Heel Slide


for Pelvic Control

  1. Start by bringing your whole pelvis into a maximal posterior pelvic tilt (12 o'clock). Keep your back against the floor. Both your arms are down, wrap your fingers around the bottom of your anterior bony pelvis (ASIS). Your thumbs, and thus your pelvis should be level. If they are not, level them by using your back and ab muscles. Maintaining the pelvic tilt, let your right heel slide slowly downward, until the pelvis on that side start to move. Do not go past where you fell the pelvis start to move. This is usually harder to do on the right. You can do it on the left also, if it is difficult. Repeat 3-4 times, slowly, paying attention to hip movement.

  2. Instead of holding a maximal pelvic tilt, keep neutral spine and pull your belly button in (abdominal bracing). Hold this position as you let your heel slide down. Your pelvis will move a little earlier in this one.

 

WHY? – You are learning to balance your abdominals with your deep hip flexors. The abs tend to be weak, the deep hip flexors tend to get tight. This balance helps you control your everyday low back movements.