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How to Sit in Full Lotus Pose
Earlier this week I wrote about working on hip flexibility for sitting cross-legged more comfortably, so it seemed only fitting to continue this topic further to the next goal some folks sometimes to aspire to: being able to sit in a “full lotus” pose. Both poses are actually quite similar in the ranges of motion required in the hips, but lotus just requires more flexibility in these areas . .
How to Sit Cross-Legged More Comfortably
Being able to comfortably sit cross-legged on the floor (aka “criss cross applesauce” as I’m told the cool kids call it these days) can be a frustrating challenge for bodies with tight hips - especially as we get older. Gone are the days of our youth, happily sitting on the floor during story time. Instead, trying to sit on the floor for any extended period of time may now result in a butt cramp or a cranky low back . . .
On the plus side, being able to sit on the floor without a) looking like a hunched over gremlin and b) not incurring nagging pain is a very achievable goal!
10-Min Post-Run Stretching Routine
For all my runner or cyclist friends out there, here’s a great short stretching routine you can do right after your run/ride that hits the major lower body muscle groups worked: quads, hip flexors, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. You can “choose your own adventure” with this one, either sticking to the more “traditional” passive stretches for a feel-good stretch-out of the areas you just spent a whole workout contracting, or you can choose a more “active flexibility” approach and opt of the variations that include a strengthen-while-you-stretch component to mor effectively work on your flexibility of these areas.
Help! I Can’t Sit Up Straight with Legs Extended
Do you feel like it’s impossible to sit up straight when sitting on the floor? This is a super common challenge folks with tight hips. But what if I told you the solution isn’t just stretching your hips more? Whether we’re talking about sitting in a “pike” position (butt on the floor, legs together straight in front of you), or sitting in a “straddle” (butt on the floor, legs spread out wide), the two major things this requires are…
What Is Sciatic Nerve Tension (and How Do I Fix It?)
This is a topic I wish I had learned about WAY earlier in my flexibility training journey, because it made such a huge difference in my leg flexibility (and I see the same thing happen with many students that I work with).
For the longest time, I just thought I had tight calves when it came to forward folds . . .
Lift That Leg! 7 Stretches for a Higher Y Scale Leg Hold
A “Y Scale” or a side leg hold is one of my favorite standing contortion shapes because it’s one of the first ones I ever learned to do. Most students tend to enjoy this shape because it looks cool (obviously!) and is typically easier to train than a “traditional” standing split or the even-more-complex needle scale.
Earlier this week I posted a quick how-to showing the basic mechanics of how to do a Y scale. Today we’ll be looking at how to make it look bendier (working on our flexibility to lift the leg higher, make it look split-ier, etc).
How to Do a Y Scale Leg Hold
A standing side leg hold, often called a “Y Scale” in the contortion world, is a fun (and impressive!) standing balance that showcases leg flexibility. Unlike a “regular” standing split, a Y Scale is an open split position that allows for both turn-out in the hips, and a tilt of the hips to maximize how high we can lift our leg.
Let’s look at two ways to do this pose: both the traditional standing variation, as well as an easier-to-balance variation lying on the floor.
Struggling to Keep Your Back “Flat” in a Forward Fold? 5 Tips to Hinge at the Hips
Earlier this week I wrote about why you may choose to keep your back flat (instead of letting it round) in a forward fold - but for many students that’s easier said than done! Like I’ve mentioned in previous posts, our body is really good at avoiding a challenging stretch and compensating by moving other joints (in the case of a forward fold, when the hips are tight that means we tend to try and round the spine to “fold” or reach farther). So for those of you wanting to practice your forward folds with a flat back, here are some of the best modifications and training adjustments I’d suggest.
Is it OK to Round Your Back in a Forward Fold?
Do I have to keep my back flat in a forward fold, or is it OK (and safe) to round it? Like with most flexibility-related questions, the answer is “it depends.” So let’s take a look at why you’re doing your forward fold, and discuss different situations where rounding-vs-flattening your back would be a better choice for your particular goals.
Proper Pelvic Position for Hip Flexor Stretches
Our hip flexors are pretty sneaky when it comes to avoiding being stretched - watch out for these two common compensations our hips wiggle into to avoid actually stretching our hip flexors to their maximum extent.
Gentle (Passive) Stretches for Internal Hip Rotation
Last week we talked about internal hip rotation in the “active” sense, why this range of motion is important in both everyday life (and potentially in your flexibility-related hobbies), and how to train the active mobility to move through as much of a safe range of motion while strengthening your stabilizing muscles. Today we’re talking about relaxed passive stretches you can also include in your training if you need to increase your overall ROM.
Strengthen While You Stretch: 6 Drills for Active Hip Internal Rotation
Hip rotation in general is not only helpful for many stretches/skills, but a necessary part of everyday movements like walking and running. Internal hip rotation specifically refers to the action of rotating our thigh internally (towards our midline). But since this isn’t an action we often use in everyday life, most people are quite weak (and inflexible) when it comes to internal rotation. So here are some great active flexibility exercises to help improve your hip mobility and strength in internal rotation.