Has anyone here struggled with very limited quadriceps flexibility?

[TurquoiseEyes]

I was crazy-flexible as a kid and teen. I inherited it from one of my great-grandmothers. I could do full splits and straddles despite no gymnastics training, for example. Yoga came very easily to me when I started doing it at age eighteen. Even after a long time away from it, my muscles still have a "memory" for the postures, as I've been doing some lately.

My quads are still insanely tight, though. I still can't do a standing quad stretch without using a yoga strap. I can do them on the floor, but I have to strain my back too much while standing to pull my leg in so far to my glutes. Maybe it's my height, but I don't know. I struggled with that stretch even when I was a teenager. I can't seem to improve my quad flexibility beyond a certain point. I can't do Hero pose to save my soul- owwww. I can't put my weight back on my calves like that at all. Child's pose even took awhile for me to do with a fair amount of comfort again.

Perhaps working my hamstrings a lot more with weights would help? Has anyone else had this issue, and overcame it through a particular strategy? I did have a knee injury in 2008, and it not only was a slam to my patella, but created a meniscus tear that took months to heal. I have worked REALLY hard strengthening my overall legs through floorwork the last year or so, although the quads are worked least of all in that process. They get plenty of standing weight and cardio (step) work, however. My knees feel okay, although I still feel like they're vulnerable at times. I wonder if this tightness is inherently a sign of muscular imbalance in terms of strength, not so much in terms of flexibility.

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Can not really help on this.
Just wanted to suggest you take some yoga class to eventually get some help.
I would make sure the instructor is qualified and competent in what he or she is delivering
as a service .

Hope other cathlete chime in.

 

[Stebby]

I would recommend yoga as well. Often there is tightness in other muscles besides the ones where you feel the tightness, and yoga will help you stretch everything in a disciplined way (not just the body parts that are easier to stretch). When I am faithful with my yoga, my flexibility everywhere is great: in my hips, quads, hamstrings, calves, neck, shoulders, lower back and groin muscles. Whenever I slack off, I tighten up, most noticeably in the quads, hips and lower back.

Strangely, I find that doing weights helps my yoga, and doing yoga helps my weights. I think it is because when I don't have muscle imbalances, I can get stronger without injuring anything. I've had tons of injuries and conditions over the years: Achilles tendinitis (including a minor tear in the tendon last year), shoulder tendinitis and bursitis, IT band syndrome, ACL tear and reconstruction on left knee, ganglion cyst on one wrist, knee bursitis on right knee, tennis elbow. Right now (knock on wood) I am pretty close to pain free and able to do any workout I want.

Stebby

 

[nckfitheart2009]

I would recommend yoga as well. Often there is tightness in other muscles besides the ones where you feel the tightness, and yoga will help you stretch everything in a disciplined way (not just the body parts that are easier to stretch). When I am faithful with my yoga, my flexibility everywhere is great: in my hips, quads, hamstrings, calves, neck, shoulders, lower back and groin muscles. Whenever I slack off, I tighten up, most noticeably in the quads, hips and lower back.

Strangely, I find that doing weights helps my yoga, and doing yoga helps my weights. I think it is because when I don't have muscle imbalances, I can get stronger without injuring anything.

Glad you chimed in. Few professional into heavy lifting recommended yoga once per week.
I think any imbalances need looking after of course. Yoga for heavy lifters is a MUST according to some professionals.
I just hope we had some science supporting this. May be a topic for future newletter ;-)

 

[Justinef]

I totally agree. Stebby. Doing strength training 3x per week + yoga daily (including dynamic yoga for cardio, as well as balance, stretch, twisting etc) makes me feel (and look) my best.
At the risk of becoming rather repetitive (I've mentioned it many times on forums )...XTrain + Ultimate Yoga brought the best results for me. Something I plan to repeat soon.

 

[TurquoiseEyes]

Glad you chimed in. Few professional into heavy lifting recommended yoga once per week.
I think any imbalances need looking after of course. Yoga for heavy lifters is a MUST according to some professionals.
I just hope we had some science supporting this. May be a topic for future newletter ;-)

Actually there was a substantial amount of evidence I found on PubMed supporting the use of yoga for athletes, and in a variety of ways- mental and physical. I was kind of skeptical of yoga's benefits, but the studies seemed to be done under high-quality conditions and supervision. I have class before long and so I don't have time to post links, but they were pretty good studies that I looked over. As to whether bodybuilders or Olympic weight-lifters were used in them, I just don't recall off the top of my head.

Of course, I imagine results would depend upon the sport, the conditioning of the athlete, the type of yoga practiced, the quality of form used by the person performing the postures, etc. I think most of the studies used Hatha yoga, well-conditioned athletes, and I utilized people who had limited (if any) serious injury history. Whether that is applicable to the "average" Joe or Josette, that I don't know. I don't really consider Cathletes average...we're fabulous! The "all things in moderation" philosophy, I suppose, would work for the vast majority of us.

 

[TurquoiseEyes]

I totally agree. Stebby. Doing strength training 3x per week + yoga daily (including dynamic yoga for cardio, as well as balance, stretch, twisting etc) makes me feel (and look) my best.
At the risk of becoming rather repetitive (I've mentioned it many times on forums )...XTrain + Ultimate Yoga brought the best results for me. Something I plan to repeat soon.

What is Ultimate Yoga? Is it a class at a gym, or a DVD series?

 

[Justinef]

It's a dvd series. I got it because of recommendations on this forum - and I absolutely love it. It's not easy. It's certainly not 'relaxing' (or only one of the workouts is). It's really tough, and several of the workouts leave me in a huge sweaty mess. The strength through my upper body increased massively during the 90 days I followed the programme. It seemed to help me 'lean out' - almost as though the twisting and lengthening allowed my body to release the 'muscle pump'. I've no idea whether that's even possible - but I recall someone on these forums mentioning that yoga helps with lymph-flow. Could that be a reason????

 

[Justinef]

In fact here is a thread all about it. There are many Catheletes out there who are much more knowledgeable about it than I am!
http://cathe.com/forum/threads/travis-eliots-the-ultimate-yogi-12-dvd-set-reviews-please.295308/

 

[MomInVT]

Lizzie, I also think yoga's a fabulous idea -- I always feel better when I practice regularly.
Before springing for a pricey set, I recommend trying at least a month of the Udaya streaming service ($12). They have classes from Travis Elliot (Ultimate Yogi), Rudy Mettia (Yoga Warrior 365), and Vytas (long last name, not gonna look up spelling), who just released Deepen Your Practice. Actually, there's a new class on Udaya called quad flow!
As with any trainer, you need to see how you jive with their personalities. I find Rudy Mettia too chatty and nyuk-nyuk jokey (I love jokes and wordplay, but I'm always begging him to shut up during his classes). I like some of Travis's classes (his yin yoga from UY is on the Udaya service and that's my go-to yin practice, really love it -- I also just tried his Short and Sweet 1 from UY and enjoyed it). But Vytas is my favorite -- both his mat-side manner, if you will, and his sequencing. I may purchase DYP or just stick with the Udaya streaming service, not sure yet.
There was a thread on DYP... I should bump that to see if anyone has tried it since...
Roz

 

[amron]

I totally agree. Stebby. Doing strength training 3x per week + yoga daily (including dynamic yoga for cardio, as well as balance, stretch, twisting etc) makes me feel (and look) my best.
At the risk of becoming rather repetitive (I've mentioned it many times on forums )...XTrain + Ultimate Yoga brought the best results for me. Something I plan to repeat soon.

I'm interested in how you incorporate XTrain and UY. Do you do one in the morning and one in the afternoon or do you alternate days?

 

[Justinef]

Hi Amron - I did the Xtrain 90day rotation in the morning, and then UY 90 day rotation in the evening, although I started on Xtrain a few weeks before UY. They fitted really well. I treated XTrain as my 'primary' workout - making sure I had the time and energy to do that, with UY having to fit in. It was a big time commitment (which is why I haven't done it since), especially since I also walk my dogs twice a day. Weirdly, my energy levels sky-rocketed.
I'd love to know if you try it!

 

[desertambrosia]

Hi Amron - I did the Xtrain 90day rotation in the morning, and then UY 90 day rotation in the evening, although I started on Xtrain a few weeks before UY. They fitted really well. I treated XTrain as my 'primary' workout - making sure I had the time and energy to do that, with UY having to fit in. It was a big time commitment (which is why I haven't done it since), especially since I also walk my dogs twice a day. Weirdly, my energy levels sky-rocketed.
I'd love to know if you try it!

I may have to try this, sounds like a great rotation. Thanks, Justine

 

[Justinef]

Karen - I think if you have the time/ inclination to do 2x per day, it's great. I'm about to do Meso #3 STS, then I plan to do Nia Shanks....so I might add UY onto the Nia, as I think her rotations aren't 6x per week.

I'd love to hear how you get on.

 

[MomInVT]

Once I get DYP, I'm planning on doing that along with Nia Shanks. I don't feel I'll need to add cardio, though I'll get out for walks and hikes.
Justine, Nia's programs are 2-4 days/week, depending on the program. I'm doing a 4 day/week program now (split program: 2 UB 2 LB), but I may try a 3 day/week program (3 TB) next. Or combo barbell and bodyweight (2 days BB 2 days BW). Plus DYP.
Stoked!

 

[amron]

Hi Amron - I did the Xtrain 90day rotation in the morning, and then UY 90 day rotation in the evening, although I started on Xtrain a few weeks before UY. They fitted really well. I treated XTrain as my 'primary' workout - making sure I had the time and energy to do that, with UY having to fit in. It was a big time commitment (which is why I haven't done it since), especially since I also walk my dogs twice a day. Weirdly, my energy levels sky-rocketed.
I'd love to know if you try it!

Thanks so much Justine. I will give this a go.

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Whether that is applicable to the "average" Joe or Josette, that I don't know. I don't really consider Cathletes average...we're fabulous! The "all things in moderation" philosophy, I suppose, would work for the vast majority of us.

I suppose it would work too

 

[TurquoiseEyes]

Lizzie, I also think yoga's a fabulous idea -- I always feel better when I practice regularly.
Before springing for a pricey set, I recommend trying at least a month of the Udaya streaming service ($12). They have classes from Travis Elliot (Ultimate Yogi), Rudy Mettia (Yoga Warrior 365), and Vytas (long last name, not gonna look up spelling), who just released Deepen Your Practice. Actually, there's a new class on Udaya called quad flow!
As with any trainer, you need to see how you jive with their personalities. I find Rudy Mettia too chatty and nyuk-nyuk jokey (I love jokes and wordplay, but I'm always begging him to shut up during his classes). I like some of Travis's classes (his yin yoga from UY is on the Udaya service and that's my go-to yin practice, really love it -- I also just tried his Short and Sweet 1 from UY and enjoyed it). But Vytas is my favorite -- both his mat-side manner, if you will, and his sequencing. I may purchase DYP or just stick with the Udaya streaming service, not sure yet.
There was a thread on DYP... I should bump that to see if anyone has tried it since...
Roz

I actually learned yoga years ago when I was 18. Hey, it was 1998, Madonna was doing yoga, I am a devotee of the Material Girl (tho she hates that name), and I found it such a refreshing change from aerobics and weight-training. I did a 45 minute practice to one of three albums: M's Ray of Light, Enya's Paint the Skies with Stars or Lindsey Buckingham's Out of the Cradle. Good times. I was so flexible, wish I'd never quit. But as usual, I burned out on it by practicing daily for 6 months. Then put the yoga mat away for approx. 15 years.

I'm not great at doing things in moderation. And once I get "good" at something, I'm bored and move on. That's getting better as I age (aka, grow the heck up). Anyway, I may check Ultimate Yoga out. For now, I'll buy Yoga Max and maybe use it every Sunday.

 

[nckfitheart2009]

I find Rudy Mettia too chatty and nyuk-nyuk jokey (I love jokes and wordplay, but I'm always begging him to shut up during his classes). I like some of Travis's classes (his yin yoga from UY is on the Udaya service and that's my go-to yin practice, really love it -- I also just tried his Short and Sweet 1 from UY and enjoyed it). But Vytas is my favorite -- both his mat-side manner, if you will, and his sequencing. I may purchase DYP or just stick with the Udaya streaming service, not sure yet.
There was a thread on DYP... I should bump that to see if anyone has tried it since...

Hi Roz,

I am interested in udaya.
My plan is to start from beginner vid on you tube and eventually subscribe the streaming service.
What do you think is the best starting vid?
Hip flexibility is what I need the most.

Thanks

 

[MomInVT]

Hi Roz,

I am interested in udaya.
My plan is to start from beginner vid on you tube and eventually subscribe the streaming service.
What do you think is the best starting vid?
Hip flexibility is what I need the most.

Thanks

Hi Nathalie,
There are -- hundreds? -- of yoga classes on the Udaya streaming services, with plenty of beginner classes. There are also great specific hip-opening classes, which I love. (Hip openers are among my favorites.)
Hope that helps -- you might just give the Udaya service a shot instead of random YouTube videos, as I bet they have great beginner pose tutorials. (Just a thought.)
You can search by class length, difficulty, style, or any phrase (e.g., 'hips').
HTH,
Roz