Rangebyjp

Your quad stretch is going to be the most effective when we can find our hips and engage the glute/hamstrings, and then stack the ribs over them. I always find too many people try to place the knee too close to the wall, and maybe don’t have the available ankle range, knee flexion, or hip extension (it could actually be hip flexion too on the opposite side where placing a pad under the back knee can solve this). This will result in flexion at the back hip, then… to become upright extension at the spine plus no “stack”, which will do the opposite and promote potential tightness in the areas we’re trying to stretch and lengthen. It’s important to “stay in your lane” and work with what you’ve got first, then see after a few seconds what range your bodies willing to grant access to, instead of reinforcing a position you’re not ready for. There can be multiple reasons initially why we show tightness in certain areas, and it’s important to respect that or at least understand the potential reasons why (structure/nervous system/myofascial system).

Tight hamstrings?

Maybe not 👇

We often hear from clients/members about how there hamstrings are as tight as an iron board, and no matter how much the try to stretch and loosen them off it doesn’t seem to do anything!

Before we go into what’s the best exercise, and stretches for the above, it may be of use to check the position of the pelvis.

3 of the hamstrings (not including the short head of the bicep femoris) attach to your sit and shin bones, and function as both hip extensors and knee flexors.

A pelvis that’s pushed forward in space can potentially pre lengthen the proximal fibres (closest to the pelvis) before we even start to hinge, which will also limit your hip flexion potential.

Another overlooked reason is a lack of hip and femoral internal rotation mechanics, causing the pelvis to essentially “dump forward” to find something you don’t have (IR). This will actually allow you to create space to find compensatory IR (but may limit IR measurements, even ER long term).

Learning to stack should put you in a better position and alignment, to fully lengthen your glutes and hamstrings as you hinge. Wedging your heels or toes can also be a great way to align the shins to bring you back a touch!

Pushing the knuckle of your big toe down as you descend will also help you find IR mechanics which are essential past 60 degrees of hip flexion.

This is where all resistance exercises are awesome ways to stretch and lengthen tissue, even improve range of motion, but only when the range is genuine, and not compensatory.

Imagine spending months stretching a muscle that doesn’t need it, to find that it was a positional issue 🙈

Is your set up helping or hindering?

First off I just want to say example 1 is not incorrect! We first just need to establish what is the goal, and intent.

Version 1 - pinned shoulder blades, big back arch, wide “base of support”.

This preferred positioning could be due to a few factors including ⬇️

Lack of genuine shoulder flexion, abduction and adduction
Unable to stack ribs and pelvis
Lack of hip and femoral IR
Wants to look sexy pressing!

Potential issues could be a further reduction in the above measurements 🙈, unless doing other exercises to balance out!

This position also biases more sternal pec and reduces upper pec recruitment.

Version 2 ⬇️

Allows the scapulas to move freely around the rib cage, reduced back arch to maintain the “stack” helping recruit the abdominals, optimise breathing mechanics,
Train within (maybe improve) your available shoulder flexion, ab/adduction,
Match resistance to target upper pecs.

Having something under heels to press into to maintain the above, plus reduce low back recruitment when we get tired, or the exercise gets tougher can be handy also.

You can also change the height of the elevation to match available hip flexion, IR/ER, or bias certain relative motions.

I remember when these use to feel like 💩! Here my hang is passive to make sure I’m using my lower body mostly, (not the lats/pecs/etc), including the hip flexors especially the psoas since I’m at 90 degrees of hip flexion, the quads to assist the above plus maintain knee extension, the adductors to keep my thighs together, the calves to plantarflex, plus being able to point my toes is making a huge difference. The hamstrings, glutes, deep hip muscles, and low back musculature to some degree will need to “let go”, and the abdominal muscles will also assist in stabilising the ribs/hips.

When you think one muscle up is challenging then realise 2 is a completely different animal 😂