How do we stretch the quads at StretchFit?
At Stretchfit, we lock the leg into a position that isolates the quads very precisely. The knee is flexed, and the femur held in position to prevent any hip flexion. This ensures knee flexion and hip extension, the two key components of an effective quad stretch.
The job of the stretchee is to tuck the pelvis into a posterior rotation/tilt (further increasing the hip extension) by co-contraction of the abdominal and hamstring/ gluteal force couple. (See image below) To increase the stretch further, the bottom is taken back toward the heel, (to increase the knee flexion)
Image 1 demonstrates the importance of the posterior pelvic rotation. Without it, the pelvis rotates forward, and the lower back is arched. The hip extension is lost, rendering the stretch to rectus femoris ineffective.
Kenyi has her bottom firmly against her heel in this image and her pelvis in a strong posterior rotation. This combination of knee flexion and hip extension is a winning combination for a stretch!
In the studio
Check out Cameron below 2 months post-surgery, image A, and 6 months later, image B, with his heel firmly against his bottom. That’s serious progress and seriously good range of movement!
Image A
Image B
Finally, check out ultra-marathoner Linda, who finally got her bum to her heel!
