5 minute read
HOW TO MAINTAIN LIMBER LEGS
HOW TO MAINTAIN
Limber Legs By Tara Soprano, BS, MS, O2X Injury Prevention Specialist
HAVING THE RIGHT BALANCE OF MOBILITY AND STRENGTH IN YOUR LOWER BODY IS CRUCIAL FOR PERFORMING AND FEELING YOUR BEST.
Many tactical athletes get caught in the cycle of feeling “tight” and get into a stretching routine. They then abandon that routine the moment they feel better, only to land back at square one soon after.
Those trapped in this cycle, or those who are susceptible to frequent muscle strains, are likely to have muscle imbalances. This happens when some muscles of the lower body are in a shortened state while others are lengthened. When muscles are in an altered state they are not able to contract with optimal force, thus creating an imbalance. Without addressing both the length and
strength of the muscle, tactical athletes will perform and feel less than their best.
Let’s examine muscles that are in a shortened state. Tactical athletes often describe a muscle as feeling “tight.” All muscles and joints should feel tight at the end range of motion. This is your body’s way of protecting the joint from being extended beyond its limits. When this feeling occurs prior to the end range of motion – for instance feeling “tight” when trying but failing to touch your toes – the muscle could be in a shortened state. This means
the length of the muscle has been altered because of poor
movement patterns, injury, or static posture. Because the length of the muscle is insufficient, it won’t be able to contract with proper force.
Keep in mind that tightness is a feeling, whereas
shortness is a state. Another way to describe a muscle in this state is stiff. A stiff muscle does not have the proper length tension relationship, making it feel tight and leading to relative weakness; therefore, addressing the length of the muscle only by stretching won’t entirely solve the problem. The solution to achieving limber legs
is a combination of mobility and strength. When working on mobility and flexibility it is imperative to include strength exercises. These can be easy drills to help prepare the tissue to take on load. Try these simple exercises to help improve mobility in the lower body:
WORLD'S GREATEST STRETCH (WGS)
Starting in a push-up position, bring your right foot outside your right elbow. With your left hand firmly planted into the ground, rotate open toward the right leg bringing the right hand to the sky. Repeat on the other side.
GOOD MORNING
In a standing position, have your feet about hip width apart and your knees slightly bent. Bring your fingertips lightly behind your ears. Send your hips behind you and keep your chest forward until you come to a flat back position. Slowly return to start and repeat.
HALF KNEELING HIP FLEXOR
Start in a half-kneeling position with the left foot forward and right knee on the ground. Keep the left ankle directly under the left knee. Push the hips forward and bend into the left knee, opening up the right hip flexor. Hold the end position until a stretch is felt on the right side, then return to start.
The next set of exercises can be used after the mobility drills in order to help strengthen the tissues. These mobility and strength exercises can be done as part of a warm-up, prior to activity, as a cool-down post activity, or on a rest day. Aim to perform these drills three or four times a week.
SINGLE LEG GLUTE BRIDGE
Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Bring one foot off the floor until the hip is flexed to 90 degrees. Push through the grounded foot to raise the hips off the floor as high as possible.
BRIDGE WALKOUT
Lying on your back, raise your hips off the ground as high as possible. Lift your toes up so weight is on both heels. From here, slowly walk the feet away from the body and then return to start.
REVERSE LUNGE TO HIGH KNEE
Start in a standing position with your feet underneath your hips. Step back with one foot and sink into a lunge. Push off the front foot and bring the back leg up into a high knee balanced position. Your thigh should be parallel to the ground.
COPENHAGEN PLANK
In a side plank position, place the top leg onto a bench or step and the bottom leg underneath. Lift the hips off the ground until you are in a straight line. Your bottom leg will float off the ground.
The route to limber legs is a combination of mobility and strength. Improving the mobility and strength of your legs will require consistency, so look for one percent improvement from week to week, not day to day. Small changes over a long period of time will result in a big improvement down the road!
