Surfing warm up series: Ankle and Glute ROM
Over the next few weeks I am doing a series on a surfing warm up routine that focuses on mobilising the hips. The series will be quick and effective, so that it doesn’t cut into your surfing time too much. The routine can be adapted to all levels and all sports that require a high level of hip mobility. Having good balance/proprioception is one very important element in surfing but another is mobility. The stronger your proprioception and mobility, the easier it is for your body to maintain its balance. This means that you are expending less energy, lowering your fatigue, which means more time surfing.
The routine I have developed consists of 8 exercises. I have broken down these exercises into groups of two which I believe will work well together in order to give you the best results. The warm up consists of;
Ankle mobilisation
Gluteus Medius stretching
90/90 for Piriformis
Gluteus Maximus stretches
Internal rotation stretches
Adductor stretching
Psoas lunges
Squats
Over the next four weeks I will release 4 videos showing how to stretch these musculoskeletal structures.
ANKLE ROM
WHY?
In this exercise we are targeting the Talocrural Joint which is the joint between the ankle and the leg/shin comprising of the Talus, Tibia and Fibula. In order to achieve this increase in the ankle’s Range Of Motion (ROM) we are mobilising the talocrural joint so we can increase its ability to dorsiflex (bring your foot closer to your shin).
The reason I chose this exercise is because an increased dorsiflexion angle at the ankle makes it easier for the pelvis to fold under its self (anteriorise), which means it makes it easier squat lower and be more stable/balanced.
When completing this exercise, I used a surf board in the sand, but you can use anything can that you can lean against such as a wall or pole.
HOW?
Tips when doing the exercise, start with one foot flat with the other behind you in a forward lunge position, like shown in the video. When lunging forward you want to go to the point just after the heel lifts off the ground and then start moving back to starting position. Repeat this motion 10-15 times on each foot.
GLUTEUS MEDIUS
WHY?
The Gluteus Medius is critical for pelvis stability. It stabilises the pelvis when the opposite leg is lifted off the ground. Its job is to allow for hip flexion, internal rotation and extension. To better visualise the Gluteus Medius, I have included an image below. In my opinion this is one of the most neglected muscles in the body in terms of stretching/ strengthening.
HOW?
I like to refer to this exercise as the glute med pendulum swing, with the pendulum being your hips and its fixed point at your head.
When performing the exercise, we are trying to push the side of our hips towards the ground, while keeping our knees together on the ground/sand. Like a pendulum we need to swing back to the other side, the best way to achieve this is to contract the muscles on the side of the hip and push yourself back to the opposite side. Repeat 5-10 times on each side.
Many mullets and mahalos,
Dr. Lloyd Mather