DEBASER - core performance/flexibility question

[casualbb]

Alright, been doing full-fledged core performance, I'm halfway into my second week. So far so good. Flexibility has skyrocketed (before I couldn't even touch my toes, I missed by 4 inches. Now I can almost palm the floor). Feels good to finally be doing some cardio. And the core work started out extremely challenging but I've been improving quite rapidly at that as well.

However there's one major issue. I've had nagging pain in my left hip area for quite some time. I'd feel it a little bit on any hip extension movement, specifically squats. It felt like it was screwing with the movement significantly, and my legs were unevenly developed. I also felt it slightly when walking, specifically during the spring element of the left leg right before taking a new step.

Well since I'm doing all this flexibility stuff in core performance, the pain in this area has just flared up.

I feel it HUGELY during the forward-lunge/forearm-to-instep. During the part of the movement when I'm straining to touch my forearm to the ground and my left leg is forward, I feel this sharp pain/tightness in the hip flexor area. I also feel it intensely during the AIS 90/90 rotational stretch, when the left leg is bent and I'm reaching left. It burns.

I'm pretty sure it's NOT hip flexors because I stretch those a lot, both with movement prep and AIS. I haven't been able to find a stretch yet that I can feel in the problem area.

Can you suggest something or shed some light on this?

 

[donsj]

How old are you, sounds like early hip arthritis. They told me in my early 40's I had it in my left hip. Really painful. I am 51 now and they are telling me I need a hip replacement eventually. I want to wait till I am 60

 

[casualbb]

21

 

[JohnnyCoho]

Casual, as ya already know I feel core work is very important and am constantly trying to improve my core strength & performance (helps my back along with all my lifts)....what exactley are ya doing on this core performance / flexibility routine?

After my current HST cycle I was thinkin' about doin' a more core / performance thing for a bit. Was thinkin' about tweeking HST a little more for me and doing a 6 day lower / upper body split and dropping the 15's for some core work and then even incorporating more core work during the split.

 

[casualbb]

Core performance is a book by professional trainer Mark Verstegen. This guy trains a lot of respectable people.

I don't know if I can describe it to you because there are literally dozens of core exercises that I do and they rotate as well.

I think to really develop a strong core you can't just do a compound weight routine, add two ab exercises and think it's covered. On a given day I'll spend 20 minutes weight training and at least another 20 doing core work, ie bridges, dynamic stretching, rotator work on a stability ball, abs on a stability ball, pillar bridges, etc.

Seriously the progress I've made so far is unbelievable. For so long I couldn't touch my toes, I had another 4-5 inches to go... now I can palm the floor. THe core exercises had me panting and dripping in sweat when I started doing them... now I've increased the difficulty and I can breeze through them.

If you're interested in performance, I suggest you pick up the book. It's $25 off amazon, and at least two other people on this board do it, so we could help you out.

Additionally, I can fit HST-style loading into the strength portion so I will be seeing some growth during this process. And hopefully some strength gains with all the plyos I'm gonna do soon.

 

[Debaser]

I feel it HUGELY during the forward-lunge/forearm-to-instep. During the part of the movement when I'm straining to touch my forearm to the ground and my left leg is forward, I feel this sharp pain/tightness in the hip flexor area. I also feel it intensely during the AIS 90/90 rotational stretch, when the left leg is bent and I'm reaching left. It burns.

I'm pretty sure it's NOT hip flexors because I stretch those a lot, both with movement prep and AIS. I haven't been able to find a stretch yet that I can feel in the problem area.

Can you suggest something or shed some light on this?

Sounds like it could be the Tensor Fascia Latae...I have to go to work so I'll get to this when I come back.

 

[JohnnyCoho]

Core performance is a book by professional trainer Mark Verstegen. This guy trains a lot of respectable people.

I don't know if I can describe it to you because there are literally dozens of core exercises that I do and they rotate as well.

I think to really develop a strong core you can't just do a compound weight routine, add two ab exercises and think it's covered. On a given day I'll spend 20 minutes weight training and at least another 20 doing core work, ie bridges, dynamic stretching, rotator work on a stability ball, abs on a stability ball, pillar bridges, etc.

Seriously the progress I've made so far is unbelievable. For so long I couldn't touch my toes, I had another 4-5 inches to go... now I can palm the floor. THe core exercises had me panting and dripping in sweat when I started doing them... now I've increased the difficulty and I can breeze through them.

If you're interested in performance, I suggest you pick up the book. It's $25 off amazon, and at least two other people on this board do it, so we could help you out.

Additionally, I can fit HST-style loading into the strength portion so I will be seeing some growth during this process. And hopefully some strength gains with all the plyos I'm gonna do soon.

Thanks Casual,..book is ordered and on its way!!

I totally agree with, "I think to really develop a strong core you can't just do a compound weight routine, add two ab exercises and think it's covered."
I spend at least 20 minutes on the Swiss Ball before every workout after my 10 minutes walking the treadmill. (at the beginning of every one of my journal entries in my log) The gym I work out at has one swiss ball that fits my height,..but I own two here at home. (one is my office chair I use while on the puter,..great for posture and takes a ton of stress off my back)

Was going to end my online HST journal here after this cycle, but may keep it up now just to get some advice and more help from you guys during my next routine. Was thinkin' about doin' HST again on a 6 day split Monday, Wed, Fri - upper body. Tue, Thur, Sat - lower body and then adding in a bunch more core work along with it. Is this similar to what yer doing?

 

[casualbb]

Hmm... well basically the book has me doing strength training twice per week. SO I'm just doing HST-style loading, without zig-zag, in keeping with the exercises and reps the book suggests.

I also looked ahead... the program really lends to HST because as the 12 weeks progress the reps get lower, probably to facilitate heavier weights

Man I'm being so active and it feels so good... gym 6x/week, martial arts 2x/week... good shiat

 

[Debaser]

Whoops, I forgot to reply again to this thread. As I see it, the best option would be for you to pick up the book "Pain Free" by Pete Egoscue, and do the exercises for hip pain.

A.R.T. is very effective, but this is a significantly more expensive route.

By the way, I had the *exact* same problem as you at one point, and since improving my posture with a customized Egoscue routine, I don't have it anymore. My posture still isn't perfect, but it takes awhile to correct 18 years of stagnation.

 

[casualbb]

Same sort of pain, same sort of movements?

 

[Debaser]

Yeah, pretty much to the letter. Does the pain feel sharp and feel like it's almost obstructed? Like if you bring your knee to your chest, and then pull it to the opposite side it feels obstructed?

 

[casualbb]

...Yes, yes it does. WTF is up with that?! I get it just a little on my right side, but HUGE on my left

Anything specific I can do for that? Core performance is doing wonders for my posture and muscle issues otherwise, except for that one thing.

 

[Deathbydefault]

have any of you managed to create an abbreviated version of this with success? I live in a rural area and it's hard to get to the gym 6x a week, I can go 3-4x max. I can do all the physioball/movement prep and such at home but i have to go for the energy system development and the strength days which basically ends up being every day. Maybe going Mon/tue and thursday/friday and skipping the ESD on wednesday/ saturday but still doing the other stuff at home? Any suggestions?

 

[casualbb]

Yeah totally. There are a few options you can do depending on what you want to buy.

You can always do ESD by running, biking, etc. May want to get a heart monitor for $50 so you can judge the different zones

If you buy a foam roller and rope, which are cheap and I highly recommend, then you can do all the recovery work at home.

If you buy a physioball, you can do all the prehab and physioball work at home as well.

Leaving only strength which you need the gym for. The most the book has you doing strength is 4x/week, which you said you can do.

So just do strength at the gym and most everything else at home. IF you dont want to buy a physioball, just do the entire prehab and physioball sections 2x/week on strength days before you lift (you want some crazy core work, holy shiat)

 

[Debaser]

Okay I've looked into this a bit more. I do need to find out one thing though...when you're doing the forearm to instep stretch, and your RIGHT leg is FORWARD (i.e. your left hip flexors are under stretch), how does that make your left hip feel? Pain here too, or not?

 

[casualbb]

Yes, but only in the stretching sense of pain. I get it on the right side too when I stretch the hip flexors.

Here's something else weird, I did forearm-to-instep today, and really forced it down on the right side. It caused my right hip to hurt in the same way!!

btw, I obtained a copy of Egoscue's Pain Free. Does he explain this in there somewhere?

 

[Debaser]

Yes, but only in the stretching sense of pain. I get it on the right side too when I stretch the hip flexors.

Here's something else weird, I did forearm-to-instep today, and really forced it down on the right side. It caused my right hip to hurt in the same way!!

btw, I obtained a copy of Egoscue's Pain Free. Does he explain this in there somewhere?

I'd have to check, but for now start trying the exercises for hip pain. The chapter may not explain specifically what's happening with you, but should be informative nonetheless.

The reason I was asking, is because it might be the anterior glute that's the problem if both those types of movements cause pain. But it doesn't really matter, unless you can see an A.R.T. provider. If I go to Cali sometime, I can work on ya for free

For now I'd stick to the Egoscue book. It should prove very helpful.

 

[casualbb]

...no, he doesn't. He just says that the problem is too much hip flexion. Which sounds accurate, I sit in a sloped position for many hours on end.

Oh, the one thing I did that relieved the pain was his static back E-cise. Me and some buddies got high and chilled in the static back position for 1-2 hours. When I got up I just felt awesome all over, including a great reduction in hip pain.

I'm still curious to see what the exact source of pain is

 

[Debaser]

...no, he doesn't. He just says that the problem is too much hip flexion. Which sounds accurate, I sit in a sloped position for many hours on end.

Oh, the one thing I did that relieved the pain was his static back E-cise. Me and some buddies got high and chilled in the static back position for 1-2 hours. When I got up I just felt awesome all over, including a great reduction in hip pain.

I'm still curious to see what the exact source of pain is

Haha. I wonder if he recommends that in the book.

Yeah it's difficult to pinpoint without being there in person...could be rectus femoris, psoas, anterior glute, or something else.

 

[casualbb]

Alrighty, well I'll start doing the hip exercises daily and see how I feel in a week.

I've also become very conscious of pelvic tiltl, so I'm trying to sit up straight most of the time.