I think my hamstrings are tight, because when I try to do a hip hinge to tie my shoelaces, I end up rounding my back at the very end (i.e., I can't stay in the hip hinge past a certain way down). Is the solution to widen my feet or else bring them up to a stool as I tie them? How can I improve the flexibility at my hips?
Thanks!!
6 hours 20 min ago
11/03/2015 - 2:37am
Hi! You’re spot on: hamstring flexibility is the main limiting factor in hip hinging, and planting your feet wider or using a stool are great solutions. You can improve the baseline length of your hamstrings by every now and then staying in your hip hinge for 20-30 seconds to get bonus stretch throughout the day or you can check out the specific hamstring stretches on page 209 of 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back. Increasing the flexibility of your external hip rotators will also be helpful.
You might also find this blog post by Esther helpful: https://gokhalemethod.com/blog/67019 There are some great tips in the comments section, too.
Best wishes,
Tegan Kahn, Gokhale Method Teacher, Canberra Australia