Lordotic Arch

[Steve Shafley]

A birthday something, I hope.

[Allen Yeh]

Originally Posted by -Ross Hunt

So what if you have anterior pelvic tilt but you don't lack hip flexibility or have weak glutes?

I definitely have slight anterior pelvic tilt (belt line points down), but my hip flexibility is good; I can jerk-grip overhead squat without oly shoes. If split squat: back squat ratio is an indicator of glute strength, than my glute strength is just fine.

So, does anterior pelvic tilt matter if it looks like your glute strength and hip flexibility are OK, and your back doesn't hurt?

Do you think your hip flexors are tight/shortened?

I think there is a difference between having strong glutes and activating your glutes when needed? So this would go up to the first thing I asked about tight/shortened hip flexors.

I'd just take a look at the article that Ron posted and look at a few things they listed under anterior pelvic tilt.

[-Ross Hunt]

Allen,

Thanks. I already read the article, and I just took another look at it. I pass the stand-against-the-wall-and-raise-your-knee test w/ flying colors.

I can't quite get my straight leg elevated in front of me to parallel to the ground without leaning back; my quads just freak out, probably because I've haven't done any L-sits or isometric flexibility work in ages. I can swing my leg to my chest without much knee bend when I do a leg swing for a dynamic hamstring stretch, though.

If the exercises listed in the article are a sign of what you need to be strong at to activate your glutes, my glutes must be firing; my front lunge passed my back squat last Thursday.

[Allen Yeh]

Ross,

I recently read the Core Performance: Endurance book and found a few tidbits that might interest you. I personally thought I was pretty good with the glute activation thing also because I had used the exercises...etc. But I still didn't do as well on the self evaluation as I thought I should have.

"Lie on your back, legs straight and locked out. While holding this book so you can read it, create a straight line from your ear to your ankle. Now bridge up, keeping the legs straight and lifting the hips off the ground as high as possible...Your shoulders and heels are the only two points in contact with the ground.

Do your feel the tension in your lower back and hamstrings or are you feeling it in your glutes? Stay up now. Don't drop your hips....Now take both hands and poke yourself in the glutes. See if they are both rock hard or if one is firm and the other is flabby. Perhaps they are both flabby, the result of not firing (squeezing). Now relax..."

On the other hand if I hate to say the old "if it doesn't hurt then don't worry about it." Though it could very well be true. I know Alwyn Cosgrove said something to the effect of "training injuries surface in programs months or years down the road.." very loosely paraphrased, but I think you know what he meant.

I guess the thing is to keep an eye on it especially if you work at a desk job or anything that requires you to do a lot of sitting i.e. driving.




Geez your front lunge must be beastly! I couldn't imagine doing that much weight I'd crumple.

[-Ross Hunt]

Allen,

That ratio says more about my back squat than about my front lunge. Also, I have long legs.

I'll try the glute bridge. I haven't bridged in a while.