Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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i've been lifting since i was 15 years old when i started doing basic lifts for football and i know my may around the gym pretty well. one problem i've always ignored has been the fact that i have super tight hip flexors and limited mobility in my shoulders. lately i've been doing stretch exercises to loosen up my hip flexors and they have been working well but i was wondering what exercises you guys have done to get to the point of ass-in-the-bucket squats?

as far as shoulder mobility/flexibility goes, i haven't really started working on that yet but it's something i want to start on asap.

i've already taken a gray cook functional movement screen a couple months back and it let me know what i already knew: i have fantastic strength and very good stability but my friggin flexibility sucks- particularly in my shoulders and hips. any tips would be greatly appreciated.

flag	asked Jul 13 2011 at 13:51 luckybastard♦ 12.5k●1●14●65

	Didn't the FMS practitioner prescribe any corrective exercises? – Riveted Jul 13 2011 at 17:35
	they gave me the sheet with my score on it but wanted me to pay for personal training sessions. but that's not in my budget and i'm more of a go at it alone person in the gym anyways. never had a pt nor been interested. – luckybastard♦ Jul 13 2011 at 17:45
	These are more just for maintaining mobility for us lazy lifters but maybe you'll dig it: youtube.com/… – ben61820 Jul 14 2011 at 1:35

mth · Answer 1 · 2011-07-13 13:55:53Z UTC

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All you need to know at:

Mobility WOD http://www.mobilitywod.com/ Marks Daily Apple http://tinyurl.com/63aqb98

You'll have to do your own mobility wod search, but I provided the links to the exercises at MDA.

answered Jul 13 2011 at 13:55

mth
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i go there and most of the exercises i do, i got from that site. that site is a treasure trove but it's more suited for people who are already doing full squats. full squats for ten minutes? i'd be ecstatic to do one for 30 secs. but yeah, that site is the bee's knees. – luckybastard♦ Jul 13 2011 at 14:00

I was going to link to these exact sites. +1 – Todd Jul 13 2011 at 15:39

Carrisa · Answer 2 · 2011-07-13 14:35:59Z UTC

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Get into a Yoga class ;)

answered Jul 13 2011 at 14:35

Carrisa
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Vrimj · Answer 3 · 2011-07-13 14:37:06Z UTC

You might consider taking a yoga class or two with a good instructor. The movements are nice, but the real reason is that yoga teachers are good at helping people develop flexibility.

There is a certain way you work with your muscles and listen to them that is best taught in person. Summed up on the web all I can say is lean in, hold it gently, wait until it doesn't pull and then add just a little until to the movement until the pull happens again. Come out of it and repeat. Do it often and you will probably increase ROM. But you want to do this on something that isn't too weight bearing, the goal is to ease, not to force.

sage_ · Answer 4 · 2011-07-13 16:27:15Z UTC

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for shoulder flexibility try doing dislocations with a broomstick. there are lots of how to videos on youtube.

answered Jul 13 2011 at 16:27

sage_
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Jules K · Answer 5 · 2011-07-13 18:24:47Z UTC

I use a PVC pipe wrapped in athletic tape as a foam roller- it's pretty intense! I've been reading "Enter the Kettlebell;" the book recommends kettlebell halos and getups for the shoulders, and there was a hip stretch that looked a lot like upward & downward-facing dog poses from yoga.

Andy · Answer 6 · 2011-07-13 15:46:39Z UTC

Less weight, feet closer (about shoulder width apart), pretend there is a belt loosely around your knees and you have to push them apart to keep it from falling...(I actually did put a belt there and kept it up when learning to squat deep). And practice, practice, practice. I love doing Starr's 5x5... which equates to 75 squats each week...some heavier, some lighter, some with a medium weight...and frequency allows getting better at the lift. I once did quarter squats, then parallel (rough on the knees)...now if my hamstrings don't touch my calves, I don't count it as a squat.

Michael · Answer 7 · 2011-07-13 23:44:03Z UTC

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for shoulders, try this

http://www.dieselcrew.com/5-minute-shoulder-mobility-warm-up-shoulder-rehab-exercises

answered Jul 13 2011 at 23:44

Michael
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saiklón · Answer 8 · 2011-07-14 01:59:28Z UTC

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Eric Cressey has lots of articles on this exact thing and really knows his stuff. His articles are free and he has a few books too.

answered Jul 14 2011 at 1:59

saiklón
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	I would have provided direct links if I wasn't replying from my iPhone but I think everyone here can handle google searches once pointed in the right direction anyhow. – saiklón Jul 14 2011 at 2:01
	I second the cressey recommendations. His stretches in particular make up practically all my mobility work. Great stuff for hams, TSpine, glutes, etc. – ben61820 Jul 14 2011 at 2:20
	Just to add to that, Eric Cressey and Mike Robertson's video is called Magnificent Mobility. I highly recommend it. magnificentmobility.com – Andy Jul 14 2011 at 2:56

animalcule · Answer 9 · 2011-07-14 03:58:30Z UTC

Yoga. I'm chronically tight and stiff in my hips, inner thigh adductors, and shoulders and I have very tight wiry muscles generally. Yoga helps so much. I can't believe how much more flexible I am - much more so than any time in my life (even as a kid I couldn't do things like sit cross-legged without pain). I've been doing it for about 4 years but only lifting for the past year or so. Every time I lift it tightens me up noticeably. I have to work very hard to stay flexible but the plus side is I can do many more things with good range of motion in my body, and I have less pain from muscle tension than I ever have.

getting better hip and shoulder flexibility

9 Answers