Straddle Hip External Rotation with Band
Flexopedia > Hip External Rotation
Straddle Hip External Rotation with Band
Muscles Stretched: Adductors
Muscle Group Strengthened: Hip External Rotators
Type of Stretch: Active Dynamic
Difficulty: All Levels
Suggested Prerequisites: none
Working on our hip external rotation in a straddle (trying to rotate our thigh bones backwards without moving our pelvis, or trying to tilt our pelvis forwards while our thigh bones stay fixed in place) can help train our body to find a hip position that allows the most space to widen our legs (especially if you typically feel a “pinchy” or “blocked” sensation in straddles or middle splits in the outside of your hips). It can also help strengthen some of the muscles that help us “pancake” forward fold in our straddle.
How To
You’ll need a long stretchy band for this exercise. A looped Superband is ideal, but a higher resistance Theraband that you tie into loops for your feet would work too.
Step 1
Start sitting on the floor (or on a yoga block or two if you have tighter hips) with your knees bent. Loop a long resistance band around the top of each foot and around your back, then flex your feet and kick your legs out into a straddle. You should feel the band assisting pull your legs open wider. Ideally you want the band higher up your foot, closer to the ball of your foot, not all the way down near your ankle, so adjust the band placement if you need to once you’ve widened your legs. Your toes, knees, and thighs should all be pointing up towards the ceiling in this position
Step 2
Sitting up tall, without rotating your pelvis, try to rotate your thighs, knees, and toes backwards towards the wall behind you, then relax the legs back to their neutral/starting position.
Make sure this movement is coming from your hip joint (aka from your thigh bones rotating backwards) and not from your low back (avoid tucking/tilting/rotating your pelvis forwards/backwards in space). You may want to place your hands on your hip bones to help ensure that your hip bones aren’t moving to “help” with this drill.
Repeat rotating your legs backwards, then back to neutral, for 8-12 reps.
Modifications
Need to make it easier?
Elevate your hips by sitting on 1-2 yoga blocks.
Remove the resistance band and do your rotations with just your bodyweight (this will likely be in a less wide straddle - that’s OK!)
Slightly bend your knees. If you bend your knees a lot, the bend stops assisting the same way in this drill. If you can’t comfortably sit in a straddle (even on blocks), try these bent knee banded “spider” straddle leg opens instead.
Want to make it harder?
Sit in a wider straddle - as wide as you can open your legs.
Add a small forward fold - as much as you can while keeping your back flat and still have the ability/control to rotate your thighs.
Elevate your feet on yoga blocks to work in your “over straddle” position.
Related Content
Flexopedia: Banded Spider Straddle Leg Opens
Flexopedia: Banded Windshield Wipers
Blog Post: Help! My Outer Hips Hurt When I Straddle
Blog Post: 6 Exercises for Hip Internal and External Rotation
