Bodybuilders and mobility exercises? Yes. Despite their large bulk, bodybuilders are surprisingly mobile. After all, you can’t lift weights for a living without having some degree of mobility.
As a writer and fitness trainer, I’m constantly looking for a balance between the time I spend at my desk and practicing what I preach in the gym: prioritizing movement. But while I can be found happily throwing weights at my local CrossFit class (see what happened when I trained like a UK CrossFit athlete), finding the time to relax and stretch is a whole different ballgame.
With that in mind, I decided to take matters into my own hands and lie down in one of the best yoga mats to enhance my recovery routine with some quality hip mobility exercises and stretches. And what better person to turn to than bodybuilder Obi Vincent, mobility and recovery app athlete Flexibility (opens in a new tab)which focuses on teaching yoga, rehabilitation, mindfulness and more.
Discover these stretches that help tighten the hip flexors, or read on to find out what happened when I put this bodybuilder recovery routine to the ultimate test.
Mobility exercises: why are they important?
Mobility exercises play a critical role in maintaining joint health, allowing you to perform activities using your full range of motion; this is crucial to keeping your body stable, safe and free from injury during exercise. But people confuse what flexibility and mobility mean.
According to the International Sports Science Association (opens in a new tab)flexibility refers to its muscles ability to ‘passively lengthen’ through a range of motion, such as performing a hamstring stretch. On the other hand, mobility is the ability of your joint to actively move through a range of motion, like how far you can open your hip, for example. Mobility also factors in your motor control, which is key if you’re wielding a dumbbell overhead.
Whether you’re a keen gymnast or would like to hone your dead weight in the gym, working on your mobility Y Flexibility can improve your athletic performance and help you lift heavier, move better, and be more efficient and effective as an athlete. What could not be loved?
Obi Vincent Mobility Exercises for Hip Flexor Pain
Vincent is one of the UK’s leading fitness content creators and considers the mobility flow to be a crucial part of his routine. “The beauty of training and movement is that we can see that change every day,” he says.
“To perform at my best, practicing my mobility is a non-negotiable part of my training. The mobility flow I provided is perfect for days before, after or outside of training and can be easily incorporated into all training plans.”
1. Cross shin guard sitting traveling
This stretch strengthens the muscles in the back, knees, and ankles and opens the hips, groin, and outer thighs. Extend one leg if you cannot cross your legs.
- start sitting
- Cross your legs so that your right shin is in front of your left shin.
- Lean forward allowing your back to round and your head to hang freely
- Walk your hands as far as you feel comfortable.
- Reintroduce your hands, then slowly lean back on your elbows to reverse the stretch and gently lift your chest and hips.
- move between the two
- Change legs every 10 repetitions and repeat. Hold for up to 1 minute to make this a passive stretch.
2. Seal / Sphinx
This pose lengthens the abdominal and hip muscles and strengthens the spine.
- Start by lying down facing the ground.
- Place both hands just outside of your chest.
- Supported on your forearms, lift your chest toward the ceiling
- Allow your head to relax as you lift your chest and allow your abs to soften toward the floor.
- Hold for up to 1 minute.
3. Dragon pose
This stretch mobilizes and stretches the hips and quadriceps to prevent straining.
- Stand tall, then step forward into a lunge position with your back knee resting
- Reach up with both hands and lift through your spine, then push your hips forward while keeping your core contracted.
- Avoid overextending your back
- Lean away from the rear leg until you feel a stretch sensation in the hip flexor.
- Hold for about 20-30 seconds. Change 2-3 times on each side.
4. Sumo squat
This pose activates muscle groups in the lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes, calves, and lower back muscles.
- Begin by standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes pointing
- Squat as far as your mobility allows
- Press your elbows to the inside of your knees and bring your hands together in a prayer position.
- Allow your hips to sink toward the ground while keeping your chest up and your heels firmly planted.
- Avoid turning your knees in. Roll on the ball of one foot, then transfer your weight to the other foot. Keep moving between the two of you.
5. Rolling Pigeon Pose
This pose will help relax your hips, buttocks, and lower back muscles and improve flexibility.
- Start on all fours, then cross your right leg forward with your heel just behind your left wrist and your right knee behind your right wrist.
- Extend your left leg behind you, then square your hips forward.
- If your butt does not touch the ground, place a block or cushion under it for additional support.
- Slowly lower your chest forward over your leg.
- Try to maintain a 90 degree angle with your front leg. If you feel pressure on your knee or have trouble maintaining the 90 degree angle, slide your front foot closer to your body to feel the stretch deeper in your hip.
- Spend 1-2 minutes on each side, moving between pushing your chest toward your knee for 10 seconds and releasing
- Practice tucking the toes of your back foot under and rolling onto the ball of your foot.
I Just Tried This Bodybuilder’s Mobility Exercises For Hip Flexor Pain – Here’s What Happened
Tight hip flexors, hamstrings, glutes, and a weak core contribute to common injuries like lower back pain and knee pain because other (overused) muscles have to take over. And since many people live sedentary lifestyles or work sitting down, it’s easy for these muscles to become weak, useless and tight, increasing the chances of injury.
In an attempt to fit exercise into the day, I unfortunately neglect mobility exercises before working out and stretching after working out (I know, bad form for a PT). I consider myself lucky to have fairly open hips, but occasionally experience hip flexor pain and find it difficult to achieve full range of motion in my back squats (when the body is loaded in the back and works the rear more). of the body).
I decided to put these hip flexor mobility exercises to the test to find out once and for all if they could help me. I initially performed this mobility routine dynamically, moving between each exercise for three rounds. Then I grimaced for three minutes per stretch, passively. Throughout, I focused on my breathing (well, I tried) using each exhalation to fall deeper into the stretch. But did it help?
Okay, yes. But practicing this routine as one time will not do much good. Research (opens in a new tab)suggests that stretching only has a short-term effect on our muscles, so you’ll want to include this routine regularly if you want long-term benefits. That being said, I have noticed better range of motion in my squat (my only criteria for this routine) and surprisingly less pain. Time will tell how well these mobility exercises work for me, but I am already noticing freer movement and also enjoying the mindful 15 minutes I spend with myself.
Next: I just tried this yoga exercise for knee pain. and that lower back stretch it’s amazing for back pain.
obi vincent
Obi Vincent is one of the UK’s leading fitness content creators who has developed global appeal due to his unique blend of conditioning training and bodybuilding. Flexibility has several smart mobility flows that use a combination of yin yoga, specific movement flows, and stretching to reduce the risk of injury and stiffness and optimize your body for performance.
