Newbie Question for CW/CT

Hey Chad/Chris

I’m new to the forum but have have been lurking since 1999. I am impressed with both your methodologies and hope you can be of assistance. I recently started to train for MMA competitions and have been in the process of reconfiguring my routine to suit my sports needs and I have a couple issues I need to resolve. The first problem is that I started to incorporate unilateral leg movements ( single leg squats,rear leg elevated etc…) to improve my single and double-leg takedowns, and improve the strength of my VM and Glutes in each respective leg.
The problem is that when performing a single leg squat with my right leg (left leg elevated), my torso automatically leans down and laterally to the right to maintain balance, and I have have a hard time maintaining a erect posture. BUT when performing the movement with my left leg, I have no problem with balance nor have I ever had issues with full squats, front squats and have no lumbar injuries. My right leg is strong but my hips seem to twist slightly when performing the movement. I want to keep proper mechanics to avoid injuring my knee, and my sport requires strength/balance in both leg’s in an extreme lunge position, when “shooting” in for a takedown. My first guess was my Hip Flexor being that, well, it’s always a hip flexor! But I know you guys deal with athlete’s and I assume you’ve seen this before, and was hoping you could help. I also have slightly fallen arches and my feet do pronate a bit, but I’ve never had any knee issues so I’m a bit lost.
Thanks

This is tough to accurately assess via computer, but it sounds like your problems are due to a combination of the following muscles being too tight: illiopsoas, rectus femoris, IT band, and quadratus lumborum. Search the archives for articles that deal with stretching these structures.
Ian King’s Lazy Man’s Guide to Stretching would be a good place to start.

Thank’s for the quick response Chad, I appreciate the effort and realize it’s always difficult to diagnose these things Online but you already Have helped more than most “experts” would have.I hope to communicate with you further.