Hip flexors strength vs. common advices on counter balancing sitting

[Martin Rasiak]

Hello everyone,

Everybody is stretching the hip flexors and it's been said that this is the "nr 1 enemy" caused by prolonged sitting. Almost all youtube "experts", mobility coaches, physiotherapists are saying:
"stretch stretch strech it, remember to strengthen your core/hamstrings/glutes but then again stretch the hip flexors if you are sitting a lot."

I would really like to go through Foundation 1 and train the basic core exercises but this requires of course hip flexors strength and conditioning.

I am confused how should I approach this? I'm 26, can perform a decent thoracic bridge l-sit. I'm sitting 8h+ hours per day but I do my stretches and I move my hips. Sometimes I have lower back pain, but after few stretches it's gone.

Should I train my hip flexors  or not?

[Tanya Hill]

Hi Martin, 

Great question. I do believe in this case it is about balance of both strength and mobility. I stretch and strengthen my hip flexors on a daily basis. So my recommendation is a mix of both.

[Martin Rasiak]

Thank you.

 

Assuming strengthening means shortening the muscle,  isn't it the same as making one step forward and one backwards?

[Everett Carroll]

Hey Martin,

It is possible to have strong hips that are also mobile and that combination is what our programming progresses you toward. Neither should be neglected and they can both be improved upon simultaneously. 

[Alessandro Mainente]

Pay attention that the strength of a muscle it is proportional to its length. this happens because of the theory of the overlapping segments at different lengths, the greater it is the overlapping length the higher the strength which can be exerted. if you assume 2 consecutive units overlapped of the 50% then you have the resting 50% to create strength. if you assume 2 units overlapped for the 10% you have the resting 90% for additional overlap and additional strength.

this is what's happening in very simple words.