One Simple Hip Flexor Stretch for Swimmers
Hip Circuit
It happens to lots of swimmers and it’s incredibly frustrating: You work hard all season and final make it to taper. Thank, as you ramp up the velocity of your breaststroke kick, boom, you experience a groin pull.
This common situation becomes even more frustrating when you realize this might be due to hip mobility limitations.
As irritating as this problem can be, the good news is one simple movement can easily correct this problem.
Hip Circuit
Start by kneeling on all fours with your hands stacked underneath your shoulders and your back nice and straight.
Then, lift your leg drive and drive it straight back while engaging the glute. Once you’ve fully extended the leg, bring it back toward your elbow while bending the knee toward the outside. This helps rotate the hip to stretch in all planes of mobility and the full range of motion in the hip. Be sure to keep your back straight with no arch throughout the movement.
When your knee comes about even with your elbow, lower the knee and drive it straight back for another full extension. Then, bring the knee back under the hip. That one rep. Complete three sets of 8 repetitions on each side.
This exercise will help you gradually clear up any sort of hip range of motion issues so you can avoid groin pulls during taper.