Active Hamstring Flexibility: Hip Flexion

[Micah Ellinger]

Hi all,

Long time watcher, first time writer.

I have been focusing more on working the active pike and straddle flexibility, with the eventual goal of stalder press and V-seat> pike press. The active flexibility component being the compression, bringing my legs as close to my chest as possible.

Now, my understanding has been that I want to strengthen/pull with my hip flexors, and stretch/relax my hamstrings.

I have happened to talk to several dancers (and who has better active flexibility of the hips than dancers?), and they have told me a technique I am confused by. According to them, one should not lift with the small hip flexors, but think about lifting with the larger muscle group of the hamstrings.

From a kinesiological standpoint, I really don't understand this.

Do any of you understand what they mean, or agree with this?

If so, please explain.

Thanks,

-Micah

[Joshua Naterman]

They may be talking about actively disengaging the hamstrings. Outside of that, no idea.

[Marlon]

I've been told the same thing in great detail multiple times by a few dancers. I had even thought about making a thread here to see if there could possibly be any legtmacy to it. The conclusion i've come to, however, is that most dancers don't know squat about the body's muscular structure and how it produces force. I think they are trying to explain something, possibly about how to position your hip while doing things that require active flexibility, but they just dont understand how the musculature around the hip actually functions enough to explain it in those terms. Dance definately developes some extreme levels of active flexibility, but being able to do something well doesn't mean you know how to teach others to do it, or even that you understand how you yourself are doing it.

I could be wrong though... Mabe the most efficient way to generate hip flexion is with the hip extensors rather than with the actual hip flexors...