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„quadriceps stretch 2 on the wall“

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last update: 12/30/2018
Trivia name: Quadriceps stretch 2 on the wall
Level: A

• Classification: A
• Contraindication
• effects
• Preparation
• follow-up
• derived asanas
• similar asanas
• diagnostics
• Instruction
• details
• Variants

Classification

classic: functional exercise
physiological: stretching the hip flexors

Contraindication

In the case of facet syndrome, spondylolisthesis (spondylolisthesis) or spinal canal stenosis, care must be taken to ensure that the lumbar spine is not hyperlordosed. These disorders are therefore not an absolute contraindication, but they do require great care and full use of the pomus muscles, i.e. the most powerful hip extensor to avoid a hollow back. The upper body may only be raised as far as the pelvis can be straightened – as is also the ideal posture – so it must remain in line with the pelvis. This applies even more clearly here than in quadriceps stretch 1.

Effects

• (711) Stretching the hip flexors
  
• (811) Stretching the quadriceps
  
• (816) Stretching the rectus femoris
  
• (871) Stretching the pronators of the ankle
  

Preparation

In terms of its effect on the rectus_femoris, this posture goes well beyond the 1st quadriceps stretch on the wall. In addition to this, a number of other preparatory exercises can be performed:

1. virasana
2. supta virasana
3. ardha supta krouncasana
4. supta krouncasana

Generally synergistic are:

1. hip opener 1
2. hip opener 2
3. warrior 1 pose
4. upface dog
5. urdhva dhanurasana (back arch)
6. ustrasana (camel)

and other backbends with extension in the hip joint. The pomus muscles and other extensors must be used very forcefully here to straighten the pelvis, which can be prepared with:

1. caturkonasana
2. parsvakonasana
3. counter
4. warrior 2 pose
5. purvottanasana
6. urdhva dhanurasana
7. eka pada variation of urdhva dhanurasana
8. setu bandha sarvangasana
9. eka pada variation of setu bandha sarvangasana
10. warrior 3 pose
11. ‚Backwards against the wall‘ variation of warrior 3 pose

and various other backbends.

Follow-up

If the lower back feels uncomfortably tense after the posture, help:

1. parsva uttanasana
2. virasana forward bend (child’s pose)
3. parsva upavista konasana
4. parivrtta trikonasana
5. parsvottanasana
6. Half lotus forward bend
7. karnapidasana

derived asanas:

similar asanas:

Diagnostics (No.)

(711) Hip flexors:

An excessively hollow back in this posture, despite all the strength applied, indicates shortened hip flexors. For the risks of a hollow back, see the FAQ.

(711)(816) Hip flexors and quadriceps:

The cause of the restrictions in straightening the pelvis are the hip flexors, both the rectus femoris and especially the iliopsoas. The latter sets the greater restriction, which also decreases with further flexion of the knee joint (moving the pelvis towards the wall, contrary to the posture) and increases with further assumption of the posture.

Variants:

Instructions

1. Perform quadriceps stretch 1 against the wall, but place the front foot approx. 20 cm further away from the wall.
2. Bend the front knee joint forwards and downwards as far as possible, causing the pelvis to move forwards and downwards.
3. Hold the position of the pelvis and straighten it as much as possible using the strength of the hip extensors (including the pomus muscles).

Details

1. Although this position is very similar to quadriceps stretch 1 on the wall, there are some clear differences:
   1. Instead of moving towards the wall (and therefore limited), the pelvis moves forwards downwards (and therefore effectively unlimited given the requirement to straighten it).
   2. The effect of the 2nd quadriceps stretch is practically never exhausted, while that of quadriceps stretch 1 at the wall is exhausted when the knee joint can bend fully, the knee, buttocks, back and head are against the wall and the pelvis is upright.
   3. Quadriceps stretch 1 at the wall creates the greatest possible flexibility of the monoarticular quadriceps parts(the vastii) and also engages with the rectus femoris to a certain extent; the 2nd quadriceps stretch does not engage with the monoarticular vastii at all but only with the rectus femoris and iliopsoas.
   4. The stretching sensations differ according to the localization.
2. The evasive movements in the pelvis are less drastic here than in the quadriceps stretch 1 on the wall.
3. The foot supporting the front should be far enough away from the wall so that the angle in the knee joint does not become uncomfortably acute.
4. A hollow back should also be avoided here. The aim is not to move the shoulders as far back as possible, but to straighten the pelvis as much as possible; the upper body with neck and head should then stretch upwards. Bending the upper body back would create a kind of standing eka pada rajakapotasana.
5. This pose is one of the most important preparations for more difficult backbends that require extreme flexibility of the hip flexors and the first warrior pose, in which the iliopsoas also sets the limit!

(P) Support for taking the pose

Instructions

1. Take the pose described above.
2. If the knee cannot be moved close enough to the wall under its own power, the supporter sits in front of the performer’s leg to be stretched and performs the following manoeuvre.
3. The performer tilts forwards in the hip joints to relieve the rectus femoris to be stretched.
4. The performer then rests their hands on one of the supporter’s shoulders in order to completely relieve the leg to be stretched.
5. The supporter uses both hands to push the leg to be stretched as far as possible towards the wall.
6. The performer takes back the support on the shoulder and puts full weight on the leg to be stretched again.
7. The supporter then straightens the pelvis and moves it towards the wall.

Details

1. This support often enables less mobile people to reach full intensity. It is important that the leg to be stretched is completely unloaded so that the supporter can lift it a little and push it towards the wall. If the supporter feels a rather hard resistance against which the knee cannot be moved any further towards the wall, this will be the limit of the dorsiflexion ability of the ankle. In this case, the foot must be placed a little higher, which should allow further movement of the knee towards the wall. In contrast to the ankle joint, the limit felt here is easily recognisable as soft-elastic, i.e. muscular.