Loaded Stretching

[Trunk]

I've never been very flexible. Stocky and bulky, I've always had to have some regular weighted exercise just to warm up and relax. So the ideas of qi gong that works the muscularture (like 1-legged work) and "loaded stretching" are interesting for me. Bridges are currently beyond my ability, but i'm curious to inch towards it.

 

Saw the ad for Pavel's "Loaded Stretching" and have been experimenting with a variation of the stretch shown on the DVD cover, but with arms extended above the head, careful to evenly load the full back (not stack the load in any one place).

 

Any of you bought the DVD? Reviews?

 

Then, as a counter exercise, this: (which, btw, I got from here.)

 

 

Curious about what any of you guys who are bulky/tight do for stretching that suits you.

 

Trunk

[Yoda]

I've tried the stretch on the cover and it's great! That should help my bridging project, too. I can't bring myself to buy a 20-25 minute DVD, no matter how wonderful. If you get it, let us know how it is. Furey's wall walking which is endorsed by Pavel too, is a good one to work on, even if you can't go very far back. For somebody stiff as a board, Furey recommends working on a bridge with a yoga ball like in the background of your dragon flag photo.

 

-Yoda

[Trunk]

I've tried the stretch on the cover and it's great!

 

For somebody stiff as a board, Furey recommends working on a bridge with a yoga ball like in the background of your dragon flag photo.

Didn't see one in that shot, but I get the idea.

Don't think I wanna buy the ball for just that one thing, but might as I get more into it and think that'd be the thing to get me over the hump. For now, I'm gonna review Furey's material that I have - and maybe visit my local yoga studio for tips.

[Yoda]

Yoga balls are $5 at Walmart then you can give it away to a youngling when you are done, but the wall walking is better anyway.

 

-Yoda

[GrandTrinity]

How about loading your streches like this. You plan it out. Take ecstacy. This should relax all the muscles maaaaad amounts so you can strech them out. Then, the next day (the comedown day when your all depressed) do the same routine to keep the muscles at the same length...keep practicing it and it should stay that way.

 

I am a true taoist in that I have NEVER tried synthetic drugs, only mushrooms and such. Therefore, I have no idea if this would work. But its an idea. A good one? I dont know what do you all think?????????

[Cameron]

exctacy has been proven to cause brain damage and the 2 times I have taken it were somewhat fun but the down was horrible.

 

I know people that used to do this shit every weekend but I have to think giving someone advice to take exctacy so that they can be more flexible is a shade shy of retarded

[Yoda]

Cam--Cool, a taoist has tried ecstacy! I've always wanted to, but my one friend who does it often, has told me that I would go nuts on it, it's not ideal for a married guy, and refuses to hook me up. Sigh. I can imagine that he's right, though. Also, I didn't know that Indian wrestlers actually did cc type bridging work--cool!

 

Trunk--here's a cool pairing of bridging work I'm trying right now: alternate wall walking with wall squats (hindu squats done with the toes touching or as near as possible to a wall, heels stay on the ground).

 

-Y

[Cameron]

Have you seen the DVD? They not only do bridging it is probably the main component of their conditioning. Along with dahdns and betheks. Furey's Royal court truly is the major conditioning excercises of the Indian Wrestlers with swinging the Gata and Jori coming in second. although it looked like some wrestling schools put gata and Jori swinging above bridging.

 

Cama The Great

[Cameron]

Also, the Iranian wrestlers have a similar system that I am studying. One of my cousins had a relative that was pahlavan. I remember going to his house and seeing this picture of a big dude with an Indian club. I didn't know anything about it but thought it looked interesting.

[Cameron]

Cam--Cool, a taoist has tried ecstacy!

 

Unfortunatly there wasent much cool about it. I won't get into details but lets just say both times were hardly positive experiences and if I could prevent anyone from evr taking this shit that would be my wish.

[Trunk]

I just started doing the ab.wheel, standing. I do it up to a wall, to stop the wheel at the angle that I can handle.

 

An unexpected benefit: I find that the strong tension that it puts on the lower ab works the attachments of my abs to my pubic bone, and is effectively releasing some stagnation there that I've not released through other methods.

[GrandTrinity]

exctacy has been proven to cause brain damage and the 2 times I have taken it were somewhat fun but the down was horrible.

 

I know people that used to do this shit every weekend but I have to think giving someone advice to take exctacy so that they can be more flexible is a shade shy of retarded

4918[/snapback]

 

 

I dont disagree. My question is this: perhaps the deep state of relaxation would allow one to open their muscles. Perhaps years of streching could be bypassed with this method? It makes sense, no? But this is just a hypothesis, I have no plans to try it. Although, I think someone REALLY SHOULD because it just might work.

 

And Cam, dont stress over your "brain damage" because this is a relative term. You are one of the smartest dudes in the world if you are a tao bum.

 

KEEP UP!