Master the Squat and Hip Mobility L1: Sumo squat • • • Hips as low as possible Actively pull knees apart with glutes Move and bend in lowest position _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility E1A–E1D: Calf exercises E1A: Wall/step calf, straight-leg version • • • Press and hold heel on floor Cr: press ball of foot into floor Straighten knee; move hips closer to wall E1B: Wall/step calf, bent-leg version • • • • Stand closer to support Press and hold heel on floor Cr: press ball of foot into floor Other leg presses back of knee forwards • • • • • Press and hold heel on floor Reach arms and hands off body Lift other leg as high as possible Keep hips level Cr: press ball of foot into floor • • • • Press partner's working heel into floor Keep hips level Cr: press ball of foot into floor Arch lower back backwards E1C: Solo single leg dog pose E1D: Partner single leg dog pose _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility L2A–L2C: Squat limbering exercises L2A: Full squat explanation • • Ankle flexibility is one key Soft calf/hamstring muscles is another • • • • • Keep heels on ground Maintain arches in feet Push knees forwards Move around in position 10'/day minimum • • • Use thin stick to begin Muscle softness is key Alternate body's weight through stick into calf muscles Kneeling and squatting versions L2B: Full squat sequence L2C: RollStretch squat • _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility E2: Standing piriformis • • • • Turn one foot/leg in as far as possible Use arms to turn whole body away Cr: try to twist foot back to start position Go further in stretch direction _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility L3: Boxing the compass • • • • Explore all hip positions Cr: draw bottom knee to foot Remember when to straighten leg Try to relax in all positions _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility E3: Relaxed lunge • • • Front foot in front of knee Pull back with arms Move through all positions _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility L4: Baby flop • • • Try to have knees on floor Move from hips, not back Change leg positions; repeat sequence _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility L5A–L5D: Cossack squat exercises L5A: Cossack squat wall support • • • • Use wall for support Bend forwards from hips Bend towards straight leg Spend time in bottom position • • • Use light KB as counterbalance Bend forwards from hips Bend towards straight leg L5B: Cossack squat with kettlebell L5C: Cossack squat free variations solo • • • • Use hands as support for trunk Let straight leg rest on arm Bend forwards Bend towards straight leg L5D: Cossack squat free variations partner • • • • Use partner as 'wall' Partner can press hips to floor Bend forwards Bend towards straight leg _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility E4A–E4C: Hip abduction exercises E4A: Squashed frog – solo • • • • • Hips directly above knees Use body's weight to spread knees Cr: squeeze knees together Extend arms to make stronger Tuck tail to make stronger • • • Same start position Partner's knees inside calf muscles Cr:squeeze knees together; partner resists hips lifting Partner leans on sacrum, not on back E4B: Squashed frog – partner • E4C: Squashed frog – partner w/bolster • • • • Rest chest on support Partner's knees inside calf muscles Cr:squeeze knees together; partner resists hips lifting Partner leans on sacrum, not on back _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility L6: Yuri Cossack • • • • Cossack squat to begin Transition to lunge; stay low Support on arm; turn away from floor and reach for the sky Repeat on other side _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility L7: Seated figure 4 • • • • Let hips come off floor in beginning Cr: hold outside of knee; press out Use groin muscles to deepen stretch Pay attention to knees _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility L8: Inside squat • • • • • Full squat with feet wider than hips Take weight on other leg, then Pull knee to floor with groin Cr: hold outside of knee; press out Slowly deepen position _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility E5A–E5D: Piriformis exercises E5A: Seated piriformis • • • • Working hip must stay on floor Pull top knee to other armpit Cr: press held knee into forearm Lift chest, press working hip onto floor, pull knee closer under armpit • • • Easier version if E5A not possible All directions same as E5A Do in chair if hamstrings very tight • • • • • Straight leg up wall to begin Bring stretch on by sliding foot down Keep hips on floor throughout! Cr: press closest foot away into thigh Use hands to help if loose enough • • • • Similar in form to E5C Bring hips closer to wall to intensify Cr: press closest foot away into thigh Wriggle hips closer; straighten back and lift chest E5B: Seated piriformis wall support E5C: Lying wall piriformis E5D: Wall piriformis _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility E6: Standing knee lift • • • • Ensure support leg stays straight Lift knee to front, 45°, then as far out to the side as you can Pull knee to chest in all positions Try to cramp HF _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility E7: Diamond pose • • • • Both knees 90° Bent back and straight back versions Try to touch face to feet Cr: gently try to sit up away from legs _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Master the Squat and Hip Mobility E8: Full squat and sumo squat • • • • Just do it! Micro-movements in all directions Let yourself relax into it Do not let arches collapse • • • • Hips as deep as possible (up to 180°) Knees as wide as possible Little pulsing movements Feet under knees, not inside _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________
