fastest route to flexibility

[Pranaman]

WOAH, watch out. who out there has an EXTREME formula for gaining ULTIMATE flexibility fastest.

 

or you know, just a routine and theory to gain full body flexibility that I can practice for the next few months.

 

I am going to incorporate contortionist exercises into my daily routine starting tommorow, unless somebody knows for sure that practicing back bends is really bad for your back:

 

[Pranaman]

so, when I posted the above about an hour ago, I had to struggle to touch mah toes. I just did some good ol' stretching and increased my stretch at least a half an inch, while feeling a ton better.

 

this was my resource:

Contortionist's Handbook

 

and I did these first two exercises:

Frontbends

 

I'll post back with my results after a month or so. This is going to be great I believe.

 

 

I thought this was a nice exercise:

Edited November 16, 2008 by Pranaman

[froggie]

As far as herbs go i know this:

herbs that increase flexibility - jin gu jia wan

http://www.seaofchi.com/tif.html

[Mal]

Not specifically flexibility, but Combat Conditioning slowly increases your flexibility. When I started if I sat on the floor with my legs out straight I was about 10 cm away from touching my toes. Now I can grab my toes and use my feet to "stretch" myself even further forward.

 

If you want fast (well be careful not to tear something, don't rush) I'd check out Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training or anything else by Thomas Kurz.

[Starjumper]

 

I am going to incorporate contortionist exercises into my daily routine starting tommorow, unless somebody knows for sure that practicing back bends is really bad for your back:

 

Practicing back bends is really bad for your back, unless you start at the age of two.

[mYTHmAKER]

I recommend Meridian Resistance Stretching

It's very effective

 

http://www.meridianstretching.com/flexibility_strength.html

 

http://www.humanhyperformance.com/page/page/2606882.htm

 

http://www.innovativebodysolutions.com/oly...-like-dara.html

 

[Taomeow]

Hi Pranaman,

 

I'm a big fan of the Five Tibetans for flexibility. Fast, efficient, safe if you don't do anything silly, you can go at your own pace, and you will notice results within a short time. (Once the muscles remember, the time is reduced to 24-48 hours, i.e. if I don't practice for a year, one or two days get me back to where I was when I practiced daily.)

 

Also from personal exposure: the standard TKD warm-up routine is very nice, and takes care of all those lateral stretches that are missing from the Tibetans.

 

To aid the task while you're practicing:

 

take some magnesium supplements, and emphasize yin foods (mushy soups, gelatinous stuff like strong bone broths, glutinous rice, fish, seaweed, shrimp, root vegetables. Avoid fried, crispy-crunchy stuff. Avoid bread and other wheat products like the plague. Minimize or eliminate dairy, with the exception of fermented organic stuff -- kefir, yogurt. High intake of quality fat is essential -- forget all you've heard about any benefits of "low fat" or "fat free" stuff, flexibility is a function of proper internal lubrication and Ayurveda will prescribe straight up ghee by the spoonful to accomplish this, or even oil retention enemas! You don't need to go this far, just remember the "good fat is good" mantra and you'll be lean and flexible for all eternity! )

[松永道]

...Avoid fried, crispy-crunchy stuff. Avoid bread and other wheat products like the plague. Minimize or eliminate dairy, with the exception of fermented organic stuff -- kefir, yogurt. High intake of quality fat is essential...

 

Yes!

 

I embarked on a no-easy-energy diet a year ago, eliminating sugars, simple carbohydrates, and alcohol from my diet completely. Basically vegetables and meat. For the price of an initial two weeks or so of low energy, your body will learn to switch over to long burn energy metabolism and you will start being filled with all sorts of vitality and flexibility. Your mucus membranes will clear out, clearing the eyes, ears, nose, and mind, your body will get lighter.

 

But there is a price, it removes you another step from common society. Sugars may give you a headache or hangover. One days off won't cost you much but two or three days of indulgence will set you back.

 

If you have family that love to eat, I'd suggest starting after the new year, enjoy Thanksgiving and the winter holidays and give it a go after the coldest part of the year passes. You'll have the seasonal energy working for you, winter is a time to store, spring makes for good house cleaning.

[Eric23]

I don't think that you can achieve that sort of flexibility in a short period of time with out injuring yourself. Of course I am a stiff old fart. I have been doing various stretching and yoga since my days of running track in high school. I would say to start with the foundations and work into it at a steady rate listening closely to your body. Very important to breath through the stretching. If I've learned one thing in my Yin Yoga class it is to focus on breathing while in the asanas. Also, another important thing (really important!) to remember is that you do not "do" asanas; you need to let the asanas work you. I would agree with Taomeow that the Tibetans are a great foundation builder and good place to start. You might also look into the various sun salutations.

 

I do not want to discourage you at all in starting a flexibility program. It is one of the most important and beneficial things you can do for your long term health. I just would hate to see you over do it and injure yourself, thereby discouraging you from pursuing flexibility as a lifetime activity

[Pranaman]

I see my teacher pull his head down to his knees, and I just say, damn.

I can touch the floor with shoes with my legs straight.

 

After an intense day of stretching, my hamstrings were sore and I was way tighter than I was. But I just stretched through it and I'm limber again, still with sore muscles, but I can retain my elasticity. Was this an injury or a good stretch?

 

and yes, a flexibility routine will continue through my life.

[寒月 Hanyue]

It can be important to understand the difference between 'flexibility', 'mobility', 'suppleness', 'relaxation', and 'elasticity'.

 

They are different even if they cross over at times. It depends on what you want and why you want it. Straight out 'stretching' through force as it sounds like you are doing, is the best and fastest way to injury. You can also easily cause imbalances in the muscles and posture by just trying to 'stretch' everything out to 'get more flexible'.

 

Why do you want the flexibility? this is the first thing to address. Then you can proceed from there. An 'open' body that is also healthy and retains its inherent stability (especially as you age) is not something created through 'fast' result type approaches. If you do not NEED a certain 'extreme' range of motion it is better to not have it.

 

It can be helpful to appreciate why your body is NOT flexible, most people i know work hard through stretching routines like having a bad argument with their body. I WILL beat you into submission!! ha ha. Approaching things purely on a superficial i want longer muscles level is not so good. There is what you do, the posture etc, and then there is HOW you do it, and that is mainly where the differences lie.

 

Simplistically, for the yang and 'waigong' side look at Pavel, Kurz, Zaichik (all look at developing 'flexibility'). For the yin 'neigong' side Sonnon, Grilley, Frantzis, Vasiliev, Feldenkrais/Hanna (look more at mobility and 'releasing' from inside).

 

Hope you find what you want, good luck : )

[Zusanli]

I work with post-isometric relaxation. In other words, before you stretch the muscle, contract it. In taoist terms, anything pushed to its extreme turns into its opposite. Ultimate stillness creates movement. Contract the hamstring, hold the contraction, relax it and stretch it.

 

Have fun!

[Starjumper]

You can push your luck with other kinds of stretching, but the first post asked specifically about back bends. Push your luck with bending backwards and you get serious long term injury, unless you start as a very young child. I say don't EVEN try lower back bending stretches at all, ever. I'm referring to lower back, as is shown in the first post. Stretching upper of middle back backwards can be done more safely.

Edited November 19, 2008 by Starjumper7

[Pranaman]

I want to loosen my body in order to function on the level of using my body to fight. Assuming I grow emotionally, mentally, and physically in the process of building the body and mentality to be able to fight.

 

On one monday a few months ago, my yichuan sifu had us sit on the floor, legs straight out, feet together, and to try and touch our toes. My fingertips were at mid-shin. He said by wednesday, I should be touching my feet. Me and some of the other new students laughed. On the way out a buddy said," don't forget, be able to touch your toes by next class." We laughed. Then a student that has been around for a while longer runs out to the street and says," hey Bobby, you can touch your toes by wednesday, let gravity help you". Well, came wednesday, I could touch my feet, I just had to push myself and handle the hurt. There are other stretches that i'm not up to par with. This is why I seek a loose body.

[Eric23]

As I mentioned in my earlier post.... Don't "do" the asana, let it do you. Go as far as you are comfortable to your edge, relax and breath. Allow gravity and the body position do the work. Don't force it. As you breath and relax you'll go deeper into the asana. Personally I feel that your sifu is setting you up for possible injury by putting a deadline in place. We finish every yoga session with shavasana (death pose) laying flat on the floor, meditative; allowing the muscles to recover from the stretching. This is a very critical part of the process.

 

I agree with Starjumper that the extreme pose you showed on the first post of this thread is something that will take a long, long time to achieve and will probably not be worth the potential danger. Being able to do that type of asana will not really improve your martial art either. You should look into yoga for athletes. As a previous poster mentioned, it looks like you're after overall suppleness and general flexibility, a very worthwhile endevour.

 

One other thing to consider. Yoga asanas are not designed primarily as a stretching exercise or workout. They do that, but the deeper benefit is that they open channels and massage/invigorate the various organs internally. For some of us there is a deeper spiritual component as well in the meditative aspect of yoga.

[Pranaman]

Although the risk of injury is there, I believe the risk exists in any type of exercise. Most of the time, the class is just a test of your discipline. I've been thinking of beginning sun salutations to hopefully someday be able to to do full sets out of ashtanga yoga. In which my approach would be different. Maybe I will less the intensity of my stretch and increase how much I do stretch throughout the day.

[Aetherous]

Okay, I'm about half way through an athletic training program in college right now. I figure I should help out. Athletic training isn't personal training, like you see on tv or in a gym. It's not about training people for fitness or losing flab. These are the guys that work in sports medicine clinics, or work with pro athletes to prevent and treat injuries. It's more like a physical therapist...

 

So some basics of stretching: stretch up to where it feels tense, then hold it there for at least 10 seconds. 30 seconds to a minute is good, too. Repeat like 5-10 times for each muscle group...you can go a little further as you keep stretching but don't push it.

 

Don't bounce in the stretch.

 

Don't do forward bends with your lower back. If you're bending forward, bend at the hip and allow the back to be straight. It can help to start out by sitting on the floor and touching your toes. But don't bend at the lower back!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bend at the waist, and sit more on your sits bones or back upper thighs.

 

Once again: don't bend at the low back. Stick your butt out.

 

Check out this nifty website for good stretches:

 

http://www.abc-of-fitness.com/info/fitness-exercises.asp

 

Your sifu is a retard for pushing you guys to reach your toes. He might know about yichuan, but he obviously doesn't know about how to stretch. So listen to him about the things he actually knows, but don't just take his word for it and risk your own health because of something he doesn't understand.

 

The risk for injury shouldn't exist in stretching. It should exist in martial arts competitions, skydiving, etc....but stretching isn't a contest, and it's not extreme.

[h.uriahr]

Very ancient training method. Set up four pulleys in some trees. Tie the end of each one to each ankle and wrist. Make sure you have a very sadistic martial arts master handy and have him control the pulleys and so he can force you into the splits. Center your mind after the required montage has been played, open your eyelids to reveal a fierce and concentrative gaze and rip down the pulley system. No pat yourself on the back because you my friend are ready for Kumite!

Edited November 20, 2008 by MPWay

[Pranaman]

http://www.abc-of-fitness.com/info/fitness-exercises.asp

 

Your sifu is a retard for pushing you guys to reach your toes. He might know about yichuan, but he obviously doesn't know about how to stretch. So listen to him about the things he actually knows, but don't just take his word for it and risk your own health because of something he doesn't understand.

 

The risk for injury shouldn't exist in stretching. It should exist in martial arts competitions, skydiving, etc....but stretching isn't a contest, and it's not extreme.

 

thanks for the site.

 

My sifu didn't push anyone to their toes. He simply set it us a goal. His advice was to do whatever hobby I do, playing the guitar or watching TV, whatever people do these days, but with your legs extended out in front of you. No pushing involved. I believe I could have done the exercise routine you just gave, many times in that two day period, and come back being able to touch my toes,

[Aetherous]

His advice was to do whatever hobby I do, playing the guitar or watching TV, whatever people do these days, but with your legs extended out in front of you. No pushing involved.

 

Ah I see...I take back what I said then.

[mYTHmAKER]

Very ancient training method. Set up four pulleys in some trees. Tie the end of each one to each ankle and wrist. Make sure you have a very sadistic martial arts master handy and have him control the pulleys and so he can force you into the splits. Center your mind after the required montage has been played, open your eyelids to reveal a fierce and concentrative gaze and rip down the pulley system. No pat yourself on the back because you my friend are ready for Kumite!

 

You can also get four oxen - attach arms and legs to oxen.

Have some friends guide the oxen in four different directions.

Remember the key here is to be gentle

[Starjumper]

Speaking of pushing it, interesting timing on the thread. I was stretching my wrists last week and overdid it. I ended up ripping some ligaments or tendons off my left elbow. So now I need to wear a wrist brace for six weeks at least, and probably forgo applications class, which is happening now, and I'm not there.

 

It's funny (ha ha) how you don't feel the pain right away, only later, when you move it again.

Edited November 20, 2008 by Starjumper7

[mYTHmAKER]

Speaking of pushing it, interesting timing on the thread. I was stretching my wrists last week and overdid it. I ended up ripping some ligaments or tendons off my left elbow. So now I need to wear a wrist brace for six weeks at least, and probably forgo applications class, which is happening now, and I'm not there.

 

It's funny (ha ha) how you don't feel the pain right away, only later, when you move it again.

 

 

What was the exercise - movement you were doing when you tore them.

[Starjumper]

What was the exercise - movement you were doing when you tore them.

 

Bending the wrist joint to and past 90 degrees by pressing back on the fingers. Same as pressing your hands together flat (prayer fashion) and firmly at heart or solar plexus level and then raising your elbows so that the forearms are in a straight line or above a straight line. After it heals I'm going to have a lot of lost ground to retake with wrist flexibility. Hopefully I just strained it rather than broke something but symptoms seem to be pointing to a break, tendon, not ligament.

Edited November 20, 2008 by Starjumper7

[sifusufi]

As far as herbs go i know this:

herbs that increase flexibility - jin gu jia wan

http://www.seaofchi.com/tif.html

Well its on the way, we shall soon find out.

Thanks for the tip!

 

Future fluidity,

Rob