Starting Out - Advice?

[Cully]

Ok... I'm a total n00b here and I'm starting out stretching.... I don't have high flexibility at all and I've gotten Kurz's book on stretching scientifically...

Basically... I'm starting off with some Isometric stretching and Dynamic Stretching as Kurz recommends.... Dynamic in the morning, and Isometric throughout the day.

I'm looking around this forum and I see most people between the ages of 16-23, and all of you seem to be able to do the splits already, so my big question is really HOW you were able to do that? Did you stretch daily for years? Were you born with it? What level did you start out with and how long did it take you to get splits (any type)? Did you find it really hard work, or was it pretty easy?

I've tried stretching before and I haven't seen much results, but I havent' spent long enough I think.... Also the fact that I'm 30 means it's probably harder to get results. I lost a lot of my flexibility in a soccer injury which kept me off sports for 1.5 years.... It's been healed about 4 years now, but I'm trying to get some flexibility back (I never had great flexibility to start with.)

Thanks!

[Birch]

Personally I have been able to do the splits since I was born for some odd reason, even when I was a fatass. Good to see your not giving up, I think you might be TT's oldest member!
When are you doing your stretching sessions? Have you checked out Juji's write ups of flexibility on the home page?
Also Isometrics work well (although not as fast as direct stretching) and are specific to the sport of tricking.

[Cully]

I googled Juji's huge flexibility page and that's how I found this awesome site, so yeah I've checked them out... but only today :/

I'm currently trying to stretch my legs so I can do both types of splits (give me 10 years) and also stretch my shoulders by pulling a Thermaband behind my head with straight arms (ouch!)

[frozenpeon]

WARM UP before using isometric


When I started working on my flexibility, I wasn't able to touch my toes. I decided to improve my flexibility, I wasn't doing any martial art or tricking yet. In 1 month, I was able to touch my knee with my head and decided to start tkd.

I usually stretch 5 days/week. I have been stretching for about 8 months in total. This sound a lot but it's not because the first 3 months I was only doing the sit and reach toes stretch.

I'm now 2-3 cm away from the frontsplit with both legs and 15 cm on the sidesplit.

Good luck to you!

[Graber]

Man I wanted to swear again tt comunity a little bit in this post but I let it for another day.

[PaRaSiTe_X92]

WARM UP before using isometric

When I started working on my flexibility, I wasn't able to touch my toes. I decided to improve my flexibility, I wasn't doing any martial art or tricking yet. In 1 month, I was able to touch my knee with my head and decided to start tkd.

I usually stretch 5 days/week. I have been stretching for about 8 months in total. This sound a lot but it's not because the first 3 months I was only doing the sit and reach toes stretch.
What type of warm up? Just jogging/light cardio etc? I've always thought of stretching AS part of a warm up.

Also, what exercises do you recommend? Basically the ones on Juji's tut? Is once a day OK with dynamics and isometrics?

Cheers!

[Augenatic]

I've always thought of stretching AS part of a warm up.

Dude no. Never do static stretching before your exercise. Do dynamic stretches and stuff as a warm up, and then static after your whatever-you've-been-doing.

Personally, I wasn't born with flexibility. When I started taking taekwondo classes a few years ago, my flexibility started getting better and better, then I did isometric stretching for two weeks and got the splits.

[chinese_boy]

Do some wushu flexibility. I only went to wushu once a week, and my flexibility went from nil to splits on the left side, and almost splits on the right. Before stance training, we went over fundamentals/stretches and at the end, muscle training. Our stretches were(sorry, these are translations of the chinese names):
64 table leg presses
64 shoulder stretches
64 side stretches
64 (i don't remember what its called, but it involves one leg straight on the table, and touching the floor)
10-20 seconds splits training on each side
Keep in mind, these are on the table and were good warmups as well. If you want me to elaborate, just say so.

[Trickstar]

I recommend you get "Relax Into Stretching" by Pavel Tsatsouline.

[Cully]

I recommend you get "Relax Into Stretching" by Pavel Tsatsouline.

I have this, and Stretching Scientifically by Thomas Kurz.

I'll keep trying... damn, it's too easy to give up if you don't see results fast... :dead: I think that's the main problem with stretching

[PaRaSiTe_X92]

Dude no. Never do static stretching before your exercise. Do dynamic stretches and stuff as a warm up, and then static after your whatever-you've-been-doing.
I realise that. But how do you do flexibility workouts? Surely the warmup would be dynamic stretching, and then the "body" would be...More dynamic stretching?

[Birch]

warmup = dynamic
warmdown = whatever but static strecthing after exercise is when you will acheive the most

[Cully]

Yeah... when I did stretching before (like in the past 10 years that I ever bothered).... I had only ever warmed up by cycling or whatever, then doing Static Stretches....

I'm hoping that this time the Dynamic stretching that I'm warming up with, the stuff from Thomas Kurz and Pavel Tsatsouline, and the (helpful) info on this site keep me motivated to actually get somewhere with my stretches :P

My thighs and hips hurt. :/ I think that's good though.

[frozenpeon]

I realise that. But how do you do flexibility workouts? Surely the warmup would be dynamic stretching, and then the "body" would be...More dynamic stretching?

First of all, don't use isometric stretch because you are too young. It is not recommended for teenagers.

If you just want to increase your static passive flexibilty, no warm up is required.( as long as you don't use isometric)

If you want to warm up, don't use static passive, use dynamic warm up instead.

This is the correct order for a flexibility workout:

Cardio (optionnal)
Dynamic flexibility..if you want to increase it
static active (optionnal)

isometric stretch (don't use it)
static passive

[PaRaSiTe_X92]

OK, cheers.

What if my workout itself was just dynamic stretching, to improve flexibility? Would I need to do a warmup?

[Birch]

technically doing easier reps would count as a warmup so a couple of extra dynamics taken easy before everything else can help

[PaRaSiTe_X92]

Oh OK, cheers Birch.

[tricker_d]

I don't have as good flexiblity as I should have and Im nowhere near the sidesplits. I can almost kick my forehead if I warm up though.

[540Ninja]

I have excellent advice, and this is no joke. DONT LISTEN TO A WORD "GRABER" SAYS......because he is a fool and thinks he's the flexibilty master (and he may be, but no one cares)

[Papa Lazarou]

Cully
It won't take ten years. With good stretching practices you should be able to get the splits quite quickly. Like 2-4 months or something. This means using isometrics too of course.

Stretching should NOT hurt. It might be uncomfortable, but effective stretching is generally quite gentle and light.

One more thing: I wouldn't do cycling as a warm up. Riding a bike involves using muscles of the hip at a less than resting length. That will shorten them - not just temporarily either. You can still gain flexibility if you only cycle a bit and stretch consistantly though.

[Cully]

Cully
It won't take ten years. With good stretching practices you should be able to get the splits quite quickly. Like 2-4 months or something. This means using isometrics too of course.

Yep... The problem before was that I only did isometrics... and I did a cycle as a warmup :/

Stretching should NOT hurt. It might be uncomfortable, but effective stretching is generally quite gentle and light.

Yep... I know what you mean.... There's a difference between pain and an intense stretch. Quite a lot of people can't distinguish the difference. At the moment, the backs and insides of my legs are twinging a bit, but I know that's because I used them at a higher range than I ever have. I also know that over time, the intensity will not be as bad (well.. either that or you get used to it)

One more thing: I wouldn't do cycling as a warm up. Riding a bike involves using muscles of the hip at a less than resting length. That will shorten them - not just temporarily either. You can still gain flexibility if you only cycle a bit and stretch consistantly though.

Well.... I have a problem there.... Cycling is how I get to work and back... 35 mins or so each way.. 5 days a week.

Thanks for you comments :)

[PaRaSiTe_X92]

Run REALLY fast?

[Cully]

Run REALLY fast?

Not the best, cos I bring a small rucksack to work every day. I tried running with it before and it bounces around everywhere... If I tighten it a lot, then it constricts my body so I can't breath as well when puffing, and also still moves too much.

I work in a bank, so I have to bring shirt and tie and crap :/ That's mostly why I bring a bag.

[Ashtar]

Instead of tightening it, what about just pulling the straps forward with your arms? This makes it adhere to your back, but your arms can naturally get in the habit of loosening to avoid breath constriction.

[Cully]

Tried that too... Trust me, it's not happening. If you have a bag like that, then it moves like hell and you can't relax your arms either.... You try running and holding a bag like that for about an hour... Then you'll know what I mean.

[Papa Lazarou]

Cycling is ok, as long as you stretch. You'll still make progress - just don't expect it to be really fast, especially with hamstrings.

[Ashtar]

What are you talking about progress? He's just talking about using cycling as a warmup. Cycling for 35 minutes would definately warm you up, especially if you're doing it with a heavy backpack on. If anything it might burn you out or overtighten, heh.

[Papa Lazarou]

I mean that cycling regularly for decent periods shortens your hamstrings and probably other muscles of the hip because they're working at a shorter than normal length. You can offset that by stretching after the cycling (or maybe later on) but progress will still be slower than without cycling. It'd be a fine general warmup for many systems, but probably not so much for the legs.

Basically if you want to warm up, don't cycle. If you have to get somewhere by bike, go for it - just make sure you stretch daily. You'll still progress, just a bit slower in the hips/legs.

[artanis.one]

The only thing cycling does is get you to point A - B and give you gi-normous calves...

[Ashtar]

How would cycling be any worse than sitting? Things usually aren't at their maximum length anyway. When you sprint, you don't totally stretch the hamstrings either.

[Papa Lazarou]

I know. But the muscles are working (hard) at a reduced range. It's just what I read anyway - might be wrong. It was based on studies though.

[Vincent_Lee]

it depends, i got cold frontsplits in a few moths of stretching reguarly 9 times aday