Glute Activation Exercises

Training Bodybuilding
42

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
Well it makes little sense to me that you get the pain whilst doing leg press but not during hack squat, since the hips are more flexed in the press movement and the flexor muscles should not really be active.

As I say, at this point, the only think left for me to do is examine you myself, which isn’t going to happen unfortunately.

BBB[/quote]

Yes it is seriously driving me nuts. So the hip flexors are used MORE in the leg press than the hack squat? Could it be possible that my hip flexors are super tight/jammed so to speak, and that is the cause of the “crushing” feeling? Does the hack squat have less hip flexor involvement?

Ok so also, do you think I can maintain/gain size on my legs by just doing hacks and extensions (along with RDLs, lying leg curls), at least until I figure this “injury” out?

44

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
k8thegr8 wrote:
bushidobadboy wrote:
Well it makes little sense to me that you get the pain whilst doing leg press but not during hack squat, since the hips are more flexed in the press movement and the flexor muscles should not really be active.

As I say, at this point, the only think left for me to do is examine you myself, which isn’t going to happen unfortunately.

BBB

Yes it is seriously driving me nuts. So the hip flexors are used MORE in the leg press than the hack squat? Could it be possible that my hip flexors are super tight/jammed so to speak, and that is the cause of the “crushing” feeling? Does the hack squat have less hip flexor involvement?

Ok so also, do you think I can maintain/gain size on my legs by just doing hacks and extensions (along with RDLs, lying leg curls), at least until I figure this “injury” out?

No. My point is that the hip flexors are not really used in ANY of these exercises as a prime mover and not really as muich of anything else either. But they are used even less in the leg press, by virtue of them being in a maximally shortened (but relaxed) state.

Think about it; the hips are so damn flexed in the leg press that the flexors are effectively switched off (becuase its the weight loaded platform that is flexing the hips, with no muscular involvement). In the hack squat, the hips are much more extended, meaning the flexors are also extended.

But in neither of these two exercises would the hip flexore muscles actually be requires to do any active work, since gravity does it for them.

Unless of course, for some bizarre reason your hip flexors are activating anyway, but that would be completely inappropriate intermuscular co-ordination.

BBB[/quote]

Well I am perplexed. Ok is there any chance it is something with the sacroliliac joint in my BACK, that is manifesting in the hip flexor area?

46

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
k8thegr8 wrote:
bushidobadboy wrote:
k8thegr8 wrote:
bushidobadboy wrote:
Well it makes little sense to me that you get the pain whilst doing leg press but not during hack squat, since the hips are more flexed in the press movement and the flexor muscles should not really be active.

As I say, at this point, the only think left for me to do is examine you myself, which isn’t going to happen unfortunately.

BBB

Yes it is seriously driving me nuts. So the hip flexors are used MORE in the leg press than the hack squat? Could it be possible that my hip flexors are super tight/jammed so to speak, and that is the cause of the “crushing” feeling? Does the hack squat have less hip flexor involvement?

Ok so also, do you think I can maintain/gain size on my legs by just doing hacks and extensions (along with RDLs, lying leg curls), at least until I figure this “injury” out?

No. My point is that the hip flexors are not really used in ANY of these exercises as a prime mover and not really as muich of anything else either. But they are used even less in the leg press, by virtue of them being in a maximally shortened (but relaxed) state.

Think about it; the hips are so damn flexed in the leg press that the flexors are effectively switched off (becuase its the weight loaded platform that is flexing the hips, with no muscular involvement). In the hack squat, the hips are much more extended, meaning the flexors are also extended.

But in neither of these two exercises would the hip flexore muscles actually be requires to do any active work, since gravity does it for them.

Unless of course, for some bizarre reason your hip flexors are activating anyway, but that would be completely inappropriate intermuscular co-ordination.

BBB

Well I am perplexed. Ok is there any chance it is something with the sacroliliac joint in my BACK, that is manifesting in the hip flexor area?

Yes of course. I did think of the SIJs but since you still get the pain during unilateral stuff like split squats and lunges, it seems less likely. Also, I would have expected at least 1 out of the 3 chiros to have picked up on SIJ dysfunction.

BBB[/quote]

Well, thanks again for your help. I’m at the point now where since I know it is not a muscle damage/stress reaction/stress fracture, I am leaning towards just working through the pain.

48

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
k8thegr8 wrote:
Well, thanks again for your help. I’m at the point now where since I know it is not a muscle damage/stress reaction/stress fracture, I am leaning towards just working through the pain.

Unfortunately, I don’t feel that I have been that helpful.

Anyway, working through pain is 99% of the time a very foolhardy thing to do as it causes sometimes irreversable changes in muscle, tendon and bone.

I understand your frustration, which is why I have been trying to assist you in working towards a diagnosis, but you do IMO need to attain that diagnosis and then work at resolving the issue intelligently, not just forging a path through the obvious warning signs which may ultimately lead to more serious problems further down the road.

If the chiros near you are inadequate, try and seek some one linked to the local sports teams who may be able to offer better diagnostic skills.

BBB[/quote]

You are right and I know that was just said out of frustration. I have another name that I will try (chiro) and go from there. Until then, I guess I will just be pounding the hacks as they do not affect it at all.

wish you lived closer…