Daily Mobility Exercises by Dr. Kelly Starrett › Forums › General › Zero progress in addressing super tight hamstrings….

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    • 07/02/2014 at 5:33 pm #71012
      AvatarDeven Williams
      Participant

      ….and perhaps even losing ground.

      Scouring M-WOD for hamstring tips since March and working with all I could find, the only way I seem to make any progress in getting a better ROM is to not work out. Every WO they just seem to retake any gains I’ve made. 
      Even my Orthopedic Dr. said I was “built tight”. 
      Any other steel cable hamstring people have any secrets for freeing them up?
    • 07/02/2014 at 5:56 pm #74901
      AvatarAnonymous
      Guest

      Are you warming up enough for the movements you will be performing?
      You are seeing an issue with your hamstrings, but it doesn’t sound like this is where the issue starts.
      Are you in an organized start position, breathing properly, maintaining good positioning throughout your movement patterns/technique?
      We’ve all seen the demo where it looks like the person has tight hamstrings and after getting organized and exhaling the breath the hamstring range improves alot.
      Have you looked up/down stream of your hams?
      Pro Episode # 21 – Pro-User Request Friday: Not Seeing The Change? You Need a Systems Approach.

    • 07/02/2014 at 7:18 pm #74905
      AvatarDeven Williams
      Participant

      Kaitlin, Thanks for the link and your input.

      Up stream and down, I’m just not sure how much of an issue they may be causing.  High ham/glute insertion is surprisingly not uncomfortable sitting on a lacrosse ball. Hams/quads are painful despot much rolling/flossing/smashing/etc. Lower leg is much better than upper.
      Frankly at this point I’m at a loss and a bit overwhelmed trying to figure out were to go/start from here.
      I have little confidence in my area PT’s so I may try a Skype evaluation with Roop. I don’t doubt his ability but I’m not sure how effective an eval is via Skype…..
    • 07/03/2014 at 11:40 am #74906
      AvatarAnonymous
      Guest

      Have you had another person smash your hams and quads for you?
      I would recommend this.
      Is there a coach that could look at your movement patterns/technique and help make a mobility program?
      Where do you live?
      Have you asked other people who they see?
      to be done after training
      Daily Rx Wednesday, July 2nd, 2014

    • 07/03/2014 at 12:50 pm #74907
      AvatarNathan Richer
      Participant

      i’ll add this – if nothing else seems to work, i’d definitely go to Kaitlin’s suggestion of looking at your torso organization.

      i learned that if you have poor pelvis stabilization, the body will (over)use the rectus femoris and the hamstrings to keep the pelvis stabilized. and what is really poor pelvis stabilization but poor ability to maintain torso organization during movements.  we talk a lot about bracing which i think can have the wrong connotation in contracting the wrong muscles to stabilize the torso, and thus the pelvis. most torso stabilization comes first from generating proper intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) where you can stabilize AND breathe. if you contract the torso muscles, you can stabilize but you won’t hold it long because you can’t breathe. (and yes, during extreme efforts like max lifts, you will need IAP and to contract muscles – but the time for the effort is very short).
      in following up with Kaitlin’s suggestion, i’d have someone video you during a typical WOD where you will have tight hams and quads after. get the side view and front view and fill the frame. it could be that your pelvis is could be shifting all over the place as you start moving (you might be ok if moves are slow or in static) and as you fatigue.  if the loads and demands are high, you could get really tight hams and quads in their attempt to stabilize the pelvis and torso because you aren’t stabilizing correctly with IAP.
      food for thought as you work towards the correct solution….
    • 07/03/2014 at 1:20 pm #74908
      AvatarDeven Williams
      Participant

      Thanks again [both of you] for the input.

      My wife has smashed for me.
      I’m in VT and while I’m sure there are some quality people here I haven’t run across them. I have found PT’s that say:
      Crossfit is bad for you.
      Squatting anything other than body weight is bad for you.
      Squatting with “knees out” isn’t correct.
      Don’t slower your hips down/back, push your knees forward to squat.
      Little confidence in anyone I’ve found so far……
      r.e. pelvis
      Undoubtedly an issue is that my pelvis/lumbar spine have almost no independent movement between the two.
      I’m super quad-centric coming off 5 years racing/training bicycles and working to get my gluteus/hams to fire better and get my VMO to sequence properly.
      Kinda a train wreck [and I won’t even get into my over injured shoulders!] and waiting to hear back from SFCF and a Skype date with Roop.
      If all else fails I’ll fly to SF if I can get an appointment with KS. Macaroni and cheese for a month is paleo right?
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