myofascial release and hip mobility?

Post Reply New Topic

I'm in a situation right now where I realize that I've never really been flexible. I can perhaps touch my toes if I'm standing up and bending down (with a rounded back unfortunately), if I'm sitting with one leg out its no problem, however when I've tried to do sitting splits and reach forward, historically, I rarely could open my legs more than 90 degrees - that and I really had to pull with all my might to bring my top down at all.

Over the past few weeks I was talking to a guy in my martial arts class about this, I've been stretching in class several times a week for 2 1/2 years, hasn't quite been enough. He's a trainer at a local health facility and he mentioned possibly getting a foam roller. He also sent me some links on facebook. The thing I'm curious about though right now, I noticed I lost the most flexibility when I took a couple weeks off for a vacation back in January. As I've read up though I'm hearing more about how this works - ie. myofascial tissue builds up if you've had trauma and particularly if you have a sedentary lifestyle. The later I can't avoid, I work in an office. I do have a weekly set of physical of activity - typically 1 1/2 hours on M/W, 2 1/2 hours T/TH (an hour of which is vigorous), and 2 hours on Saturdays. Admittedly I think my genetics have a part to play in it, my legs are huge - I mean they're likely 2/3 of my body weight. I also have RLS at night, which I occasionally wonder whether that has some relation to tightening up my hips and legs in general.

My question is essentially this: I have this mostly in my ham strings and groin muscles, while I realize I could get a foam roller for $30 I'm wondering if I could still beat the odds just by getting myself to do standing splits upwards of three times a day, only for 20 seconds and not super deep - enough to get a little bit of burn. Ideally I want a lot of exposure but not so much that I end up causing more damage than anything else.

Have any of you ever really given a shot at boosting your flexibility in this direction? If so were you able to get it done in the way I described or did it need additional support like that of a foam roller or some other kind of myofascial release tool?

A lot of flexibility is genetic (a number of factors involved).
If you dont use it you WILL lose it over time (back to your natural level of flexibility).

CHEAP SOLUTION (that I use when I have to travel interstate for my sport):
Use a 2L plastic soda bottle (or rough equivalent sold in your area). UNOPENED (if you open it, it is likely to leak when you apply pressure to it).

It will be slightly harder than a foam roller (and therefore more intense). If it is too intense, support some of your body weight using other limbs so the bottle doesnt press into you as hard.

You could experiment with opening, letting out some pressure and then remelting lid to seal it, but I have never bothered.

Also complement your "plane" roller (works in a line) this with some "spot" rollers, like a tennis ball or golf ball.

EVEN CHEAPER SOLUTION (but not quite as effective)
These aids are just a way of passively massaging an area. You can massage it yourself (apply deep pressure with your finger/knuckle/palm of hand).

I see a lot of the techniques you recommended in other articles - those are all good, I may prefer the soda bottle or tennis ball just because storing a foam roller, where I currently live, would be aggravating.

The other thing I wanted to ask you, from what I quoted, I know genetics can make it more difficult but can genetics actually stop you? I'm thinking my body eventually has to give way and if a new environmental demand keeps hitting it that it will eventually do what needs to be done. Am I correct in that assertion or is there a hard stop somewhere along the line?

Just an update - I caved in and got a 6" by 18" foam roller on Amazon.com. I'll have to try this on my adductors to see how well it works.