Written by:
ANNA PORTER
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Anna can be reached at anna@apexptwellness.com
A lot of people don’t lift their leg far enough backwards during this exercise, so they are strengthening their TFL (tensor fascia lata) vs their gluteus medius.
People tend to use only their quads instead of their glutes with this exercise. Squeeze your glutes on the way up to strengthen your backside.
When people raise their shoulders with this exercise, they are using their upper traps, a muscle that is commonly overused and too tight. Keep your neck “tall” as you raise your arms.
Many people tend to lean too far forward with this stretch. All you need is to tuck your pelvis under to feel a good stretch in the front of your hip.
“Cheating” is common with this stretch. People bend their back, which makes it look like you are getting farther into the stretch, but your hamstring length doesn’t change. Keep your back straight when stretching your hamstrings for a deeper stretch.
Following the correct procedure is important to making sure that you’re doing the exercises correctly to avoid injury, overuse and get better results.
Contact us at Apex Physical Therapy to start your sessions at our state-of-the-art EGYM.
ANNA PORTER
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Anna can be reached at anna@apexptwellness.com