This past Saturday I offered a Yoga Therapeutics Workshop that focused on healthy function of the hips & hamstrings. Weren't able to make it? Here are some of the highlights.
The function of your hips and hamstrings need a balance of strength (stability) and flexibility (ease). Most of us have too much of one and not enough of another. What happens if we are not balanced? Pain or dysfunction in the hips, low back, and knees is the most problematic issue, along with limited range of motion and function in our daily lives.
The 3 Basic Steps for creating balance.
1. Roll away tension and tightness with a tennis ball (or other firm ball) along your hamstrings (back of thighs) and large area of the hips and buttocks. These "trigger areas" in our fascia or connective tissue can create tightness that no amount of stretching can release.
2. Gently stretch the area using a technique called PNF. This technique asks you to gently contract the muscle at it's end range of motion, then release the contraction to encourage a little deeper movement or stretch, helping the muscle to move out of it's habitual pattern.
3. When practicing yoga or stretching, use a combination of stretching and contracting to create the best results. Stabilizing in a pose or stretch helps the joint feel stable, while stretching helps to create more fluidity.
Have a comment or need more guidance, please reach out, I'd love to hear from you.
Self Care is the new Health Care