Hip flexors Archives | Movement Vault

Flow: January 23

Sunday’s are for hanging out, recovery, chores, laundry, adulting, and most of all Movement Vault Flows. Amazing job staying consistent and making it to day 23 of 2022. Continue crushing it with today’s Flow!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded mat. Today is a flow day!

Shoulders & Upper Back: January 22

Did someone say Day 22 of 2022? I think so! You are steam rolling your way into the New Year. At this point, your momentum is going and you are on the path. Keep it up and remember how you feel after you perform your Movement Vault routines. This will help you to continue to give your body and joints exactly what they need. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Foam Roller. 2. Padded Mat (optional). We have some great muscle release, stretch, and activation work today! We are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your shoulders and t-spine aka your upper back.

We are starting off with a muscle/fascia release for the front of your shoulders including your serratus anterior, pecs, and lat muscles. We are then working on end-range stretch isometrics to stretch out and activate the muscles we just stretched out. The key is to get as deep into this stretch as possible without pain, and then activate these muscles. If you have any pain, don’t go as deep into the stretch. We are finishing up with a stretch/activation movement for your upper back. The key with this one is to focus and concentration. Put your “brain” into these muscles and squeeze.

Why do you work on your flexibility and mobility? I’d love to hear from you. Send me an email at grayson@movementvault.com. I will personally read and respond to all emails.

Feet & Ankles: January 21

3 weeks into 2022, you are doing amazing! Fay 21 starts now. Today is all about your feet. Don’t skip feet day is what I always say. Your feet are your foundations for any movement that involves being on them. This includes a LOT of movements you perform in life, in the gym, and in your sport. When your feet are the weak link in your kinetic chain, every joint above it has to compromise and is at risk for injury. Have fun with this one!

Equipment Needed: 1) Mobility Ball 2) Padded Mat (Optional). Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your ankles and feet.

Flow: January 20

It’s Thursday already and time for a Movement Vault Flow. Day 20 of 2022 and you are flowing through 2/3 of the first month of 2022. Movement Vault flows take your body through various positions and stretch out and activate all of the muscles surrounding your joints. And remember to breathe. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded mat. Today is a flow day!

Shoulders & Hips: January 19

Welcome back! Day 19 of 2022 starts now. Remember, consistency is the key. Further than that, consistently performing effective techniques is the key to long lasting mobility changes. We’ve got a good one for today. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Mobility ball or lacrosse ball. 2. Pillow or yoga block to rest your head when during the shoulder technique pictured above. 3. Padded Mat (optional). Today is all about your rotator cuff and hip abductor muscles. These are two areas of your body that can cause pain and injury and can hold you back from being able to perform exercises/movement with good technique and form.

Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your shoulders and hips. We are starting off with a muscle/fascia release for your posterior rotator cuff muscles, specifically your infraspinatus and teres minor muscles. Make sure to rotate your shoulder in both directions as far as possible while performing the muscle release. Next, we are working from the same position, but adding in end-range stretch isometrics. With this technique we are first stretching out your rotator cuff muscles and then we are contracting and activating them. It is important that you stretch out these muscles maximally before starting the muscle contraction. Also, try to keep the back of your shoulder on the ground. We are finishing with a very effective hip stretch and activation movement. Try to keep the fronts of both your hips on the ground while performing. Additionally, try to lift your leg up as high as possible and flex it forward as far as possible.

Hips: January 18

Day 18 of 2022, are you ready? Of course you are! You are doing amazing, keep it up. Today is all about your Adductor muscles, which are your inner thigh and groin muscles. These muscles can be very tight in some people and can be very flexible, but unstable in others. This is also a muscle group that is commonly an issue for those that have/had low back pain.

Equipment needed: 1. Foam Roller. 2. Padded Mat. Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your hips. We are starting off with a muscle/fascia release for your inner thigh muscles. Next we are stretching out these muscles and activating them using an active stretch technique called end-range stretch isometrics. Focus on getting as deep into the stretch as possible and then contract these muscles by squeezing them, trying to bring your knees together. If you have any pinching in your hip in this stretch, don’t push your hips as far back while in the stretch. We are finishing up with an end-range of motion activation movement for your glutes including your gluteus medius.

Make a mental note how good your hips feel after this routine. This will help you stay consistent with the program which will continue to help you move and feel your best.

Upper Back: January 17

Monday, Monday, you are always here so soon. No worries though because you are in the place to be and Movement Vault has got your back, your upper back specifically. Day 17 of 2022, let’s go!

Equipment needed: 1. Foam Roller. 2. Padded Mat (optional). A shortie, but a goodie today! Today is all about your your upper back. We are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your t-spine aka your upper back. Today is a great routine for all of you desk workers.

We are starting out with a joint mobilization and activation technique to improve your upper back rotation. The goal with this movement is to keep both sides of your spine and ribs on the foam roller as you activate the muscles around your midsection, trying to rotate in one direction and then the other. Next we are working on an upper back rotation movement. Your goal is to try to rotate as much as possible. You will want to continue to activate your core muscles and the muscles around your back trying to rotate further and fruther.

You are amazing! Give yourself a huge high five for giving your body exactly what it needs today. I’m giving you a huge high five as well!

Flow: January 16

Sundays are for Movement Vault Flows. Day 16 of 2022 is here and so are you. Great job showing up today. Showing up is half the challenge. Now all you have to do is start the routine and get after it. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded mat. Today is a flow day!

Full Body (70 min): January 15

You are over the 2 week mark of the New Year and are ready for a Movement Vault long session. This routines hits everything. If you don’t have time, no worries. You can do some now and save the rest for later. The muscle release work is in the beginning of the routine, the active stretch work in the middle, and the flow is at the end. Have fun!

We have a long form routine we taught live at CrossFit Queens. This routine is just over 60 minutes long. We’ve got a lot of greatness packed into this one. Equipment needed: 1. Mobility ball or lacrosse ball. 2. Padded Mat. Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of almost every area of your body.

We are starting off with three different muscles/fascia releases for your hips and shoulders. The muscle releases are targeting your gluts, rhomboids, and pecs. We are then moving on to 90/90 end-range stretch isometrics to improve your hip internal and external rotation. Next we are working on 90/90 transitions. We then have segmented cat camels to activate your entire back. We are following this with y’s, t’s and i holds super-setted with an upper back aka t-spine stretch and activation movement. Finally we are finishing up with a flow that is focused on your lower body.

Let us know how you liked this long routine. Do you want more of them? Contact me at grayson@movementvault.com and let me know.

Back & Hips: January 14

Welcome back for day 14 of 2022! You are a full two weeks into the New Move New You. Improving your joint movement will literally improve everything you do in your life including helping you be a better mom, dad, worker, boss, athlete, and the list goes on…How is this possible? When you don’t have to deal with aches and pains, and are able to move the way you want to move, the sky is the limit for you. Have fun today!

Equipment needed: 1. Mobility ball or lacrosse ball. 2. Box, bench, or couch. Basically something to put your legs on for the low back muscle release technique. 3. Padded Mat (optional). Everyone needs some low back maintenance! Today’s routine is perfect if you have a tight back or painful low back. Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your back and hips.

We are starting off with a muscle/fascia release for your low back. The muscle we are focusing on is your quadratus lumborum which is located between your upper hip bone and your lower ribs. Next we are working on a stretch/activation movement for your low back. Focus on stretching out one side of your body while you activate the muscles on the other side of your body. We are next working on spinal circles. The goal with this movement is to activate and stretch out all of the muscles that surround your low back. This movement is all about focus and concentration. Do your best to feel and focus on the muscles that are moving your hips and low back. We are finishing up with a hip flexor and hamstring end-range stretch isometric technique. Focus on digging your heal into the ground as you push your hips back. This will activate your hamstring while you stretch it out.

Flow: January 13

Lucky day number 13 of 2022! A Movement Vault flow routine on day 13 of the New Year?! Where do I sign-up? You are in the best place you can be. All you have to do now is start the video and follow along. Oh yeah, and breathe 😉 Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded mat. Today is a flow day!

Full Body: January 12

Day 12 or 2022! Already? Yes! The rocket has left the station and is cruising at a steady speed. You are the rocket and you are moving in to orbit. That orbit is creating a consistent habit. Keep it up and enjoy the view. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded Mat (optional). We have a longer full body routine today that is about 30 minutes long. Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of every major joint in your body.

Every movement today is all about taking each of your joints through their full range of motion. When you do this you activate every muscle around every joint. The key is slow, and controlled movement. You want to connect with all of the muscles that are creating the individual movement. “Put your brain” in these muscles. It is really easy to go through the motions with these, no pun intended. Put in as much effort as you can. If you have pain anywhere in the range of motion, avoid the painful range and only move through your pain-free range of motion. These movements are gold!