OK, let's keep the ones we learned in high school out of this if possible. Let's focus on muscle/problem specific stretches. Stretching is as big a part of my routine as anything else. I feel like stretching is going to do more for my longevity at my job than anything else. Lots of guys get back and shoulder injuries doing what I do.
A few years back I took a really hard shot to my lower back. The last 8 months I've gotten serious about tracking down stretches that focus on that area. The Psoas is a major player in my back issues I think, and it's difficult to stretch. Along with hip flexors. I use a lacrosse ball to pinpoint places that need to be messaged and worked out. Then try to stretch well.
Kneeling Psoas stretch. I generally push the hips to the floor some to increase the stretch.
Psoas Quad stretch. I do a variation on this. I pull my rear leg up instead of using the bench.
This vid shows the lacrosse ball used to release muscles. Piriformis stretch. Sitting pigeon stretch. Pigeon stretch. And assisted Pigeon stretch with a bench. I started with the piriformis, sitting, and assisted pigeon. It's taken months to get to the pigeon on the floor. And I'm not completely there yet but I'm starting to attempt it for real. A lot like working out, you have to work up to some of these stretches.
Knee to chest and Supine pigeon. You can also do left knee to right shoulder and reverse it to stretch the lower back.
My calf muscles are as tight as banjo strings and I just found this one last night. Gastrocnemius and soleus stretch. Holy cow is it helping. My tight soleus was causing knee pain when working out and stretching. I thought it was an extension of my back issue, like a sciatica issue. But looks like it's a specific issue related to how much walking I do on concrete floors.
One thing I have found that helps is to pinpoint the muscle that is the problem, find the name, and look specifically for stretches for that muscle. I also tend to look at several videos and versions to see if one looks like it would work better for my abilities.
So what are you guys doing that's helping?
A few years back I took a really hard shot to my lower back. The last 8 months I've gotten serious about tracking down stretches that focus on that area. The Psoas is a major player in my back issues I think, and it's difficult to stretch. Along with hip flexors. I use a lacrosse ball to pinpoint places that need to be messaged and worked out. Then try to stretch well.
Kneeling Psoas stretch. I generally push the hips to the floor some to increase the stretch.
Psoas Quad stretch. I do a variation on this. I pull my rear leg up instead of using the bench.
This vid shows the lacrosse ball used to release muscles. Piriformis stretch. Sitting pigeon stretch. Pigeon stretch. And assisted Pigeon stretch with a bench. I started with the piriformis, sitting, and assisted pigeon. It's taken months to get to the pigeon on the floor. And I'm not completely there yet but I'm starting to attempt it for real. A lot like working out, you have to work up to some of these stretches.
Knee to chest and Supine pigeon. You can also do left knee to right shoulder and reverse it to stretch the lower back.
My calf muscles are as tight as banjo strings and I just found this one last night. Gastrocnemius and soleus stretch. Holy cow is it helping. My tight soleus was causing knee pain when working out and stretching. I thought it was an extension of my back issue, like a sciatica issue. But looks like it's a specific issue related to how much walking I do on concrete floors.
One thing I have found that helps is to pinpoint the muscle that is the problem, find the name, and look specifically for stretches for that muscle. I also tend to look at several videos and versions to see if one looks like it would work better for my abilities.
So what are you guys doing that's helping?