Flexibility training/stretching ?

[xonic2xonic]

I would like to become more flexible. Ideally I would love to be able to do the splits one day.

Time is an issue, could I benefit from doing a good stretching routine just once a week?


Thanks!

 

[jboy]

I personally think stretching is one of the most over looked aspects of training. It'll gives you better range of motion and makes you more injury resistant, just to name a couple of benefits.

 

[jboy]

BTW I doubt once a week will be enough to get results. It doesn't take that long, so why not just do it everyday?

 

[Zyglamail]

I went from being pretty flexibly(ie pamls to floor) to touching my knee to my chest in under 5 minutes. This is kind of lengthy so bear with me.

Stretching is not so much a limitation of our physical bodies but one of our nervous system and a means of protection.

Im a tad rusty in the terminolgy so I will try to explain what I mean best I can, please bear with me. There are two things to consider when stretching, speed of movement and strength in a given position.

To overcome limitations in regard to speed (speaking just for legs now, but principle applies to all joints) you can increase flexibility by forcibly propelling your limb. An example would be doing straight leg kicks, keep the knee locked and simply pivot at the hip with some force and let your leg stop itself. You will notice that with each kick your foot goes slightly higher. While this is good and addresses one factor there is still another to consider.

In order to truely be flexible you need strength at the outer limits of your flexability. Weight resistance is good, but do to the extreme range of motion often needed to do the splits for example, there simply arent any machines(or few) that would work.

Isometrics done at every increment in a limbs range of motion can build strength and also overcomes the nervous systems limitations. Its hard to explaine, but bear with me and I will try my best. For this first example, lets just use the standard splits, one leg forward the other leg back. We have muscles both in the front of the thigh as well as the hamstring that limit movement so the stretch need to be perfromed once with one leg forward, other back and vice versa.

Chances are if you are like most guys you wont get very close to the floor at first and its ok if your back leg is on the knee, we are going to just concentrate on the front leg for now. With the front leg out, heal on the floor. This is best done on a wood or tiles floor with a cloth for padding under the heal as well as to allow it to slide out away from you easer. It is often nice to have a chair on either side of you to place your arms on to hold you up, when you first start your often not limber enough to have hands on the floor for support without leaning way forward.

Now, with all your might, press the heal of your front foot into the floor, contracting your glutes etc. Do this as hard as you possibly can for about 15 seconds and then relax, if your doing it right your foot should actually slide forward and your hips should lower as you relaxe. Continue this a few times or until you simply get tired. You whould actually gain many many inches of additional flexibility just from one sitting as will be noticed as your foot slides away when you relax. Its also imortant to keep your hips square and inline with your shoulders facing straight ahead. When done, switch sides and work the other leg.

Now, for the "chinese" splits (ie legs straight out to the sides) you essentially do the same thing. It works well if you can have a chair in front of you to support your torso upright. towels/rags under heals so the slide and for padding, toes pointed straight ahead, not up in the air. Lower yourself down until your stopped by your own body tensing. Now, once again with all your strength press both feet into the floor and keep pressing with all your might for 15 seconds and relax, as you relax, you should noticbly drop to a much lower position than when you started. Repeat this until exhausted or you hit the floor.

Do this 2x per week and if you are diligent you should be able to hit the floor in under 8 weeks.

 

[THeMaCHinE]

I've found that yoga 1x or 2x (ideally) per week has greatly improved flexibility and training -- the breathing techniques are also very easily applied to maximal/near maximal lifts. It's good shit.

 

[xonic2xonic]

Excellent guys thanks, esp zyg....

I do stretch between sets anyway, but I was thinking of dedicating an off day or maybe two to stretching and specifically for trying to get to splits.

 

[Zyglamail]

My method sounds rather funny and my explanation likely did it little justice but nonbelievers can get immediate results and see for themselves that it does work. It is however rather painfull, but as lifters so is puching any set to failure so that should be nothing new

 

[xonic2xonic]

Bro, I just re-read, are you sure? This shit sounds fukin dangerous? Can't you rip/tear a tendon/ligament or something by applying this kind of force? Every stretch guide I have seen suggests going no further than a stretch feeling to avoid damage !?

 

[Zyglamail]

Bro, I just re-read, are you sure? This shit sounds fukin dangerous? Can't you rip/tear a tendon/ligament or something by applying this kind of force? Every stretch guide I have seen suggests going no further than a stretch feeling to avoid damage !?

Like I said, my explanation likely didnt do it justice.

I am not suggesting forcing a stretch, the just of it was lower yourself into a position where you strenthed. Lets use the example of side splits. You have a chair in front of you for balance, rags under your feet and you let your feet slide apart until you are at the point where you dont go lower (ie stretch feeling)..... ya with me so far?

Once in that stretched position you contract the muscles, pulling your feet together, pressing your heals against the floor as if trying to bring your feet together and end in a standing position. This is basically a isometric exercise where you are in essence exerting maximum force to an imovable object....namely you, since those muscles wont be strong enough or have the leverage to move you. After giving it your all for a good 15 seconds relaxe the contraction and you WILL feel yourself drop and once again will tighten up as you reach your new "stretch" position. Then repeat.

Was that a bit clearer?

 

[Bicho]

BUMP