Muscle Medicine: The Revolutionary Approach to Maintaining, Strengthening, and Repairing Your Muscles and Joints (35 page)

Purpose:
To warm up and lengthen the hamstrings. This can affect the whole posterior kinetic chain because of the significant connection with the lower-back musculature and because the hamstrings cross and affect the knee.

Starting out:
Lie on your back with one leg outstretched and the treatment leg bent at ninety degrees. A rope should be looped around and across the ball of the treatment foot. The rope should be held firmly in both hands, with the knee in between the hands.

How to do it:
Extend your leg from the knee as straight as is possible without moving the thigh or causing pain. At the end of the movement the rope can be used to gently bring the leg a little straighter, then stabilize the foot and hold the stretch in place for two seconds. Repeat with your other leg. The stretch should be repeated ten times.

Advanced variation:
This stretch starts out with the treatment leg straight and the other leg bent for stability. The rope is looped around your foot in the same way, although more rope is now necessary. Lift your leg as high as you comfortably can, while keeping it straight. Then you can use the rope to pull gently—only if necessary—to deepen the stretch, though the rope should mainly help to stabilize and hold the stretch for two seconds. Repeat with your other leg. Repeat ten times. Do this stretch after the bent-knee stretch has been completed.

Troubleshooting:
Your body should remain still and stable on the ground. Your leg should remain in a straight line and not drop off to the side. Nothing is gained by overstretching, so respect the limits of the hamstring and only straighten to the point of a
gentle stretch.
The rope is not a crank for the leg—use it for stabilization, not a tug-of-war with your hamstring. Only apply a gentle tension with the rope at the end of the movement, not throughout.

BUTTOCKS

Purpose:
To warm up and lengthen the piriformis, the gluteus muscles, and the muscles of external rotation.

Starting out:
Lie on your back with one leg bent at ninety degrees at the hip and at the knee. The treatment leg should be crossed over the other leg with the ankle resting on the knee.

How to do it:
Grasp the far leg with both hands at the midthigh and pull both legs toward the chest. Switch leg positions and repeat. The stretch should be held for two seconds and repeated ten times.

Troubleshooting:
Allow your back and head to rest flat on the ground. Only pull the legs far enough to feel a gentle stretch. Stop immediately if there is uncomfortable pressure or pain in the lower back, knee, or hip joint.

INNER THIGH

Purpose:
To warm up and lengthen the adductors.

Starting out:
Stand with a wide stance (wider than shoulders’ width, but only as wide as is comfortable). With an upright posture and a flat back, bend your knees.

How to do it:
Shift your weight to one side, touching your hand or forearm to the leg for two seconds. Contracting the abdominals and back muscles, shift to the other side, touching down for two seconds. Repeat ten times to each side in a controlled, rhythmic motion.

Troubleshooting:
Don’t use momentum; keep the motion slow and controlled. Do not lean too far forward or put too much body weight on the thigh. Keep your weight evenly distributed over your feet. Stop immediately if there is uncomfortable pressure in the knee or hip joint.

ANTERIOR THIGH

Purpose:
To warm up and lengthen the quadriceps.

Starting out:
Start out lying on your side with both knees pulled to your chest. The bottom leg should be held at the knee, and the top, treatment leg should be held at the ankle.

How to do it:
Bring the treatment leg back, foot first, so that your heel is closer to your glutes. The stretch should be felt on the front of the thigh and should be held for two seconds only. Switch sides and repeat with your other leg. Repeat ten times.

Troubleshooting:
Be sure to keep the bottom leg stable and pulled into the chest. If the ankle of the treatment leg can’t be comfortably grasped and moved, a rope can be used. Stop immediately if there is uncomfortable pressure in the knee or hip joint.

POSTERIOR THIGH

SUPERMAN KICKS

Purpose:
To strengthen the muscles of the hamstrings, the glutes, and the lower back, as well as the core and posterior kinetic chain in general. This contributes to posture and balance, as well as general spine health. This also serves to warm up the muscles and prevent strain on other structures.

Starting:
Lie facedown with your legs together and extended. Your arms should be crossed under your head.

How to do it:
Slowly flex the knee, bringing the heel closer to the buttocks, as far as is comfortable and without pain. In a controlled manner, return the leg to the full extension of the starting position. Repeat with your other leg. Do two to three sets of ten to fifteen repetitions, held for no more than two seconds each.

Advanced variation:
When the knee is flexed, push your heel up toward the ceiling, engaging the glutes. Relax your upper body; don’t arch the back. Keep lifting your leg at the end, increasing the load on the glutes and making this a combination glute/hamstring move.

Troubleshooting:
Do not move too quickly or pause at the top and the bottom of the exercise: keep the movement fluid and controlled. Do not use an ankle weight that is too heavy to keep proper form and pace. Keep the body relaxed—do not arch the back or the neck or recruit other muscles to help.

BUTTOCKS

SUPERMAN LEG RAISES

Purpose:
To strengthen the muscles of the lower back, the glutes, and the hamstrings, as well as the core and posterior kinetic chain in general. This contributes to posture and balance, as well as general spine health. This will also warm up the muscles and help prevent strain on other structures of the upper body.

Starting out:
Lie facedown with your legs together and extended. Your arms should be crossed under your head.

How to do it:
Squeeze your glutes and legs and stabilize by contracting your abdominals and shoulder blades. One at a time, lift one straightened leg, then the other. Hold each for a count of two. Do ten repetitions.

Advanced variation:
Ankle weights can be used to make the exercise more challenging. Alternately, both legs can be lifted at the same time (support the lower back by contracting the abdominals).

Troubleshooting:
Do not release the stabilizing contraction of the lower and middle body. Keep your eyes looking at the floor and your head relaxed. Remember to breathe and don’t clench your teeth. Keep the toe pointed and move the leg as one unit from the hip. Don’t worry about how high you can lift the leg—think about how long you can stretch it while lifting.

INNER THIGH

BODY-WEIGHT SQUAT