VIDEO: How To Stretch Your Groin

If you have a chronically tight groin that just doesn’t want to budge, this one is for you. Tight adductors (i.e. your groin muscles) can cause issue with knee pain, hip/SI pain, and can generally restrict your movement in squats, running and skating (for the hockey players out there).

Here are my favourite techniques to get you started on stretching a tight groin. We’re going to use a combination of outstanding massage, stretching, and strengthening drills to attack the problem. We use this combination of drills because, generally speaking, a tight groin isn’t just a flexibility issue. It’s also a strength issue. Weak adductors are tight adductors, so we have to strengthen while we lengthen.

 
 

How To Stretch Your Groin: SAMPLE PROGRAM

Here’s a place to start if you’re not sure how to stretch your groin.

The key is consistency. With any long-standing mobility limitation don’t expect results if you aren’t working on it regularly. That means daily. Ideally multiple times a day. Worst case every other day. In other words, if you want to see real change you need to make it a priority.

SIMPLE 10-MINUTE DAILY ROUTINE

  • Buffer Self Massage x 2mins/side
    *Every 3-5 days you can try the deeper groin massage with the kettlebell handle.

  • Groiner Circles x 2mins per side

  • Cossack Squats x 2mins. Perform with a 5sec pause in the bottom position each rep. Alternate sides.
    *As you get better at this, add load with a kettlebell or dumbbell.
    **If Cossack squats are too difficult at first, do wide stance squats and wide stance hip hinges instead. Start with bodyweight. As you advance, add weight gradually by holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in your chest, similar to a goblet squat.

PRE-ACTIVITY PREP

  • 3 sets, alternating exercises, done with slow/controlled tempo:
    -Kneeling Groin Stretch x 45sec/side (with weight if able)
    -Groiner Circles x45sec/side

  • then:
    3 sets, alternating exercises, with controlled tempo and moderate weight:
    -wide stance RDL x 10 reps
    -Slider Drills x 5-10/side OR cossack squats x 10/side
    *If you’re proficient with an exercise called a Windmill, that can work well too.

For Aspiring Athletes, PerformancePeter Roberts