have to improve my flexibilty

[Elite_Fry]

ive been saying im gonna start trying to improve it for ages but keep making up excuses and when i do start i can never stick to it but now im gonna
my flexability is shocking neone got a good daily routine i can do to improve it?
any websites etc.

 

[blut wump]

If flexibility your goal is then yoga your answer must be.

 

[powerhouse972]

If flexibility your goal is then yoga your answer must be.

i did yoga for the first time the other day and i will never do it again. if you want to improve flexibilty do a search on

# ballistic stretching
# dynamic stretching
# active stretching
# passive (or relaxed) stretching
# static stretching
# isometric stretching
# PNF stretching

or check out this link http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/md8.htm

 

[GodOfThunder]

Why wouldn't you ever do it again? Because its hard? Yoga is definitley a great way to stretch and lengthen the muscles esp. the core muscles(lower back, abs, obliques...).
While yoga may not be tha answer for everything, it shouldn't be written off the list of things to consider when training for flexibility.

 

[curgeo]

What is the reason for wanting to be flexable? Do you do something in your life that requires it? Are you a martial artist?

The reason I ask is in my opinion, one only needs to be as flexable as what is required in everyday life and activity. I work out so I only need to be as flexable as what my lifts require. Do not ever stretch a cold muscle first before you get blood circulating in the muscle. That is the quickest way to a muscle tear. Learn the difference between static and dynamic stretches. Static flexability does not carry over well to dynamic flexability. Never stretch before you workout a muscle as it can actually cause the muscle to weaken. The only exception really is PNF and other proprioceptive stretches. Check out Mel Siff's "Supertraining" for more info on PNF.

Good luck.

 

[Madcow2]

Yoga (not not super sweat aerobic psycho soccer mom yoga) has benefits outside of any increase in flexability. Although outside the scope of this forum, it can be a very beneficial activity for focusing the mind and calming it's tendency to drift and obscure.

 

[Elite_Fry]

thanks http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/md8.htm was good

 

[mayhems]

all i can say it stretch before, during and after workouts if u wanna be really flexible... you'd want long muscles not bulky muscles which requires tons of stretching

 

[blut wump]

Stretching before a workout can be dangerous and even jedi yoga masters don't do that.

Firstly, stretching a cold muscle can lead to muscle tears. Secondly, if you are about to do weights, it'll impinge on your stretch reflex.

 

[Illuminati]

all i can say it stretch before, during and after workouts if u wanna be really flexible... you'd want long muscles not bulky muscles which requires tons of stretching

how are you going to make a muscle "longer" by stretching it? that doesn't make any sense...

 

[casualbb]

buy Core Performance and follow their stretching regimen

yeah um don't do yoga. Yoga is a very stylized and long version of good stretching and core routine. You can distill out the good elements from the annoying poses and zen philosophy to have something quick and efficient

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Just want to drop in my bit of knowledge. I've heard time and again not to stretch before a workout, due to the belief that it elongates the muscle and weakens it. In this case, you'd want to just do a few light warmup sets to go through the motions, get blood flowing, and save the stretching for the end of a session in order to reduce soreness.

Now, I've tried both ways, and I honestly haven't seen any difference in strength or performance when I've stretched. In fact, I feel better going through my squats and deadlifts after stretching.

My suggestion? Walk the treadmill or ride a bike for 3-5 minutes, just to get your heart beating a little faster. After that, do your warmup sets (the lighter ones that require little effort) and between those, stretch lightly.

There might not be scientific evidence behind this, but I don't see much that says it's detrimental, either. I don't feel the need to do such things with bench presses or military presses, but I have to stretch my groin, glutes, quads, and hamstrings before heavy squatting and deadlifting.

 

[JohnnyCoho]

On my 4th week now of Mark Verstegen's "Core Performance" program (Thanks Casual) and am already seeing results in my flexibility. Liking it a lot so far...pretty good weight program as well and I dont seem to be losing much muscle mass, but am losing weight.

So I second Casuals suggestion of "Core Performance"

 

[casualbb]

core performance: haven't touched my toes in years. After 3 weeks on the program, could touch the floor with locked knees and palm the floor with unlocked knees

 

[JohnnyCoho]

core performance: haven't touched my toes in years. After 3 weeks on the program, could touch the floor with locked knees and palm the floor with unlocked knees

WORD!!!! Those "Hand Walks" had me sayin', "what the fark" at the beginning of the program but can now just about palm the floor myself doin them.