Question about lower back flexiblity

[thereid]

I notice a lot of contortionists have very limber lower spines, so they can do things like touch their ass with the back of their head. With a lot of stretching would I be able to do that or is it something people must be born with?

[shengoikee]

i found this pretty easy to work on once i started stretching the lower back every day. i mainly did the stretch where both legs are out in front and you aim to put your face on your shins. feels like death but eventually you wont feel a thing.

[Benji]

they can do things like touch their ass with the back of their head.

I think you're thinking of ab flexibility. And I don't have an answer, haha.

[Papa Lazarou]

Better not to try for that stuff I think. Hypermobile back = the lose. It's unnecessary and risky.

[short gorilla]

It's most likely that you wouldn't be able to reach the level of flexibility that a contortionist has, but you can come as close as possible by stretching out your entire trunk every day. It's not a matter of a flexible back, flexible abs, flexible hips, but rather a combination of a flexible everything. Work towards surpassing your limits of flexibility in every body part. Stretch through every range of motion. That will get you started at least.

Keep in mind too that you'll need some active strength for some of those stretches, as contortionists have to hold themselves up throughout a lot of those moves.

[Ashtar]

To touch your ass with the back of your head is usually done with a backbend, which means flexibile abdominals to allow spinal hyperextension. To do it with a frontbend would certainly be impressive, don't think that's ever been done.

The active strength of contortionists is very interesting, though in a lot of cases they use their arms to keep them in stretches because sometimes muscle attachment points just don't pull you into those kinds of unusually angled stretches.

[DraKe]

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[Papa Lazarou]

Seriously, look into the risks before you try for this stuff man. Stretching connective tissue can be dangerous.

[short gorilla]

Seriously, look into the risks before you try for this stuff man. Stretching connective tissue can be dangerous.

Yeah, better work on bone flexibility, maybe your inner organs. Stay away from that other stuff.

[Papa Lazarou]

Fair enough. I put the "can" in there for a reason though =p
In fact, I think skeletal muscles aren't classified as connective tissue at all. So nyeeh

Of course I was referring to ligaments and to some extent tendons. I'm guessing a bit but I think what some of those contortionists do is only possible with lax ligaments or deformed joint surfaces.

Basically if you go for this stuff, you're risking your ligaments and joint surfaces - personally I wouldn't mess with the connective tissue of my spine.

[short gorilla]

I knew what you meant, had to razz you anyways.

[Graber]

Ive started to do some stretching for lower back, I have some progress but I think is not easy to gain flexibility for lower back.

[JacktheHero]

I like my lower back flexiblity but I wonder if I even need it for tricking or something? And how dangerous it can be..

[-spinxy-]

For my wushu training I'm currently trying to learn a move where you kick your leg up behind you and catch it at the back of your head (with both legs remaining straight) whilst you are still standing with your back straight. I've been told the best way to stretch my back to do that is to get into front splits and raise my arms up and lean back, attempting to touch my foot with my hands. It is an extremely difficult stretch as you can't breathe properly whilst doing it so you generally just have to hold your breath and do it for short spurts. It really is a bitch of a stretch but I really want to get this move nailed as it looks so good.

[Papa Lazarou]

Honestly guys, look into the risks of this stuff before you go for it. Some of these moves could fuck you over badly in later life.

[thereid]

For my wushu training I'm currently trying to learn a move where you kick your leg up behind you and catch it at the back of your head (with both legs remaining straight) whilst you are still standing with your back straight. I've been told the best way to stretch my back to do that is to get into front splits and raise my arms up and lean back, attempting to touch my foot with my hands. It is an extremely difficult stretch as you can't breathe properly whilst doing it so you generally just have to hold your breath and do it for short spurts. It really is a bitch of a stretch but I really want to get this move nailed as it looks so good.Ya, I've been trying to do that too.

[Kimberlina]

In my class we do back bridges, and when your down on one knee you push your hips forward and lean back while reaching above and back over your head. That's helped my back flexibility some.

But if you have ANY discomfort AT ALL stop what your doing. Its not worth chancing paralysis or spinal column fusing. You'll get enough back pain later in life without doing this stuff. I didn't have any back pain until I hit about 22, and believe you me it sucks! :tongue:

[Ashtar]

We all know you just want to suck your own cock. Get a girl!That's like saying 'never masturbate, have a girl give you a handjob'. It's often preferable, but in the end you can't be independant, and it's true that someone of the same sex understands your needs better, especially when that someone is you.