Lunge Hip Unsquare-to-Square Slides
Lunge Hip Unsquare-to-Square Slides
Muscle Group Stretched: Hip Flexors
Muscle Group Strengthened: Quads, Hip Flexors
Type of Stretch: Active Dynamic
Difficulty: All-Levels
Suggested Prerequisites: none
If your back leg hip is usually the one to “go rogue” and unsquare when you slide out into your front splits (or lunges), this is a great exercise to help train your body to understand what “square” hips feel like to make sure you’re getting the best hip flexor stretch possible.
How To
Note: you’re going to need to be able to slide your foot on the floor for this drill, so that could mean wearing socks if you’re on carpet or hardwood floors, or using sliders. I’m actually using potholders in the video because they work great on hard floors!
Step 1
Start in a low lunge. Tuck the back toes (and slip a slider under the foot if you can’t already slide that foot on the floor) as you flex the back foot. Lift your chest so your torso is vertical, shoulders stacked on top of your hips (avoid leaning forwards during this drill!), placing your hands on yoga blocks, a chair, or your hips for balance.
Lift your back knee (straightening the back leg as much as you can), bringing you into a standing low lunge position.
Step 2
Keeping your torso lifted and back leg straight, slide the back foot backwards, opening your hips out to the side (“unsquare-ing” your hips). Then press the back foot (and back leg hip) forwards back to point your hips all the way to the front (“square-ing” your hips).
Repeat for a total of 5-12 foot slides, opening and closing your hips.
Modifications
Need to make it easier?
Don’t worry about straightening the back leg all the way. You can keep a bend in the knee, and float the bent knee over the floor. OR if it’s comfortable on your knee, place your knee on a slider and slide your knee forwards and backwards to open/close your hips (instead of your foot).
Want to make it harder?
Take your hips past “square.” Keep the back leg totally straight the whole time.
Related Content
Flexopedia: Half Split Hip Unsquare-to-Square Slides
Flexopedia: Lunge Knee Taps
Blog Post: How to Tell if Your Split is “Square” (the “Butt Cheek Test” and More!)
Blog Post: Controlling Rogue Hips - Keeping Your Hips Square in a Split
Blog Post: Advanced Quad and Hip Flexor Stretches for Contortion
