Standing Psoas Stretch Progression
The standing psoas stretch is one of the best stretches you can do for your lower back. Always start with your hips up high and slowly drop into the stretch because your psoas connects your leg to your lower back! To learn more about how to safely and effectively stretch this and all of your muscles you can purchase our video series or join our membership program.
Stretching Application
Stretching is for everyone. Not everyone is an athlete but everyone needs to stretch. The most important thing to understand is that athletes and people who just want to stretch to feel better need to stretch differently. Think of it this way, athletic stretching is just complex or advanced stretching and not everyone needs or can benefit from this type of stretching. Start with simple stretches and work your way towards the more complicated stretching. Just remember that we all need to stretch!
Health Focused Application
The Standing Psoas Stretch is a great stretch to do in many rooms of your house. When you are at an intermediate and advanced level, you can to this on your bed or even the top of a table! We will show you the natural progression of this stretch further down this page.
Athletic / Fitness Application
The Standing Psoas Stretch and your iliopsoas flexibility is essential to be able to do the infamous Yoga “Pigeon” pose. The pigeon pose is so difficult for people because it forces your back legs tight psoas to stretch against and fight against your forward legs tight glutes and piriformis!
Science and Medical Connection
Scientific Perspective of the Psoas Muscle Group
The standing psoas stretch addresses tightnesses of the psoas and the iliacus together knows as the iliopsoas muscle group. The psoas in particular is the primary connection between your upper and lower body as it connects the lateral processes of the 5 lumbar vertebrae to the upper end of each thigh bone so when this muscle is tight, it pinches your lumbar vertebrae.
Medical Perspective of the Psoas Muscle Group
Because your psoas attaches at both sides of your lumbar vertebrae it is the primary culprit for low back pain because if you sit at a desk or drive a car a lot, the psoas is shortening and tightening so that when you stand up the psoas yanks on the lumbar vertebrae and pinches the disc and impinges the nerves feeding into the lower body! To fix it read the below right column.
Stretch Instructions
The Healthy Progression of a Stretch is the Same as the Medical Rehabilitation of a Muscle
Health Focused Application
There is a healthy progression for every muscle from beginner to advanced. Below is a comprehensive list for the healthy progression of the iliopsoas stretch. To attain pain-free functional mobility as you age, every muscle should be able to achieve somewhere in the Basic to Intermediate range.
Athletic / Fitness Application
Overtraining and over stretching causes injuries more than the competition itself. When it comes to stretching, listen to what your muscles are telling you. If they are overworked or too tired, they will not be able to give you as much length as yesterday. Be in the moment, present and methodical as you go through the progressions below.
