifically when working internal rotation make sure to keep the pressure off the inside of your knee as much as you can.

Using bands and direct pressure on the area of restriction will probably accelerate your progress for internal rotation. It has for me, and I was way gunked up from both disuse and injury. Not perfect yet, but much improved.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Matt

Here's one idea to help:

And another:

Hi Valerie

It s happening the same to me. I was doing swivel hips for 4 months and no improvement. Then I started working on swivel hips hold for a very long time absolutely everyday for another 4 months and very little progress. Last week I decided to go to the physio with this issue. He told me my internal rotation stinks completely due to tight capsule and tight fascia lata tensor. He treated me very hard on the area, it was very painful. I have to go to some more sessions, right now I m going again. He taught me some very good exercises to open up the hips. I d love to share with everyone because i think it might be beneficial. Just give me some time because i have to video myself and upload them. I think tomorrow i ll have the time to do it!

Hey Valerie,

I assume you have worked on the static hold Antonio mentioned (from the technique tip video)? The physio Antonio saw is connected to the facility I run classes out of and is VERY good. I really like the drills he provided so once @Antonio Alías Montoya is able to post those, give them a go @Valerie Morwood

I've got the same issues here, I'll try them out too to see how it goes!

 I also feel a lot my adductors and found out trying to internally rotate in middle split - even if it doesn't go very far - helps to focus the stretch.

Thanks guys

4 hours ago, Matthias Schwartz said:

And another:

 

this exercise has low benefits if the body can twist and move to the side. 

23 hours ago, Valerie Morwood said:

I've been stuck on swivel hips since beginning f1 dec 2016. I don't feel like I've made any progress. Actually, whenever I have tried to push toward the ground, I end up sore and tight at my si joint. I have gone through th pinned swivel hips thread several times, but the amount of information is overwhelming, and don't know what will be important for me. I would appreciate any advice on how to progress. I have the middle and front splits courses, and I haven't missed a week since I started. I have seen huge mobility gains in other areas, but swivel hips is still a distant dream. Here is a video where I try a few different torso and hip positions, but none of these changes how close my legs get to the floor.

 

Im glad you posted this Valerie, 9 months into F1 and ive not made alot of progress on the swirvel hips either. Everything else goes slowly but steady forward. Swirvel hips and also the scap shrug are almost zero progress. Looking forward to following this thread and hope for some new thinking and motivation.

Ok, here it is. First of all, forgive me if my english is not so good and second thing is that I filmed this straight away after waking up, I was still wearing the pijama and didn t even wash my face yet, so I can be more handsome than in the video . 

The sound is not very loud so turn the volume to the maximum. These stretches were given to me from a chiropractor here in Flagstaff. He didn t know 100% sure if they where going to work, but the mechanics make sense. Maybe some knowledgeable coach can give us a feedback on their eficiency. If have any questions about the stretches feel free to ask.

Thanks for all the ideas of what to work on.

@Matthias Schwartz that first video looks good for internal rotation.

I will try your drills @Antonio Alías Montoya. They look like they mainly target external rotation. What type of treatment did your physio do on your TFL and hip capsule? (Example: ART, graston, muscle energy, dry needling, etc.) I think that my problems are similar to your issues with tightness.

From the 3 stretches only one target external rotation, the second one. The others 2 are for internal rotation. 

He used just his hands, therapist massage.

This is a wonderful thread!

I actually did distress an SI joint. I couldn't say it was the Swivel Hips or a coincidence, but it was certainly around the time I was trying to do them.

I ended up subbing other mobility exercises that swiveled hips without sitting on the sitbones to do it. For example, lying on the floor, instead of sitting (a variation inspired by a yoga class) but with the same bent leg side to side motion was gentler, but allowed a smooth stretch and transition.

I'm definitely going to try some of the videos. I love banded mobility exercises, and it's bugged me that I didn't quite "get" the purpose or motion of Swivel Hips as demonstrated.

Thanks folks!

Guys, what I have been doing (and it's helping tremendously) is that like @Mats Trane brushes his teeth in a deep squat, I grab my laptop, get down on the floor into 90/90 sit/stretch and just work on the laptop in this  position instead of sitting in a chair/sofa. Trying to keep the torso vertical is challenging, and it really loosens up the hips beautifully. I am switching the sides through the process. Also I am playing with the angle in the knees (sometimes less than 90 degrees) and hips (sometimes more than 90 degrees). Whatever feels tight, I stay there. 

On 8/10/2017 at 3:49 PM, Alessandro Mainente said:

this exercise has low benefits if the body can twist and move to the side. 

Hi Alessandro,

You're right, this video is a poor demonstration. I should have posted a better example. However, this is an excellent exercise, and I wouldn't discount it. I recommend trying it yourself. It's not difficult to use good form with it. You just have to keep stricter form than the video, by localizing the movement to a single leg and minimizing torso and hip movement. There are other examples on Youtube that are better for reference. It's almost like a swivel hip with your body pinned in place and only a single leg moving. It's quite a powerful internal rotation movement, and you can really feel it in the joint.

Best,

Matt

I have had slow progress with Side Split so as of 2weeks ago I'm doing 2 min. Adductor Flies before I go to bed. We will see how it goes. #easilyobsessed