Chronic tight quads

[anmol_khanna]

Doesn't matter how much I stretch my quads are always tight. ( i stretch then every 2 days)

I know that if someone has similar tightness with hamstring then its normally because glutes are weak and hamstring is overworking and tight. Is there any other muscle that can cause tight quads?

[mc-]

Doesn't matter how much I stretch my quads are always tight. ( i stretch then every 2 days)

I know that if someone has similar tightness with hamstring then its normally because glutes are weak and hamstring is overworking and tight. Is there any other muscle that can cause tight quads?

Hi again,

let me go back to a previous post:
tight muscles are muscles contracting when *you* want them to release to enable a particular ROM.

So the question is really why is that muscle firing?
It mayn't have anything to do with weak muscles. but there is a timing issue happening. and a firing issue happening.

It's quite possible for a muscle to get "sensory motor amnesia" and not fire when it's supposed to do so - this can happen in the butt quite a bit. Why?

If movement is poor somewhere, and a joint that needs to move isn't moving, then the muscles associated with that movement can shut down. firing has to cross the joint. So one way to wake up muscles is to do mobility work at different speeds

Here's why: if you stand with your pelvis nice and level, and you stand tall, and put your hand against a wall, lift your leg out a bit, with the knee locked and for you, point your foot in a bit (because you say you over pronate a bit so here you're going the opposite direction), now make gentle easy hip circles keeping the leg down, not hiking up the pelvis.

Go both directions.
go slowly.

You may find that you have more control over the movement in one direction than the other, and/or that parts of the movement are smoother than others.

let those less smooth, creaky bits be a sign of where you can put some cycles into doing reps of that drill: lack of smoothness is lack of control; lack of muscular control as we know from training for bb is lack of nervous system control to move those limbs in that pattern.

By building up better patterns which give you more control, you're also waking up those muscles.

If you do those patterns cleanly - don't muscle the circles but really feel the humerous in the hip socket move - and do both directions with your "rehab" position of foot turned in, both legs, my bet is you'll find your hips feel less "tight" and the movement itself will feel smoother.

let me know.
and PM me if you want more info on these kinds of drills.

mc

[anmol_khanna]

Good point MC ( rep added)- To summarise, if joint is not mobile, then surrounding muscles will misfire. Are misfiring and tightness related?
I did the hip circles you mention. thanks.

btw: I have pelvis instability and am spending hrs trying to fix it ( with physio)

I find my left hip is clicks ( most likey tight) and left quad is tight. Is there a relation?

[mc-]

Good point MC ( rep added)- To summarise, if joint is not mobile, then surrounding muscles will misfire.

almost

mobility is related in part to firing (and in part to strength; i'm assuming the strength is there) so if a muscle is contracting (when it needs to loosen ) and so not letting you elevate your shoulder, it's that contraction that is holding back your mobility.

so just switch your order.

Are misfiring and tightness related?

yes. same thing: if a muscle is contracting when it needs to relax to enable a movement, that's a firing issue. It's staying on - perceived threat - rather than letting you move into a position your body is perceiving as unsafe given your current condition

I did the hip circles you mention. thanks.

did they help?

btw: I have pelvis instability and am spending hrs trying to fix it ( with physio)

I find my left hip is clicks ( most likey tight) and left quad is tight. Is there a relation?

sport, i don't really know what a "pelvis instability" is - often it gets down to this issue of how your body is responding to perceived threat - nothing mechanically wrong with you; it's just your bod needs some support to feel safe, get dormant muscles to wake up and work with you.

If your hip clicks and there's no pain, that's a low priority.

if you'd like a few more suggestions, pm me.

mc

[grimreaper91]

stretch your quads 3x a day 6 times a week.

[mc-]

stretch your quads 3x a day 6 times a week.

ok, let's step back. if stretching does anything what's it doing?

Repetitive stretching is a kind of threat modulation work - like yoga.

great - but what if the problem is not with the hip flexors? what if it's with the ankles that's setting up the threat response and so you can work the quads all you want, but if the issue is in the hips, ankles OR say it's nothing to do with the hips: maybe it's visual, and the hips are tightening up in response to a visual threat.

proprioceptive, visual and vestibular work by contrast effectively threat checks movement in the whole body - mobility work is a good way to start.

best
mc

[anmol_khanna]

almost



did they help?

mc

I am not sure.......i think it will take some time. I will certainly concentrate on keeping my hips and ankle mobile and hopefully it will get better with time.

[mc-]

I am not sure.......i think it will take some time. I will certainly concentrate on keeping my hips and ankle mobile and hopefully it will get better with time.

hmm. how are you checking the effect?
if you're doing them correctly to hit the target, and they're the right moves you can test your range of motion and see them having immediate effect: deeper range of motion, more strength with a muscle test, etc.

If you don't notice any of that then either they're not hitting the target or you need a different combo. the nervous system responds pretty much immediately.

mc

[BaldwinBoy]

It could be your style of stretching. Ever worked with a movement coach or dance teacher? It's really helpful.

Doesn't matter how much I stretch my quads are always tight. ( i stretch then every 2 days)

I know that if someone has similar tightness with hamstring then its normally because glutes are weak and hamstring is overworking and tight. Is there any other muscle that can cause tight quads?

[slowalker]

WHOA MC! The humerous is most definitely NOT part of the hip joint! That's the upper arm bone. Where did you learn your anatomy?

Hi again,

let me go back to a previous post:
tight muscles are muscles contracting when *you* want them to release to enable a particular ROM.

So the question is really why is that muscle firing?
It mayn't have anything to do with weak muscles. but there is a timing issue happening. and a firing issue happening.

It's quite possible for a muscle to get "sensory motor amnesia" and not fire when it's supposed to do so - this can happen in the butt quite a bit. Why?

If movement is poor somewhere, and a joint that needs to move isn't moving, then the muscles associated with that movement can shut down. firing has to cross the joint. So one way to wake up muscles is to do mobility work at different speeds

Here's why: if you stand with your pelvis nice and level, and you stand tall, and put your hand against a wall, lift your leg out a bit, with the knee locked and for you, point your foot in a bit (because you say you over pronate a bit so here you're going the opposite direction), now make gentle easy hip circles keeping the leg down, not hiking up the pelvis.

Go both directions.
go slowly.

You may find that you have more control over the movement in one direction than the other, and/or that parts of the movement are smoother than others.

let those less smooth, creaky bits be a sign of where you can put some cycles into doing reps of that drill: lack of smoothness is lack of control; lack of muscular control as we know from training for bb is lack of nervous system control to move those limbs in that pattern.

By building up better patterns which give you more control, you're also waking up those muscles.

If you do those patterns cleanly - don't muscle the circles but really feel the humerous in the hip socket move - and do both directions with your "rehab" position of foot turned in, both legs, my bet is you'll find your hips feel less "tight" and the movement itself will feel smoother.

let me know.
and PM me if you want more info on these kinds of drills.

mc