How can I improve my flexibility???

B

beachgerrrl

Cathlete
LOL. Well, not only have I found out that I lacked "endurance" (improving a lot, thanks to Cathe's step workouts!), but now I'm learning that I'm NOT very "flexible" in my lower body. :( Funny, I hadn't really noticed my inflexibility compared to Cathe & Crew during weight training, until I tried the GS Leg dvd. Now I notice that:

I can't squat as far as Cathe & Crew. They're at a 90 angle! I can only do that on a squat machine at the gym! With freewts, there's NO way I can sit back that low. :(

I can't do plie squats that low! OMG! Their thighs are at a 180 angle! I can't do it, esp NOT holding wts. :(

I can't do those platform "lower ended" deadlifts. Go past my ankles? yeah, and land on my head, maybe. :+

I can't do "stretches" the way Cathe (or Cedie!) do. When they cross their legs, and then bend forward, so that their ELBOWS touch the floor --- I just watch in amazement. I just can't go that far forward. :(

I can't do the HIGH forward kicks, OR the high back kicks, OR the high roundhouse side kicks in KPC. I just tried KPC for the 1st time today, and loved it, but my moves were somewhat pathetic. But, at least I didn't give up! I did complete the entire workout. YAY!! lol

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Maybe it's because I trained my legs so heavy all these years, BUT never really focused on much stretching (except for the minimun needed amt)? I feel so "heavy", stiff and clunky, when I try to do some of these moves (high kicks, etc), yet to look at me, I'm on the slim side. ? But my legs just cannot move the way theirs move. :(

There was funny incident during the stretch portion in GYM STYLE LEGS, where Cathe does this stretch where she is on the floors, on her hands and lunging back with one leg, with the other leg "tucked under and across" the stretched out leg? Well, suffice it to say, it felt like a nightmarish game of TWISTER! By the time she wanted me to "switch legs", I wanted to yell to my dh "I've fallen & I can't get up!" :+ It took a few seconds for me to "untangle" my legs. lol so sad...
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Does the flexibility improve as I keep trying? OR, should I really be focusing on incorporating ENTIRE workouts to ONLY "stetching" workouts? If yes, then how many days per week should I do "stretching workouts"? And when I do those, do I ONLY do those on that day? or can I still do cardio or strength workouts? If yes, then do I use the entire STRETCH tapes as the "last workout of the day"?
 
I asked this same question a while back. Based on the feedback from this educated forum I was able to increase my flexibility quite a bit within a month. I did it by doing a thorough stretch(20-30 minutes of Pure and Simple Stretch by Karen Voight because it's the only stretch tape I had at the time) twice a week after my cardio workout. The other workout days I just did the end of workout stretches(ie 5-10 min). I probably could've seen improvement quicker had I done it 3 times a week versus 2 times, but my time didn't allow that.

Good luck. IMHO it can be done if you commit the time.
 
One word.....YOGA. It has done wonders for me but it has taken 2 years of 2-3 times a week. You will love what it does for you.
 
I agree with arogerson..YOGA. I was already fairly flexible but when I added a power Yoga session weekly. My flexibility improved alot...:)...Carole
 
Another vote for yoga. I've been getting back to Bryan Kest Power Yoga once a week for the past three weeks and have seen an improvement. It helps with my DOMS too.

Dallas:)
 
Thanks! I think I have that Karen V stretch tape tucked in a box somewhere. Time to look for it! I never even tried it.

Yoga? Never tried that. Maybe it's time! :) So, Bryan Kest Power Yoga is one dvd? I'll look for it on amazon.com

Any other recs for "beginner Yoga" dvds? :)

thanks!
 
>Yoga? Never tried that. Maybe it's time! :) So, Bryan Kest
>Power Yoga is one dvd? I'll look for it on amazon.com
>
I just switched over to DVD for Bryan Kest and I got a good deal on deepdiscounts.com.

Have fun!

Dallas
 
thanks for that info and link!! I did find the mention of Baptiste on an older thread that I think "Pinky" (sp?) posted here. :) I COPIED and PASTED snippets of the various posts. Here's what I've found both here and on Videofitness.com:

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(copied from member posts):

• Bryan Kest Power Yoga series vol 1, 2 and 3
• Eoin Finn Power Yoga
• David Swenson’s Primary Series
• Beryl Bender Birch Primary Series
• Total Stretch tammi webb
• Beginner’s Stretch for Flexibility tammi webb
• Karen Voight
• AM PM Stretch for Health
• For stretching without working too hard:

Rodney Yee's Yoga Conditioning for Athletes (Great hip openers and spinal stretches done sitting on a chair, then a short yoga workout w/out the chair, followed by some great seated stretches)

Rodney Yee's Yoga for Energy (Great stretching, no chair, 5 different short workout sections, some move faster than others).

Rodney Yee's Power Yoga for Beginners - Flexibility and Stamina (20 minute intermediate power yoga workouts that move quickly, stretch you out. You'll probably work up a sweat, but they definitely won't wear you out.)


•Power Yoga that may wear you out:
Baron Baptiste's Power Yoga Level 2 (Long, 70 minute workout with a lot of lower body work. A lot of balancing and lunge type poses).

Eoinn Finn's Power Yoga (Haven't done this all the way through yet, but it looks great. It keeps moving at a good pace & has beautiful scenery)

David Swenson's Short Forms (Great DVD with a 15, 30, or 45 minute power yoga workout. They are all pretty much the same except that the longer workouts tack on some extra poses. Good pace, beautiful park scenery, and Swenson's voice is relaxing. This follows the usual set of poses, not exactly sure what its called, but its the same series as a lot of other yoga videos.)

•Great all around yoga video:
Ali MacGraw's Yoga Mind & Body (Starts with cat back arches and arranges things in a different way. Great desert scenery and great music - if you like Dead Can Dance. This one is different, and it moves at a good pace. You'll probably work up a sweat, but won't kill yourself with this one.)



OTHER YOGA SERIES:

•My favorites are the Flow Series by Tracey Rich and Ganga White. They get right into the practice and they are excellent! There are three levels so they are great for beginner, intermediate, and advanced practitioners. There's also an old tape called Aerobic Yoga and it is fast and tough and I always feel like I have done full body strength training whenever I am brave enough to pop it in my VCR!


•I've just ordered Sonic Yoga DVD which promises to get me into a full split one day. It has gotten favorable reviews from folks who like yoga practice but not the mystical talk that sometimes goes along with it.
•Candlelight Yoga --pure stretching and relaxation dvd
•
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TONS to now lookup on the videofitness reviews! WOW! That should keep me busy THROUGH the New Year celebration. (uh oh! lol).

Any thoughts on any of the above mentioned dvds? all thoughts welcome! :)
 
All of these wonderful ladies have given you wonderful advice. I just wanted to bring up something on the kickboxing kicks. I'm assuming you have never kickboxed before, nor have you done martial arts. Think about it. You've never tried to move your body in that manner before. Of course, you have some flexibility issues. The kicks will get higher as you get used to doing them. And remember to think of each kick in 4 parts. Take a front kick - you have the
1. chamber (bringing your knee up - the higher the knee comes up, the higher the kick),
2. the actual Kick.
3. the return to chamber,
4. lowering your foot to the floor.

Kick Max has some wonderful conditioning drills that will help get your legs used to these kicks. I would highly recommend doing them to not only increase your flexibility, but to also help you with the actual kick.

The rest of it - go with yoga and stretching exercising. And good luck!
 
I agree with Christine about keeping up w/ the kickbox workouts. All those kicks are considered dynamic stretches and dynamic stretching is one of the best ways to improve flexibility. I've seen a huge improvement in my lower body flexibility since adding one Kbox workout per week - Kickmax is particularly good. The yoga is great advice as well, if you like it... I can't seem to get into it, wish I could!

Keep it up, it will get easier!
~Shannon
 
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