In this Fit Tip, Dr. Riley explains how the Toe Touch Progression, heels up/toes up, teaches your brain how to flex properly through our hips.
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Transcript:
Dr. Riley:
This drill is called toe touch progression heels up/toes up. This is a great drill to work on your flexion pattern. A lot of us, we bend and move too much in our lumbar spine.
This is going to start to teach our brain how to flex properly throughout our hips, promote a better flexion pattern.
We’re also going to give her a little pattern assistance here, which is going to help her brain activate. I’ve got an AIREX pad. You can use a phone book if you need to, about four to five inches. We’re going to throw this down. Her heels are going to be up. So her heels are up and I’m just going to use this block. You could use a rolled-up towel, anything to put between your knees. We’re going to go right here.
So what we’re going to do is Brie’s going to put her arms up towards the ceiling. She is going to squeeze as hard as she can, knees together. We’re going to activate her adductors and from here, we’re just going to go down into a nice flexion pattern. We want the pelvis and hips dropping back. Legs are going to stay as straight as they can.
The whole time we’re going to squeeze and then down.
Now what we’re going to do, we’re going to put her toes up. Brie, if you’d come over here. I’m going to get you facing this way right here. We’re going to go toes up. Same principle. We’re going to get some pattern assistance here, arms up towards the ceiling. We’re going to pre-activate or pre-load, and then she’s going to go straight down.
This is obviously going to be a little more difficult. You might feel a little tug and pull back there on your hamstring and your calves. A good mobility drill, but most importantly, we’re working on establishing that flexion pattern. Legs stay straight. We’re going to hinge at our hips all the way down. This is toe touch progressions heels up/toes up with pattern assistance.
