Russian Baby Makers
How to do Russian Baby Makers?
Russian Baby Makers are a mobility exercise designed to open up the hips, improve flexibility in the groin and hamstrings, and prepare the body for squats and other lower body movements. This dynamic stretch targets the adductors, hip flexors, and hamstrings, making it an excellent addition to warm-ups or cool-downs for lower body training days. It's a low-intensity movement that emphasizes flexibility and mobility rather than strength.
Steps to Perform the Exercise:
- Get into a Squat Position: Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly turned outward. Lower yourself into a deep squat position, going as low as your flexibility allows while keeping your heels on the ground.
- Grab Your Toes: While in the deep squat position, reach down and grab your toes or ankles with both hands. Keep your elbows inside your knees, pushing your knees outward to help open your hips.
- Straighten Your Legs: From the deep squat position, begin to straighten your legs while still holding onto your toes or ankles. As you straighten your legs, lift your hips towards the ceiling, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings and lower back.
- Return to the Squat: Once you feel a good stretch at the top, return to the deep squat position by lowering your hips back down, keeping hold of your toes or ankles, and continuing to push your knees out with your elbows.
- Repeat: Move between the deep squat and the hip raise for several repetitions, aiming for 8-12 reps, depending on your mobility needs.
Tips for the proper execution of Russian Baby Makers
Control the Movement: Move in a slow and controlled manner to feel the stretch and improve mobility. Avoid bouncing or jerking during the movement.
Keep Your Heels on the Ground: In the deep squat position, ensure your heels remain flat on the ground. If your heels lift, it may indicate limited ankle mobility, so work within your current range of motion.
Push the Knees Out: When in the squat position, use your elbows to gently push your knees outward. This will help open up your hips and deepen the stretch.
Keep Your Back Straight: Avoid rounding your lower back when straightening your legs. Focus on hinging at the hips and keeping your back flat as you move.
Breathe Deeply: Inhale as you descend into the squat and exhale as you straighten your legs. Breathing can help you relax into the movement and improve flexibility.
Muscles worked when doing Russian Baby Makers
- Primary Muscles: Adductors (inner thighs), hamstrings, hip flexors.
- Secondary Muscles: Lower back (erector spinae), glutes, calves (gastrocnemius), quadriceps.
Primary Muscle(s):
Hamstring
Inner thigh
Secondary Muscle(s):
Lower back
Equipment needed for Russian Baby Makers
No equipment needed for this exercise.
Adjust the difficulty of Russian Baby Makers
How to make Russian Baby Makers harder?
How to make Russian Baby Makers easier?
How to make Russian Baby Makers harder?
To make Russian Baby Makers harder:
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Increase Depth: Aim to go into a deeper squat and fully straighten your legs to enhance the stretch in the hamstrings and hips.
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Slow Down the Tempo: Move slowly and pause for 2-3 seconds at the bottom of the squat and the top of the hip raise to increase time under tension, which will improve flexibility and control.
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Add Reps or Hold: Increase the number of repetitions or hold the stretch at the top and bottom for a few seconds to intensify the stretch.
How to make Russian Baby Makers easier?
To make Russian Baby Makers easier:
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Limit Depth: If you struggle with flexibility, do not squat all the way down. Start with a shallow squat and gradually increase the depth over time as your mobility improves.
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Widen Your Stance: If you are having trouble maintaining balance, widen your stance slightly. This can provide more stability and make the movement feel less restrictive.
