SP PE1 iM

@Alessandro Mainente  Hi Alessandro,

Any tips on how I can work to increase my ROM on the swivel hips?  Hip internal rotation is something I've been working on for a while (years) outside of GB so I know it's a very slow process.  I'm currently doing all 3 stretch series once per week and I've been integrating the swivel hips + frog stretch into daily warm ups.  I'm also doing the stretch that is recommended in the course video (using the other leg to static stretch IR in this position) on upper body days.  Kinda crazy but after watching this video of myself, I was surprised that my mobility here isn't quite as bad as I thought... It's still bad though.

Thanks for your help,

James

 

HI James, my best suggestion is performing the swivel hips daily with your back in contact with the wall (all your back and using your hands to move the knee closer to the floor. long hold and patience.

@Alessandro Mainente  Sounds good, I'll try that--thanks for the advice!

@Alessandro Mainente Here's my swivel hips from this morning--I've been working on this daily and I feel like I'm making progress...  Slowly but surely.

Thanks,

James

 

Hey James, i completely understand you. my hips were locked for many many years.

@Alessandro Mainente It's crazy!!!

@Alessandro Mainente Another update on these--I still have far to go but it does seem to be getting better...

 

Thanks,

James

HI James, lot of work here. probably your spine surgery makes your hips stronger and fixed. are you doing the passive work i have suggested some posts above?

@Alessandro Mainente You're probably right, my hips have been an issue for many many years.  Yes, every day I've been doing a 2 minute hold on each side with my back against the wall and using my hands to gently press my legs towards the floor.  I'm also doing the hip restore series daily.  Is there anything else you think I should try?

For now, unfortunately, nope, forum suggestions have these limitations. I cannot work with you face to face.

I've found that pulling my toes back seems to put more of the focus on the hips and I feel I can get a better stretch, and it seems to take a lot of load off the knees which is good because I started having issues with my left knee while doing these.

@Alessandro Mainente Understood!

@David Pardy 340028 Got it, thanks for the tip--I've noticed that too but I don't always remember to flex my foot.  Have you had any success improving your swivel hips?  How long have you been working at it?  Has anything else (stretches, hip strengthening exercises, etc) helped?

It has improved quite a bit, although moreso in my right leg.  I haven't been as consistent as I would have liked with my training over the last month or so though, so I'm a bit behind at the moment.

I've been trying to follow Alex's advice about doing it with your back flat against the wall (not every day so far yet) and I do noticeably feel the muscles relaxing fairly quickly and allowing the hips to stretch more deeply.  I am finding I need to balance the stretch with recovery though, as I'm fairly tight to start with so enduring quite a bit of discomfort with the hips.

Other than this, I'm doing band work with my legs to focus on glute activation (I have a couple of decades worth of tight hip flexors to work on) to assist with releasing hip flexors and addressing lower back pain.  Only time will tell if it's helping open up the hips as I've only been doing it for a week or so now

@David Pardy 340028  Yeah, I understand about the swivel hips with back flat against the wall--it can be intense and there is definitely some recovery involved for me too.  I've also been trying to spend some time simply sitting in the "shin box" position in the hopes that if I put myself in internal rotation and just hang out without exerting, that the ROM will open up over time.  A few years ago I discovered that I couldn't get into a deep squat and I got there mainly by going into a squat and hanging out every day, it eventually opened up.  I'm hoping that will apply here too but this position is even more stubborn...

@Alessandro Mainente Hi Alessandro!  I talked to my physical therapist today about my lack of progress with swivel hips, despite daily stretching and muscle release (I've been working on internal rotation for years, to be honest).  He did a test on my hips (passive ROM) and told me that I won't be able to increase my current internal rotation ROM due to the bony anatomical structure of my hips.  The internal rotation ROM is restricted by the hip sockets.

Considering this discovery, what do I do about swivel hips?  May I progress to sPL PE2 once I've mastered 5x15 scap shrugs?

As a sidenote--I *have* been able to increase my external rotation ROM so that both knees touch the floor during swivel hips.

Thanks,

James

Yes you should move forward. I have my uncle having the same problem. there is nothing to do.

@Alessandro Mainente  Thank you.   It's almost a relief to know that there is nothing I can do considering how much time I put into it with zero improvement.  

Before I move on, how do my scap shrugs looks?

Thanks,

James

Nice work, the left one seems to be a bit weaker compared to the right. i hope it is not due to the spinal fusion.

@Alessandro Mainente  Thanks!  I noticed the difference in the video as well.  I did spend about 9 months last year recovering from triceps tendinosis on my left side, so I wouldn't be surprised if that whole side is still a little weaker.  Also, even though my spine is fused, there is still quite a bit of curvature, so the scapula (and hips) aren't symmetrical.   

This is a photo I took of an x-ray of my spine.  I wish I had gotten the entire length of the spine, but you can still see the curvature and the hips imbalance--it extends all the way up the thoracic spine to T1.

Thanks,

James

 

  

definitely.