Flexibility

@if ®afiq

@if ®afiq

@if ®afiq

Soldato
Joined
3 May 2003
Posts
6,077
I'm not very flexible and want to improve this, but am not too sure how to go about it. I was thinking about maybe doing either pilates or yoga....any opinions?

TIA :)
 
Yoga would do it for sure. Pilates is great for posture and core strength but there is less emphasis on stretching.

There are a wide variety of stretching types but research shows to improve soft tissue length (as opposed to pre/post match strectching) the optimum duration is as follows:-
- stretching muscle/tendon (contractile tissues) is 30-45 seconds hold (without bouncing) and to be done 3-5 times/day
- stretching other tissues (non-contractile) is 2min+ (without bouncing) .

Persevere with it though it won't happen overnight. ;)
 
Had my first ever yoga lesson on Sunday and all I can say is it is soooo much harder than it looks. The one I did was called Asthanga and I was sweating by the end of it, my hams where have been sore for the last two days....but I'll deffo be going back.
 
Clever boy, not many people realise just how important flexibility is to overall fitness...

Was considering Yoga, flexilbe martial arts or adult gymnastics classes to find my excercise for fitness...

The Yoga would be more spiritual, the martial arts would be a cross between the two (if I pick the right one) and the gymnatics would be more physical...

Let us know how you get on with Yoga
 
I was never that flexible when i was doing kung fu, i could kick well over my own head hight off front and back legs from either stance, and with an Axe kick i could get my leg vertical.

Could i do the splits though?
Could i arse, neither side or front splits.
 
atpbx said:
I was never that flexible when i was doing kung fu, i could kick well over my own head hight off front and back legs from either stance, and with an Axe kick i could get my leg vertical.

Could i do the splits though?
Could i arse, neither side or front splits.
Click to expand...

Which style of kung fu?
 
cleanbluesky said:
Clever boy, not many people realise just how important flexibility is to overall fitness...
Click to expand...

Very... right down to your energy... if there is too much tension across a joint from an unstretched muscle then the other muscle(s ;)) have to work harder and compensate for it... which means using more Oxygen.

It greatly afects strength too, if a muscle cell is stretched properly and is at it's longest it will generate more force during a contraction.
 
Lead_Head said:
Is Yoga something that you can do at home? Any *good* guides about?
Click to expand...

I think once you learn the basic "moves" - I can't remember the names - then you don't really need to go to a teacher after that.

The session that I went to was for intermediates, so I might try the beginers and see what that is like.....but I have to say it was really good.
 
atpbx said:
I was never that flexible when i was doing kung fu, i could kick well over my own head hight off front and back legs from either stance, and with an Axe kick i could get my leg vertical.

Could i do the splits though?
Could i arse, neither side or front splits.
Click to expand...

Do you mean you could do a side kick and hold you leg in the air with your foot well above your head, or that you could kick and bring it back quick but not hold it?

Like this: http://www.taekwondowest.com/images/side kick.jpg

I have a strong kick but my flexibility is terrible! Never was naturally flexible and the few yoga classes I attended were such hard work and pretty painful. For example, if I sit on the floor with my legs straight out in front, or slightly open, the middle of my legs don't touch the floor! Very bad.
 
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