Thanks Vickie...and you guessed it. I'm the person who cannot sit on a bench with their leg straight. I actually have to lean backwards in that position. Sad but true! Anyway, I'm committed to make this better in '06 and have started already.
Trig, And so you have mastered the 'hardest' part of getting a better balance of hamstring support for your game, getting started. And I'll add that 85 percent of the people I work with cannot master this, seemingly, simple posture. I would suggest, if I may, that you start this new focus once a day but after a few days of implementation you start doing it twice and even a third time; that is if you want to see faster results. The simple fact is that your hamstrings are supporting you based on the only information they are receiving. So if you want them to positively adapt to a new agreement with your hips and torso then you have to give them more frequent requests to comply with your new desire. The protocol I suggested is very frustrating because the changes happen slower than we expect from our exercise efforts. But I promise it will work. Now, since I am being bossy, I would also suggest you do some work with your upper body including the shoulder stretches and torso twist and definitely some of the lat work that we've posted on other threads. Your lats are the primary stabilizer for your back and attach at the hip, the lower thorasic vertebrae and lower ribs and then to the front of your arm. There is a major relationship between the lats and the hamstrings in keeping your hips under control during your golf efforts and just walking around. Yes, here I go again, You can and should focus your attention to isolation but your program must include an interest in addapting the rest of the body to this new structural function. As I've said a hundred times, it really is all connected.
Trig, And so you have mastered the 'hardest' part of getting a better balance of hamstring support for your game, getting started. And I'll add that 85 percent of the people I work with cannot master this, seemingly, simple posture. I would suggest, if I may, that you start this new focus once a day but after a few days of implementation you start doing it twice and even a third time; that is if you want to see faster results. The simple fact is that your hamstrings are supporting you based on the only information they are receiving. So if you want them to positively adapt to a new agreement with your hips and torso then you have to give them more frequent requests to comply with your new desire. The protocol I suggested is very frustrating because the changes happen slower than we expect from our exercise efforts. But I promise it will work. Now, since I am being bossy, I would also suggest you do some work with your upper body including the shoulder stretches and torso twist and definitely some of the lat work that we've posted on other threads. Your lats are the primary stabilizer for your back and attach at the hip, the lower thorasic vertebrae and lower ribs and then to the front of your arm. There is a major relationship between the lats and the hamstrings in keeping your hips under control during your golf efforts and just walking around. Yes, here I go again, You can and should focus your attention to isolation but your program must include an interest in addapting the rest of the body to this new structural function. As I've said a hundred times, it really is all connected.
Will be back online on Monday. Merry, merry, Vik
Vicky,
What it be possible to have your entire stretching regime consolidated in one place with pics? Wait a minute....that would be a book or better yet a DVD with you demonstrating!
Thanks Trig for your support and acknowledgement. In fact, I almost hate to admit this outloud, I am working on a product to provide exactly what you are asking. It is basically a set of cards that have text on one side and pictures on the other. I am also working on, dare I say, a manuscript; but alas the writer in me is unskilled so the work is slow. But I am inspired by your post. I thank you very much. Vickie
Thanks Trig for your support and acknowledgement. In fact, I almost hate to admit this outloud, I am working on a product to provide exactly what you are asking. It is basically a set of cards that have text on one side and pictures on the other. I am also working on, dare I say, a manuscript; but alas the writer in me is unskilled so the work is slow. But I am inspired by your post. I thank you very much. Vickie
Cool. We all look forward to it!
Back to a stretching question....
When standing and performing a hamstring stretch by bending over, I only do this with very flat lower back which means I'm basically only bending at the hips. I do this because I have a bulging and slight tear in the L3/L4 region and my doc said not to round out my back. Now I'm REALLY a long way from the floor but I assume this is the proper move and eventually I'll be able to bend at the hips with a flat back and touch my toes. Is that possible without rounding out the lower back?
Trig, If you ever are able to keep a straight back and touch your toes we must put it on the internet and make money. No it's not possible and not necessary. You are doing the exercise in it's perfect form from a standing position. Once you tilt your pelvis, as your doc indicated, you are not isolating the hamstring and are stretching the hip and back muscles. So if your objective is hams . . . then you got it.
I must assume you are doing double leg hamstring stretches or are crossing one ankle to so singles. Not sure. Either way Make sure you are keeping your hips level even at the expense,in the beginning, of decreasing the amount you can lower your torso. You can increase the intensity by pushing your hips back which will place more weight on your heels and challenge your balance. It looks every bit like a cross between a goodmorning and a deadlift. Remember your goal is to stretch the hamstring not prove that you are limbo man. This will create an environment that is holistic and allows you much greater range to work with, since eventually your hamstring will reach it's peak. Also remember while you are trying not to round your lower back you really want to engage your abdominal muscles and the more you keep your chest lifted the better the large erector spinea muscles can protect your low back. You are basically using the rest of your body as your machine to allow you to isolate the hamstrings to their greatest capacity.
I also think it's necessary to do single leg ham stretches and I might add these little specefic points. Stand with your body squared to the bench or stair that is a challenging height but still easy to lift your leg onto. Before you start leaning forward make sure you don't lift the same hip. Keep your hips level even if it means you don't lean forward as much. You're getting the stretch and that's what matters. Instead of continuing to lean forward, push the hip of the working hamstring away from your foot and watch the tension increase in the belly of the muscle. It's great.
I also recommend the seated hamstring stretches as it really let's you look at the relationship of your upper back and the function of the hamstring to the knee. To insure protection of your low back start with a straight back, sit on a bench with one leg stretched out on the bench and the other on the floor. Bring your knees together in the beginning and then move the foot on the floor out slowly so as not to move your hip out of alignment.Reach down with both hands and grab the bench close to your groin. Now as you lift your back up as straight as you can you should feel really intensity in the hamstring. Since we want a safe back just let you knee bend as much as it needs to to get your back straight. Now hold on like the dickens and slowly, ever so slowly, begin to try to stretch out your hamstring. Stop as soon as it makes you even think about grimmicing. Take three deep breaths and then move your foot forward again just a few centimeters. Yea, just a tiny bit can make a huge difference. But it will be enough and increase slowly and consistently enough to really create some profound success.
One good way I found to stretch the hams while seated is to put a Swiss ball behind my back against the couch. The ball supports my back, and I just move my butt in as close the ball as possible. I'm not yet able to sit straight up with the ball behind me so there is some space between the ball and my butt right now. I'm finding I'm able to move it in just a pinch each week. This is going to take some patience! Thanks for all of the tips.
I'm finding I'm able to move it in just a pinch each week. This is going to take some patience! Thanks for all of the tips.
Hybrid Mode
