[Prophylaxis]

(01-29-2013 09:49 AM)Frost Wrote:  

I have a perpetually tight left posterior chain, if that makes sense. I need to stretch and walk around whenever I'm sitting for long periods of time, or I get a mild tightness in my left lower back. I also feel a bit of tightness in the upper back and neck sometimes. When I foam roll, I feel more of a 'burn' in my left IT band and left calve.

It barely impacts my life, but only because I manage it with regular stretching, 1-2 yoga classes a week, and 5 mins of foam rolling at the start of every workout.

Other activity, I lift 3x/week, mostly big barbell movements, and play hockey 2x/week. I'm 27 and it's been a minor issue for at least 2-3 years.

Hey Frost,

Firstly you want to identify factors which may be causing your left side to tighten up. Since you mentioned you have tightness in the back I'd look at the mechanics around there. A lot of lifters I see have overactive back extensors, and are unable to seperate the pelvic movements from the spine. This can cause some back joints to become 'jammed up'.

Any jammed up back joints can directly lead 'neural tension' or basically the nerves going down the back of leg don't glide as well as they should.

I'd recommend doing posterior pelvic tilts to unlock these joints which may be jammed. You should feel relief doing these - I like to tell clients it's like you are trying to 'pee up the wall'.



Once you get these back joints unlocked i'd do neural glides - basically dynamic leg stretches of the posterior chain. These two here are the best






The last one, make sure you glide the ankle back and forward continously 2 sets of 30 reps should be fine before and after exercise.

Summary:
Unlock the back
Glide the nerves

Let me know how you go!


Rio, I'll get back to you by the end of the day. Busy day at work