Stretch out your hips side lying and start working your glutes ALOT...not your hip flexors and not your hamstrings....GLUTE Max. Someone explained hip rotator exercise in this thread which are great for all cyclist and runners.
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Re: Training Help: Hip Flexors [Monk]
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Re: Training Help: Hip Flexors [polarbear]
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Re: Training Help: Hip Flexors [Alpern]
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[reply]It's important to remember that strength imbalances in the hip area affect the body elsewhere - so you really ought to work your back, adductors and abductors as well.[/reply]
Yep. My specific issue was a strain in my right hip flexor about 4 years ago and I occasionally was getting pain in the top ~5 inches of the muscle (well, likely in the tendon part of it). After doing a couple of sets of standing knee raises (it was the closest I could get to replicating the running-up-a-hill motion that made it hurt) the pain has totally vanished. How's that for specificity? :)
I also do hip hikes every once in a while standing sideways on a step while watching TV. After a few sets of 25 per side it's hard to walk across the room.
One note of warning for these excersizes...do NOT go running the next day. Plan on not running for a week if you are really working the hip flexors, as the muscles/tendons will all be fatigued and/or somewhat damaged. As with anything, it's not a good idea to run when you are sore. If it hurts to walk, don't run!
Yep. My specific issue was a strain in my right hip flexor about 4 years ago and I occasionally was getting pain in the top ~5 inches of the muscle (well, likely in the tendon part of it). After doing a couple of sets of standing knee raises (it was the closest I could get to replicating the running-up-a-hill motion that made it hurt) the pain has totally vanished. How's that for specificity? :)
I also do hip hikes every once in a while standing sideways on a step while watching TV. After a few sets of 25 per side it's hard to walk across the room.
One note of warning for these excersizes...do NOT go running the next day. Plan on not running for a week if you are really working the hip flexors, as the muscles/tendons will all be fatigued and/or somewhat damaged. As with anything, it's not a good idea to run when you are sore. If it hurts to walk, don't run!
The "no run" advice is interesting...
I learned these exercises training at a place called Parisi's in northern New Jersey. I was there specifically to learn to run faster. We did them as part of our warmup. There were days I almost died driving home because my legs simply stopped functioning after 2 hours of training.
I got faster, though. A lot faster. This stuff works.
Riding always felt better than running did the next day, and for several days after that. It's important to get the lactic acid out, though, and for that you have to get the muscles going again. You do need to be careful not to injure yourself, but taking a week off running isn't the only way. But you're right, triguy, it's going to hurt like hell when you run.
I learned these exercises training at a place called Parisi's in northern New Jersey. I was there specifically to learn to run faster. We did them as part of our warmup. There were days I almost died driving home because my legs simply stopped functioning after 2 hours of training.
I got faster, though. A lot faster. This stuff works.
Riding always felt better than running did the next day, and for several days after that. It's important to get the lactic acid out, though, and for that you have to get the muscles going again. You do need to be careful not to injure yourself, but taking a week off running isn't the only way. But you're right, triguy, it's going to hurt like hell when you run.