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Fast Fitness - Great Hip, Side, Leg, and Iliotibial (I.T. band) Stretch

Friday, August 24, 2007

Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM

Here is Friday Fast Fitness. Stretching the side of the hip and ilio-tibial (I.T. band) does several good things. Here is a fast, healthy way to do it:

Lie flat, face up.
Place legs like clock hands, one to 10 o' clock, the other to 2 o'clock (or wider).
Bring one ankle over the other, leaving the other at 10 (or 2 o'clock). Keep hips flat against the floor, don't tilt or twist. Legs straight. Hold. Switch.

This is an "ouu" stretch because when you do it right, you say "ouu." If you don't feel an instant great stretch, pull both legs more to the side. Ouu.

Smile, breathe.

Photo © copyright Dr. Bookspan from the book Healthy Martial Arts

Labels: fast fitness, hip, hip stretch, iliotibial band, leg stretch, lower back, stretch

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8 Comments:

At Saturday, August 25, 2007 12:53:00 PM, Anonymous said…

This is truly the best outside hip stretch I've ever done. For those of you who have tight hips, this stretch should be considered an absolute must-do.

Mine have been so tight that I can't quite get to 10 and 2 without raising the far hip off the floor. However, I will get there. After working with Dr. Bookspan trying to figure out what was causing my sciatica, we narrowed it down to a pretty severe case of tight hips. She suggested this stretch and it brought almost instant, almost complete relief of the pain in my legs. Literally!!!!

I still have a little, truly minor, pain but I suspect as I get more limber using this stretch, the remaining pain will disappear. Having given that story, you don't have to have sciatica to use this stretch. Try it. You will not believe just how good it feels.
At Sunday, August 26, 2007 8:04:00 PM, Anonymous said…

Wow! All your topics make sense to me and are very informative.

I am wondering is there a 'correct' way to do an approach while bowling?

Thanks!!!
At Tuesday, August 28, 2007 1:04:00 PM, Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…

Anonymous, Thank you.

I hope an approach for bowling doesn't end like the stretch pictured.

The only thing I know about bowling is when I went as a child with my Grandmother. She would pick up the heaviest ball there and swing it straight up in the air. It would come down WHAMM!, roll extremely slowly, and knock down every pin. I didn't know anything except that I was fascinated by the numbers on the shoes. I wanted the biggest number, and my Grandmother didn't see anything wrong with that. I flopped around in my big number shoes, and she would pick up the heaviest ball again, swing it straight up in the air, and it would come down WHAMM!, roll ever so slowly and knock down every pin. The owner would come and throw us out. The next week, we would go back and she let me have big number shoes and she would pick up the heaviest ball and throw it straight up in the air WHAMM!

You've given me homework to find out about bowling. One of the readers, David, knows bowling. I will ask him. Other readers?
At Sunday, June 15, 2008 6:59:00 AM, Anonymous said…

OK, I'm confused. 10 and 2 o'clock? Shouldn't that be 4 and 8? I'm thinking getting your knees above your shoulders would be a little difficult :)
At Monday, June 16, 2008 12:56:00 PM, Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…

Dear "Confused," just as in the photo the legs are apart. That's all that matters.

Legs can be at an artificially designated 10 and 2 o' clock position if you are looking at your own legs, or 4 and 8 if you look upside down (or the other way) or other clock positions that are apart from each other.

Everything on Fitness Fixer and my other methods are not exercises and stretches alone, but retraining in understanding concepts of healthy movement and thinking instead of "doing" arbitrary rules and calling it exercise. Click around this site and you will see. Many people "do" stretches and exercises, and never get the point or the desired effect. This stretch seems good for getting concepts instead of bogging down on rules of clock hands. How about 3 and 9 o'clock for flexible people. Just get the point and common sense actions follow. Instead of "doing" any stretch - do the desired effect and the movement will follow - as in anatomy, form follows function. With Fitness Fixer, you also exercise your brain.
At Wednesday, September 24, 2008 7:29:00 PM, Unknown said…

David S. said it the best: What a great stretch! It's so easy--I could never feel the right stretch while standing. Thank you!
At Tuesday, October 13, 2009 2:59:00 PM, Anonymous said…

Congratulations on your common-sense approach to health. I love it and relate to it.

But what a lack of grace and sense of humor when responding to the confused anonymous poster. His point was just fun.

(Don't worry, I don't expect this post to be published, just a thought)
At Thursday, October 15, 2009 3:18:00 PM, Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…

"I never joke about my work, 007"
- M

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Fast Fitness - Great Hip, Side, Leg, and Iliotibial (I.T. band) Stretch

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