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The Bendy Blog: Flexibility Training Articles
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Obturator Nerve Tension Test & Nerve Glide
Obturator nerve tension refers to a situation where the obturator nerve, one of the main nerves that goes through our inner thighs, is prevented from sliding like it’s normally supposed to and instead tugged into a position of too-much-tension when we try to stretch our adductors (inner thigh muscles). This can be tricky because it may feel a whole lot like muscle tightness, so it’s important to be able to recognize whether the inner thigh “tightness” or “stretching” sensation you are feeling is actually a muscle stretch (good!) or nerve tension (probably less productive) - so let’s talk about how to figure that out!
I Can Open My Hips in a Frog Stretch, But Not Middle Splits - What Gives?
Do you find it pretty easy to open your legs out to the sides in a frog stretch, but when you try to open your legs in a middle split or a straddle, your legs don’t go nearly as far (and it feels waaaaay harder)? They’re both inner thigh stretches, so what gives?
(Spoiler alert: it’s probably your gracilis)
10-Minute Middle Split & Straddle Routine
This post is a long overdue follow up to my 10 Minute Front Splits Routine post from a couple of years ago. Below is a nice short stretching routine that’s a great foundation for working on your straddles and middle splits. Because both straddles and middle splits require inner thigh flexibility (quite a bit) and hamstring flexibility (straddle pancakes require a lot, middle splits just a little) - it’s helpful to work on them both at the same time.