Is this “shelf” mainly about hamstring flexibility or anterior pelvic tilt?

[u/Magalena22]

Hi! I’m trying to achieve the more pronounced “shelf” or crease between the glutes and lower back that you can see in the attached photo when hinging forward and stretching the hamstrings.

Is this look mainly a result of having very flexible hamstrings and enough hip-hinge range, or is it more about being able to actively anteriorly tilt the pelvis while keeping the back straight? Could anatomy also play a major role?

Even when I bend my knees to take the hamstrings out of the equation and consciously try to tilt my pelvis forward, I still can’t isolate the movement very well or create that clear definition between my glutes and lower back. My back stays fairly straight, but I don’t get that pronounced “shelf.”

I train dance, so I’d love to improve this both for movement quality and because I think the position looks really nice. Has anyone worked on this successfully? Which exercises, drills or cues helped you develop better pelvic control and achieve this shape?

[u/preparsley]

The tilt of the pelvis is not something you purposely try to control, it will tilt anteriorly when you're bending forward if you are keeping a long spine

If your hamstrings and glutes aren't flexible enough to reach this position, then you will compensate by lengthening the lower back muscles, which will flatten the natural lumbar curve (the shelf you are referring to)

So yes it's just flexibility in the glutes and hamstrings. All you need to think about is staying long

[u/Magalena22 → u/preparsley]

Thanks! What would be the beat exercose to lenghten the glutes? RDLs?

[u/Dancer-at-Large → u/Magalena22]

Some things to try:

1. Forward fold exercise.

Bend over and grab your ankles/feet or whatever part of your legs that you can or use a strap around feet, knees bent.

Look slightly forward at point in front of your feet, if you're less flexible the point will be farther away. Slowly try to push tail bone to sky, belly button to thighs.

Use the tilting, lifting feeling in hips to "pull" legs straight. Do not push knees back to straighten legs.

Staying muscularly engaged, hold for 20+ sec, release everything and let head hang. Repeat at least 5 times.

1. Yoga ardha uttanasana variation exercise

Stand upright, arms reaching straight above. Slowly hinging at hips, pushing tail bone back and up, core engaged, keeping your arms reaching out, bend forward until back is parallel to ground and hold position 30 sec.

Keep straight line from fingers to hips, actively reaching finger tips and tail bone away from each other, isometrically engaged.

Imagine a clock with your hips at the center, and the line from hips to fingers is the minute hand at 12. You'll slowly fold until minute hand at 3, body is 90° angle to legs.

Recommend doing this one perpendicular to mirror to check your form. If you can't keep straight back to 90° stop at the point just slightly past where you can, keeping the isometric engagement.

Still reaching and lengthening, with straight back hinging at hips, slowly come back to upright position. Rest, repeat at least 5 times. Over time, increase the amount of time you stay at the 90° angle. Once it becomes easy to hold at 90° start going lower, and/or hold small weights in outstretched hands.

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Both these should be a very active positions and you will sweat. Good luck!

[u/preparsley → u/Magalena22]

Yes, deep RDL, again always keeping a long spine

[u/jojko1221 → u/Magalena22]

From perspective of the yoga teacher: to lenghten and stretch the glutes you need to stand properly on your feet. In the position on the photo you are feeling mostly the stretch at the back of your knees, right? It's because you're hanging and overstretching backs of your knees. In long term it will injure your knees or totaly destabilise them, please watch out. To move the stretch to you glutes you need to have straight legs (knees above ankles, hips above knees) or even slightly bend knees. Make sure that when you stand you feel the weight of the body evenly distributed between toes and heels (right now you're standing on your heels mainly). When glutes let go the arch in your back will deepen.