Hip Flexers

[Guest Bethie0420]

In dance my teacher is constantly tellings us to relax our hip flexers. I know where they are located, but everytime I put my mind to relaxing them I can't feel the difference. Does anyone know exactly how to relax your hip flexers?

[Victoria Leigh]

Actually, no, Bethie, I don't. And, welcome to Ballet Alert! Online and the Young Dancers' forum!

 

Sorry, but I have no idea what she means by that. Maybe Mr. Johnson will understand it.....but it's just not an area that I have every considered relaxing.

[Mel Johnson]

Same here, Bethie, I'm somewhat mystified.

[vrsfanatic]

Well now, that makes three to be mystified, although I do admit, I am familiar with the expression!

[MYBkid]

Do you mean fold at the hip flexers when extending the leg? I know that is a common correction I hear regarding hip flexers.

 

-Sorry, I did not realize this was 17-22 when I posted this.

 

(I am a month and a half away from 17. My apologies. )

Edited May 7, 2004 by MYBkid

[allegrafan]

"knock, knock"

 

In pilates mat class, I learned that releasing the hip flexors came from adjusting my pelvis to a neutral position. This of course was done on the floor, while lying on my back. When translated to an upright position, this meant that by engaging my abdominal muscles, the tightness in the hip flexors was released. Give it a try. Remember your wanting to engage the abdominals, which doesn't mean "clenching" your buttocks (this keeps the flexors tight). It took quite a bit of time of frequent pilates (thankfully you can do this at home) to strengthen those deep abs that run from the low pelvis, all the way up to the bottom of the sternum. Perhaps this is what your teacher meant. Best advice--ask your teacher to describe how to achieve this release. Good luck.

 

Allegrafan

[vrsfanatic]

...to relax our hip flexers...

 

Thank you allegrafan for your very clear description of how the hip flexors function!

I believe the Moderators were trying to make a point that in order for the hip flexors to function in movement, they do anything but relax. I am not in anyway trained in a medical sense, however, as the words indicate, "hip flexors" actually flex to function when the leg is lifting from a lower position to a higher one.

 

The challenge of using the body so that the hips remain square (in a balletic sense), is far from a relaxation. Without getting too complicated, the leg rotating in the hip socket as it is lifted may cause a differrent usage of the musculatur however the function of the hip flexors is the same ie: in order to raise the leg the various muscles, tendons and liagaments involved at the top of the hip socket will actually flex in order to lift. In the back of the thigh, through the buttocks and lower back, the muscles etc, will elongate, which again will not be a relaxation at all, but a lengthening.

 

Of course it is much more complicated an issue than this very simple explanation. Perhaps it is a difference in how one teacher may describe the usage and function of the body from others?