Tune the sacroiliac joint and train deep hip flexors

Tune the sacroiliac joint and train deep hip flexors

Answer: Thigh lift

Thigh Lift Illustration by Julia Blushak

Thigh lift is the most important sequence for alleviating sacroiliac pain and restoring pelvic-femoral rhythm in the shortest possible time. Thigh lift activates what Bartenieff called the “dead seven inches,” the space between the prominent hip bone on the pelvis (ASIS) and the knob at the top of the femur (greater trochanter). Thigh lift supports and trains mobility/stability, the dynamic pelvic tilt and the coordinated action of superficial and deep hip flexors.

It is this action that tunes up the sacroiliac joint and keeps it moving in its correct anatomical pattern (nutation/counternutation). When the joint is not moving, or moving poorly, you could be experiencing pain below your waist on one or both sides of your pelvis.

And here’s another aspect: as you yield your weight into the supporting foot, feel all three points of contact (heel, base of fifth toe and base of first toe) simultaneously connecting to the floor. Play with not connecting these points and notice the difference with each experiment. You can experience better grounding and an amazing freeing up of the lifting leg!

This deceptively simple exercise is actually a profound process involving breathing, timing, yielding and grounding with the coordinated movement of pelvis and thigh. Thigh lift is taught in every 3-D WORKOUT™ class.