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C h e c k o u t A B M P 's l a t e s t n e w s a n d b l o g p o s t s . Av a i l a b l e a t w w w. a b m p . c o m . 75 from each other, all five ropes will lengthen until the shortest rope (the 1-foot rope) becomes taut and stops the movement. The shortest rope is pulled taut but the rest of the ropes will remain slackened (Image 3B). Imagining these ropes as a functional group of muscles, if a stretch force is placed on them, all five muscles will lengthen until the shortest/tightest muscle becomes taut and stops the lengthening movement. In other words, the tightest muscle will be stretched, but when its stretch limit is reached, it will prevent the other muscles in the group from being lengthened and stretched. In effect, when a stretch force is placed on a functional group of muscles, only the tightest muscle will actually be stretched. (Of course, if two muscles of a functional group are exactly equally short/tight, then it is possible for two muscles of the group to be stretched. In effect, we would have two equally tight "shortest ropes.") If that shortest rope is removed from the equation (Image 3C), the next shortest rope (the 2-foot rope) will then become the shortest rope and stop the stretch. So, let's now return to our hip flexor stretch seen in Image 1. When the thigh is brought down into extension, one of the 12 hip flexors will be the shortest rope and will be stretched. But it may not be the psoas major; it could easily be one of the other members of the group. But what if our goal is to make the psoas HOW DO WE STRETCH A MUSCLE? Stretching a muscle is actually quite a simple affair. Given that a muscle's joint actions are its shortening concentric functions, and that stretching is lengthening the muscle, a stretch for any muscle can be easily figured out by doing the opposite of the muscle's joint actions. And, if we perform the opposite of every one of the muscle's actions, we will have the most efficient and effective multiplane stretch for that muscle. The price to pay for this simple approach? A knowledge of all the actions of the target muscle, as well as a knowledge of all the actions of the adjacent muscles in the functional groups of the target muscle. But, given that joint actions can be reasoned out from the line of the pull of the muscle, which follows from its attachments, knowing joint actions should not be difficult. They do not need to be memorized; they can be figured out. The challenge is to learn the attachments of the muscles. The actions and how to stretch the muscles can be reasoned from there. 3A 3B 3C 3A: All five ropes are being held by their ends ( "attachments" ) and hanging slack. 3B: The "attachments" are brought away from each other until the shortest (1 foot) rope stops the movement. 3C: The shortest rope is removed from the equation and then the next shortest (2 foot) rope becomes the shortest rope and stops the movement. • Gluteus medius (anterior fibers) • Gluteus minimus (anterior fibers) • Tensor fasciae latae (TFL) • Rectus femoris (of the quadriceps femoris) • Sartorius • Iliacus • Psoas major • Pectineus • Adductor longus • Adductor brevis • Gracilis • Adductor magnus (anterior head) The Hip Flexor Group