The “Couch Stretch” is a mobility exercise that targets hip flexors and quadriceps shortened by sedentary life, offering almost immediate relief from back pain and improving extension in running.
- The problem: Sitting all day shortens the psoas and quads, locking up the pelvis and causing back pain.
- The solution: The Couch Stretch is the antidote. It is intense, uncomfortable, but incredibly effective.
- How to do it: Knee on the floor against the couch/wall, shin vertical, torso upright.
- The secret: You must squeeze the glute of the back leg. If you don’t, you’re doing it wrong and risk arching your back.
- The dose: 2 minutes per leg, every evening.
Sitting Too Much? Your Hips Are Locked. Here is the Key to Opening Them.
Let’s do a quick check. How many hours did you spend sitting today? Breakfast, car, office, lunch, office, car, sofa.
Probably between 8 and 12 hours.
In this position, the front of your hips (the flexors: psoas and rectus femoris) remains shortened and “switched off.” When you finally get up to run, these muscles don’t magically lengthen. They stay short, pulling the pelvis forward (anteversion).
The result? You run “seated,” unable to push your leg back, and, crucially, your lower back has to compensate, screaming in pain by the end of the day.
To solve the problem, you don’t need a back massage. You need to unlock your hips. And there is one exercise that does it better than any other.
The “Couch Stretch”: Why It’s the Mobility Exercise Most Hated (and Loved) by Runners.
Made famous by physical therapist and coach Kelly Starrett (author of Becoming a Supple Leopard), the Couch Stretch is legendary.
It’s called that because you can literally do it using your couch at home as support while watching TV.
It is hated because it is honest: if you are stiff, it will make you see stars. It will highlight tensions you didn’t know you had.
It is loved because it works. It’s not a bland stretch that “feels good.” It is a precise mechanical intervention that resets your posture in a few minutes.
How to Do It Without Screaming: Progressions from Easy to Hard.
Don’t try the full version immediately or you’ll pull something. Proceed by degrees.
You need a couch, a wall, or a box, and a cushion to protect your knee.
Step 1: The Setup
Stand in front of the couch, facing away from the backrest. Or get on all fours facing away from the wall.
Place your right knee in the corner between the seat and backrest (or between floor and wall). Your right shin must be vertical with the foot high and flush against the support.
Bring your left foot forward into a lunge position.
Step 2: The “Easy” Version (Hands on Floor)
Stay with your hands resting on the floor or on your left knee. Don’t lift your torso.
Just try to bring your butt toward your right heel. You’ll feel a strong pull in the quad. Breathe. If this is already too much, stop here.
Step 3: The “Medium” Version (Torso Up)
Lift your hands off the floor and place them on your left knee. Straighten your torso.
Here the psoas comes into play. Start feeling the tension rise toward the hip and stomach.
Step 4: The “Ninja” Version (Back to Wall)
The ultimate goal. Bring your back and shoulders to touch the couch/wall behind you. You are completely upright.
WARNING: The secret here is to squeeze the right glute (the one of the bent leg) and contract your abs. Do not arch your lower back! If you arch, you lose effectiveness and hurt yourself. You must feel the opening in front of the hip, not compression behind the back.
Why It Will Save Your Back and Improve Your Stride.
If you can do this exercise regularly, two magical things happen:
- Goodbye back pain: by releasing the psoas, you stop pulling the lumbar vertebrae forward. The back relaxes instantly. For many, it is the definitive cure for lower back pain.
- Turbocharge your run: With a free hip, your leg can extend completely backward during stride. More extension = more push = longer and more powerful stride for the same effort.
The Challenge: 2 Minutes Per Leg Every Evening in Front of the TV.
Mobility doesn’t change with 10 seconds of stretching. Tissues need time to yield and change.
The golden rule is: 2 minutes per side (but build up to it).
Tonight, instead of sinking into the couch, use it.
Put a cushion on the floor, place your knee against the cushions, and watch your favorite show while suffering a little.
2 minutes right leg, 2 minutes left leg.
When you stand up, you’ll feel 10 years younger.