I'm having lots of difficulty sitting cross-legged for any decent amount of time (about 30 minutes at the moment). My right leg gets very sore at the thigh/hip joint. i think i'm witting with my pelvis on too much of an angle. Does anyone know of any stretches or techniques to fix this?
This might be hard to explain, but yes I know a few stretches. One simple and common one is called the butterfly in most places I have been. Its where you sit on the floor crosslegged but pull your legs apart so the soles of your feet can touch.Then bring your feet as close into you as you can and make your knees as close to the floor as they can and then lean your torso into it, you should feel it in you hip and thigh and butt muscles. I have gotten to the point where I can go all the way down, with my feet as close to me as they can go touch my abs to my feet.
Another one Im not sure of the name I think its called the hip stretch, but I do it in martial arts classes. Put your right leg on the floor like it would be if you were sitting crosslegged and then strech your left one out directly behind your knee.then sort of lay down on your rigth knee/thigh area and you should feel this in almost the same area as the butterfly but slightly different muscles and areas, Also with this position lean back keeping your legs in that position and you should feel the front of your hip stretch on your left side. Sorry if you cannot get useful ideas from this, stretching is harder for me to explain than I thought.Another thought would be just stretching your whole body out before sitting crosslegged then youd be more relaxed all around.
Try to get "into" how your leg feels when this happens. don't label it as pain; just try to not let it affect what your working on. think about how when your life is over you won't have the opportunity to feel this unique sensation again and enjoy it.
just losing the resistance to pain should relax you enough to get a little extra practice in :0)
I have found it very hard at first. But with more practice sitting, it should kick in.
Here is another excersise to try:
1. sit crosslegged on the floor
2. stretch out one leg straight out in front of you while the other still folded.
3. Try and touch your toe (the leg that is stretched out) *you should feel the stretch in the back of your knee.
4. bring foot back in to crossed position and try other leg.
i do this before i sit down and play and found it very effective.
