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In a perfect world, this Blog would consist of 70% training articles (including track, plyometric and weight workoiuts), 20% on recovery and regeneration, and 10% on nutrition and supplements. That’s my rough estimate (and I mean rough) on a successful training program.
That being said, I talked endlessly on the importance of the hips in sprinting. I also mentioned the use of foam rollers and various stretching techniques for this area of the muscles.
Without going into detail on PALO (more on that in another article), I have to stress the importance of the Psoas Major muscle. Recovery, stretching and massaging this muscle is just as important as your hip flexor, glutes, and hamstrings.
In short, the psoas muscle is part of a group of muscles called the hip flexors which links the trunk to the legs. It connects the lower back to the thighs. Technically, it originates from the lunbar vertebrae (I to IV) and inserts on the top of the femur. The psoas major is responsible for flexion and external rotation in the hip joint
Sometimes this muscle is grouped with the Iliacus and psoas minor.
That being said, there are several ways to stretch and massage the psoas major muscle, including:
- standing stretch
- supine stretching
- deep tissue massage
- massage with balls
Standing Stretch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7LpKdLoF3A
Supine Stretching
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv1471TaM3A
Deep Tissue Massage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiU5Y8pPqBs
Massage with Balls
These balls are also good for your toolkit when a foam roller just isn’t enough. The technique is the same, but you lie face down.
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J Fit Mini Massage Balls, Set of 3
Jimson Lee
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http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8z94t_secrets-d-athlete-le-100m-part-2-3_sport
Look at 6:43 Asafa Powell’s psoas major compared to someone else.
btw very intresting documentary
Thanks Kevin, for the great video clips. Even in French, it is very easy to pick up. BTW, that huge, tight Psoas of A.P.’s is source of his chronic back problems. He is currently doing a lot of therapy/stretching to keep it from causing problems this season.