Tuesday’s Tip

Here’s my first attempt at what I hope is my weekly Tuesday’s Tip post.  Each Tuesday I hope to give you a tip for fitness, running, stretching, or eating healthy that I’ve learned along my journey.  I’ve been getting back into doing my Pilates and there is one stretch that I absolutely love.  So today’s Tuesday Tip is the Hip Flexor Stretch

Your hip flexors are attached to the front of the pelvis and work to bring your femur up towards your torso.  Of course, this muscle is used a lot in running.  I notice that my hip flexor is extremely tight and have had issues in the past where my pelvis has been out of alignment due to the tightness.  To avoid the tightness and prevent injury try the following stretch.

Start in a standing position and step into a deep lunge.  Keep your front knee at a 90 degree angle – making sure your knee does not go beyond your ankle.  Rest your back leg onto the floor and flatten the back foot.  Take time to get your balance.  Reach your arm straight above your head and breathe into the stretch as you reach up to the ceiling opening the front of the hip joint.  Tighten your abs and gently shift body forward until you feel the stretch in front of your hip.  Hold for 30 seconds and relax.  Switch and repeat with your other leg.

Here are some pictures and a link to a video demonstrating the stretch that I found on Google and YouTube.  (Since I’m not quite comfortable taking my own pictures or video demonstrating the stretch just yet.) 

I’m not a doctor or professional, so please be cautious when attempting this stretch.  I’m just sharing a a quick stretch that I often forget about in hopes that I can remind others who might have forgotten and find it helpful too.