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flexibility help?
Hey ladies
i want to know if anyone has any really good tips for stretching and flexibility?
I am one of the most least flexible people EVER! i’v been working on my legs aiming for the splits for about 2 months now and don’t see any improvement whatsoever, i’m doing the stretches i’v learned on here and many other helpfull websites for yoga etc and holding them for ages and even using breathing techniques but still nothing.
Also my spine is just silly its so inflexible and i have no idea how to improve that and have never tried as i am scared of hurting my back but its making some moves impossible for me e.g the bow/crescent (don’t get me wrong i can reach round and grab the pole ok but it just does not look ok at all https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif .
any ideas or tips would be great
thanks
katie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx -
62 Replies
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Are you really warm when you stretch? Have you tried a foam roller to break up fascia? Are you holding stretches atleast 30-60 seconds? i recommend 60 seconds.
Many people have seen great results from yin yoga. You might also try stretching a couple of times a day to build up that muscle memory. Are you stretching the right areas? For splits its about hammys, thighs, calves, hips and back. my stretching regiment is atleast an hour daily and sometimesI try to do it twice a day. Make sure you aren’t starting at capacity but just at a mild stretch then sink deeper into them, you might find that you are able to go deeper because your body has more time to acclimate to being stretched. Over stretching can cause even more inflexibility.
The thing is us inflexies need to train our bodies constantly because they have sat so long not being flexy. I am struggling right now too – I need the splits in 6 weeks and counting and I am wondering if I will make it. I will probably get knocked points at uspdf reg because I don’t know how flexy I can get between now and then.
Also take good care of your muscles when you aren’t stretching – lots of water and minimize caffeine, nicotine and alcohol as these have a negative effect on muscles.
Oh and make sure you don’t do more strength training then stretching – an hour on pole equals an hour of stretch.
We will get there https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif and don’t forget to check out Bendie Buddies in the chat on thursday for more tips and hints.
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also instead of holding stretches longer, try doing reps…hold for 60 other side, go back hold for 60 other side – that will help too. There’s no proof holding a stretch longer than a minute really does much more.
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Thanks Charley. I’m also one of those people who has all the flexibility of a steel girder. I haven’t tried the foam rollers. What’s the deal with those?
I can honestly say that it is possible to make drastic changes, though. My martial arts instructor (I really wish I didn’t always type "marital" whenever I try to type that) said that I had the worst hamstrings he’d seen in over 3 decades of coaching, including rehab work. 6 weeks later (stretching for over 90 mins a day. 3 blocks of 30 mins) I had normal/good hamstrings. A while after that, I could kick well over my own head height.
I found dynamic stretches as well as static ones to be useful, but that might be largely because of my abysmal baseline. Another trick was to actually use a clock to measure my 60 second holds. Without that, my ‘stretching minute’ bore little relationship to a real ‘minute’.
Keep at it. Consistency is more important that being extreme on the few ocassions you manage it. Oh, and talking about it isn’t the same as actually stretching. ~slaps self on the back of head~ ~looks sheepish~ I’ll go stretch now.
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The foam roller is similar to the idea of getting a deep tissue massage.
It’s supposed to break up fascia which is similar to scar tissue and keep us from being flexible and getting out muscles to stretch. Fascia covers the muscles – I guess like a webbing. I learned about them from Alethea and started using them right after I warm up before I stretch. I am not sure if it’s helping or if just the stretching is doing the tricks but I dropped 2 inches in a week and a half! With a little more increase my jade will be flat.
For splits – I noticed I am tight in hamstrings but also my hips are kinda tight so I have been working on getting my hips to open up too.
i hope that helps a little. I have been using my roller daily and it no longer hurts – so word of warning it will be painful at first but very much worth it. Try to find a really hard foam roller (the black ones.) because I found I don’t feel it much on my hamstrings and calves – I have a blue one.
You are so doing it right – stretch constantly – retrain the body. I am so happy for you that you ot your hammys back to normal in just 6 weeks!!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif
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The foam roller is similar to the idea of getting a deep tissue massage.
Charley, what do you do with the foam roller https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_question.gif How do you use it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_question.gif I’m always looking for anything that will help me with getting my splits. I started my splits training at the end of Aug 09 at 19 inches from the floor. Im 43 and was the most inflexible person I know. I was never able to do the splits as a child.I would do the eliptical for 20 min then stretch for my splits for 45-60 mins 5 days a week. I’m now 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches away from my front splits. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif I was told by someone that it took them 2 years to get the front splits which was so discouraging to me but I thought It’s better to stretch and work towards it than not have the splits 2 years from now. So a year into it, I feel like I’m so close and all this hard work is so worth it as I see a major improvements in the range of motion in my moves in both the pole and aerial silk. Here is a my splits progress pic. I now have great hamstring flexibility but my silk instructor said what is stopping me from getting all the way down is my hip flexors at my back leg when in the front splits. So I added more hip flexors stretches to my routine. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_bounce.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_bounce.gif DSCF3695.JPG
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Congrats on your success! What an amazing accomplishment! I am still much further away than you are. You look great!
I linked an article I liked about foam rollers and a good youtube video of some exercises. I feel like I am so bad at explaining and I had to research too to figure out how they work. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif
I think it’s helping me so I do recommend them.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/flexibilityandstretching/ss/FoamRoller.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJLxruO3su0 -
Thanks Charley for the compliment. And thank you so much for the links. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif Great explanations. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif I’m off to Yogadirect.com to order my foam roller. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif
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Foam rollers are awesome https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumright.gif ! In a pinch you can use the pool noodles too!!! lol
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Foam rollers are awesome https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumright.gif ! In a pinch you can use the pool noodles too!!! lol
Thanks Veena. Pool noodles https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif What a great idea. I have lots in my pool cabana in different sizes. I don’t have to wait for it in the mail. OK, I’m off to the cabana to steal the kid’s noodles. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif -
I am a resistance stretching trainer. Until I found resistance stretching, I made little progress towards splits using static stretching, holding for minutes, alternating sides…all the things mentioned here and learned from Alethea and other bendy people.
There are threads on here about resistance stretching. It’s similar to dynamic stretching or PNF, but different in that that contraction is never released–you contract the muscle through the entire range of motion. Check out The Genius of Flexibility by Bob Cooley (the book, not the DVD.) He’s a bit airy-fairy at times, but his principles are the basis for all resistance stretching. Also look at Dara Torres’ stretching DVD. She is stretched almost daily by the people who trained me.
I just turned 40. I got my front split after 2 months of solid resistance stretching. And I’m now closing in on middle splits, couple more months and I should be there. Stretching for the splits is much more than hammies. In fact, most people I see are restricted by their hip flexors, psoas, and weakness in the outer hip/glute area.
I can see from Joni’s picture that hip flexors are one issue here. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
Good luck! -
I can see from Joni’s picture that hip flexors are one issue here.
Ottersocks, I have been incorporating Bob’s theory of stretch resistance in my splits routine. When I started my hammies was so tight that I couldn’t even reach my ankles. Now I can grab my flexed foot and touch my knees with my head and hold that stretch for 3 minutes and I am contracting my muscles the entire time. And do 2-3 reps of some stretches. I don’t know of enough hip flexor exercises yet other than lunging prior to going into my front splits. Please tell me what other issues you see I need to work on as I really want to get all the way down. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif
Thanks in advance. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif -
Yay Joni! So in the book energy series 1, do a lot of #1, 5, 6 seated, 9, 10, 13. There are other stretches for these same muscles on Dara’s DVD.
There’s lots I can’t really diagnose from a photo. But I can tell you balancing muscle groups are really key. So if your hip flexors are a problem, you want to spend a good bit of time stretching your central hammies. You also want to stretch the opposing muscle group (different concept than balancing), which is the adductor and groin muscles. Frequently by attacking other areas, you can make progress in the target. Dara’s DVD explains some of this fairly well. -
Thanks Ottersocks,I’m going to reread Bob’s book and highlight the exercises you suggest. I just couldn’t get into his dvd.Just like I couldn’t get into elastic steel splits and flexibility dvd. How is Dara’s dvd https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_question.gif Easier to get into than Bobs https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_question.gif
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Yes, Dara’s DVD is very clear and labels all the muscles and movements very well. Totally different animal than Bob’s DVD. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
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Yes, Dara’s DVD is very clear and labels all the muscles and movements very well. Totally different animal than Bob’s DVD. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
Thanks Ottersocks, I’m off to order her dvd. Its quite resonable too at $19.00 and $7.00 shipping to canada. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif
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