Regaining Flexibility

[Amanda_Reyasmom]

Long ago I was fairly flexible, and now.. not so much. My left hamstring is in particularly bad shape. (I think I damaged it when I was a kid :rolleyes: I've got good decent flexiblilty in the other leg) It's really like I can't do ANYTHING with that leg! I've started stretching, (ouch!) Is there anything I can do to speed this process along? How often should I stretch it?

[muse2clio]

Although I would recommend gentle yoga or better yet, restorative yoga -- you don't want to over-stretech or strain the muscle. Hamstring injuries are *tough* and will take even longer to recover from if you don't baby them.

Start with some gentle seated forward bends to help release the hamstring muscles. Don't run or job because that will tighten the hammies too much at this point.

[Amanda_Reyasmom]

Although I would recommend gentle yoga or better yet, restorative yoga -- you don't want to over-stretech or strain the muscle. Hamstring injuries are *tough* and will take even longer to recover from if you don't baby them.

I actually picked up a couple of yoga dvds. They are something I'm working my up to :jester: No really though, they're far too advanced for me at the moment.

I was trying to do this abductor execise on the balance ball.. not until then did I realize my leg is JACKED UP! lol It doesn't hurt (I think I hurt it 15+ years ago!) but the range of motion is MUCH more limited than with my other leg.



Start with some gentle seated forward bends to help release the hamstring muscles. Don't run or job because that will tighten the hammies too much at this point.

umm please tell me an elliptical isn't included in that. I'm stretching every time I think about it.. probably 2-3 min 10 times a day..

[Rosemary]

Long ago I was fairly flexible, and now.. not so much. My left hamstring is in particularly bad shape. (I think I damaged it when I was a kid :rolleyes: I've got good decent flexiblilty in the other leg) It's really like I can't do ANYTHING with that leg! I've started stretching, (ouch!) Is there anything I can do to speed this process along? How often should I stretch it?

meaning if I miss a week doing it I slip back into the land of not so flexible pretty quickly. I think for me it means I'm not 20 anymore :p

I asked about this back in the spring I think and Elizabeth posted some very basic stretching exercises which is what I started with. After a couple weeks I just went to On Demand and plopped on any kind of exercise that looked like, well it involved stretching LOL. On top of stretching, moving moving moving helps keep you flexible. When I'm exercising and stretching every morning I feel so much more bouncier (I know that sounds silly but it's a good feeling) as opposed to how I felt and still do some days depending on how things are going with me exercising. Before my period I feel much tighter and less flexible. It's very strange.

I do really think if you start slowly with some sort of stretching exercises (even the kind of stretching that they do before a high impact aerobic exercise would be beneficial) you will notice a difference. Take it slow and just use your judgement. You know what you can do, so push a little but don't hurt yourself (says the girl who hurt her knee last week doing the Biggest Loser workout). And then do some good walking, treadmilling or something on top of the stretching.

[Brenda]

Long ago I was fairly flexible, and now.. not so much. My left hamstring is in particularly bad shape. (I think I damaged it when I was a kid :rolleyes: I've got good decent flexiblilty in the other leg) It's really like I can't do ANYTHING with that leg! I've started stretching, (ouch!) Is there anything I can do to speed this process along? How often should I stretch it?

I like pilates. When I started doing it, it made a huge change in my flexibility. I fell off the wagon for a while, and just restarted and wow, I can see difference from where I was when I did it regularly to now. :ohno: I have stopped and restarted this before, and every time I wonder why I ever stopped because it feels so good to do.

I start with the Pilates Beginning Mat Workout with Ana Caban, then move up to the Intermediate when I feel flexible and strong enough.

[riversprite]

This sounds like a good idea for me, too.
I need serious help with my flexibility (it's really pathetic!) but I hate to admit here that I find Yoga to be irredeemably BORING. :faint: (don't everyone start throwing tomatoes at me!)
Pilates I think I could do, though.

[bannanabette]

Hey Amanda, I have a lot of flexibility issus too - particularly in my hamstrings. I like yoga and pilates. The other thing that I do is make sure sure to stretch near the beginning of the workout - just walk around for 5 minutes, go up and down the stairs a couple of times slow, or do a few minutes on the elliptical at the lightest resistance and going slow, just enough to get the muscles warmed up, and then stretch. Then make sure to stretch after the workout.

I have a DVD called 10 minute solutions pilates that I really like: http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Lara-Hudson/dp/B0002J58ME/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1204046336&sr=8-3

The reason I like it is that it breaks up the workout into 5 10-minute segments and the last segment is a good stretch, so after a workout, I just do the 10 minute stretch and it gets me nice and loose.

Also, here's the sparkpeople page on stretching exercises with demos
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/exercise_demos.asp

[bannanabette]

This sounds like a good idea for me, too.
I need serious help with my flexibility (it's really pathetic!) but I hate to admit here that I find Yoga to be irredeemably BORING. :faint: (don't everyone start throwing tomatoes at me!)
Pilates I think I could do, though.

I will plug the dvd that I just recommended to Amanda - 10 minutes solutions Pilates http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Lara-Hudson/dp/B0002J58ME/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1204047249&sr=8-3

there are other 10 minute pilates dvds. The full workout is 50 minutes but broken down into 10 minutes segments that focus on different things. I find it very useful when I'm feeling too bored to go into something long. I can usually wrap my head around 10 minutes though :)

[Amanda_Reyasmom]

The other thing that I do is make sure sure to stretch near the beginning of the workout - just walk around for 5 minutes, go up and down the stairs a couple of times slow, or do a few minutes on the elliptical at the lightest resistance and going slow, just enough to get the muscles warmed up, and then stretch. Then make sure to stretch after the workout.


Thanks, I've been stretching before and after, but hadn't thought to get warmed up THEN stretch.

I have a DVD called 10 minute solutions pilates that I really like: http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Lara-Hudson/dp/B0002J58ME/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1204046336&sr=8-3

The reason I like it is that it breaks up the workout into 5 10-minute segments and the last segment is a good stretch, so after a workout, I just do the 10 minute stretch and it gets me nice and loose.

I like recommendations, is this doable for someone who is REMARKABLY out of shape?

Also, here's the sparkpeople page on stretching exercises with demos
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/exercise_demos.asp

Checking it out now

[aleutsi]

Hey Amanda, I have a lot of flexibility issus too - particularly in my hamstrings. I like yoga and pilates. The other thing that I do is make sure sure to stretch near the beginning of the workout - just walk around for 5 minutes, go up and down the stairs a couple of times slow, or do a few minutes on the elliptical at the lightest resistance and going slow, just enough to get the muscles warmed up, and then stretch. Then make sure to stretch after the workout.

I have a DVD called 10 minute solutions pilates that I really like: http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Lara-Hudson/dp/B0002J58ME/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1204046336&sr=8-3

The reason I like it is that it breaks up the workout into 5 10-minute segments and the last segment is a good stretch, so after a workout, I just do the 10 minute stretch and it gets me nice and loose.

Also, here's the sparkpeople page on stretching exercises with demos
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/exercise_demos.asp


Hey! Netflix has this!!! Also, they have the 2006 version (Rapid Results) as a play now!!!

I wish we lived closer together Amanda, I'd like a stretching buddy. I'm stiff as a board.. seriously, I feel like I must look 80 the way I move around... except my 83yo grandma can probably outstretch me. :3eyes:

off to Netflix...

[Amanda_Reyasmom]

I like pilates. When I started doing it, it made a huge change in my flexibility. I fell off the wagon for a while, and just restarted and wow, I can see difference from where I was when I did it regularly to now. :ohno: I have stopped and restarted this before, and every time I wonder why I ever stopped because it feels so good to do.

I start with the Pilates Beginning Mat Workout with Ana Caban, then move up to the Intermediate when I feel flexible and strong enough.

Thanks! I'm gonna check netflix and see if they have this or the one linked below :D

[Bickery]

I hate to admit here that I find Yoga to be irredeemably BORING. :faint:


Me too :bag: Yoga to me is what vegetables are to others -- something I should do because I know it's good for, but I get to it rarely because I just don't enjoy it.

[Amanda_Reyasmom]

Hey! Netflix has this!!! Also, they have the 2006 version (Rapid Results) as a play now!!!

I wish we lived closer together Amanda, I'd like a stretching buddy. I'm stiff as a board.. seriously, I feel like I must look 80 the way I move around... except my 83yo grandma can probably outstretch me. :3eyes:

off to Netflix...

YAY! I know I feel so very old LOL! everything aches, I did 30 min on the elliptical last night, and some upper body strength training. Tonight is the ab ball (they still hurt from Sunday :P) and lower body.

[Amanda_Reyasmom]

Me too :bag: Yoga to me is what vegetables are to others -- something I should do because I know it's good for, but I get to it rarely because I just don't enjoy it.

LOL I like the *idea* of it.. I don't feel like I've given yoga a fair chance. OTOH, I'm too fat for most of the positions. Like even if I had the flexibility, my stomach is in the way and I CANNOT bend that way! :jester:

[bannanabette]

I like recommendations, is this doable for someone who is REMARKABLY out of shape?

The stretching part is - I mean I don't get anywhere near the positions that the instructor does :p, but even just doing the stretches to the best of my ability I get nicely stretched out and there are only a few positions that I find too awkward.

The rest of the DVD is pretty hard though - but I think you could get a lot out of it by doing modifications. There are some exercises that I just. can't. do. and watching her do them all I can say is, "is she on crack?" But when I first started I couldn't do any of it and now I can do most of it. It really helps that each segment is only 10 minutes long.

[bannanabette]

YAY! I know I feel so very old LOL! everything aches, I did 30 min on the elliptical last night, and some upper body strength training. Tonight is the ab ball (they still hurt from Sunday :P) and lower body.

Hey, 30 minutes is GREAT! Good for you!!!

[Amanda_Reyasmom]

The rest of the DVD is pretty hard though - but I think you could get a lot out of it by doing modifications. There are some exercises that I just. can't. do. and watching her do them all I can say is, "is she on crack?" But when I first started I couldn't do any of it and now I can do most of it. It really helps that each segment is only 10 minutes long.

I picked up 6 dvds all yoga/pilates for $15 total. OMG they were Soooo hard.
I can only imagine what someone watching Levi and I would have thought! :spit: It was pretty dang funny IMO!

[Amanda_Reyasmom]

Hey, 30 minutes is GREAT! Good for you!!!

:loveit: I bitched for the last 20 min of it LOL. Levi was soooo great, I made him stay in our little makeshift gym and encourage me to stay on the damn thing. :love:

[muse2clio]

This sounds like a good idea for me, too.
I need serious help with my flexibility (it's really pathetic!) but I hate to admit here that I find Yoga to be irredeemably BORING. :faint: (don't everyone start throwing tomatoes at me!)
Pilates I think I could do, though.

BLASPHEMY!!!! :ticked: :p

I think it's all about having good teacher - I've been blessed with some really fun, crazy teachers who never teach the same class twice -- there's no room for boredom with these characters :D

[macaquinha]

I have a DVD called 10 minute solutions pilates that I really like: http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Lara-Hudson/dp/B0002J58ME/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1204046336&sr=8-3


So, being as I am allergic to perky people telling me what to do.... is the instructor annoying? Is there music? Is it annoying (taking into account that I am incredibly noise-averse and sensory-defensive)? Is there any way I could possibly actually do this without throwing things at my computer? I just don't want to bust the screen....

I need to exercise. I need to not have to leave my house to exercise because it bloody well won't happen otherwise. 10 minutes, I might be able to handle....

[riversprite]

BLASPHEMY!!!! :ticked: :p

I think it's all about having good teacher - I've been blessed with some really fun, crazy teachers who never teach the same class twice -- there's no room for boredom with these characters :D

LOL!
Okay,here's where I admit that I've only done dvds and BodyFlow classes. :embarass:
I've never been to an actual Yoga class! Up until recently I thought I was way too heavy and inflexible, plus it seemed BORING.
One of my sisters is a serious yoga freak too, but I've never really been pulled to it!

[muse2clio]

LOL!
Okay,here's where I admit that I've only done dvds and BodyFlow classes. :embarass:
I've never been to an actual Yoga class! Up until recently I thought I was way too heavy and inflexible, plus it seemed BORING.
One of my sisters is a serious yoga freak too, but I've never really been pulled to it!
Well then get your butt to NJ and I'll take you to a class and get you hooked!

[Bickery]

:) There's place that Seppie likes that is (was?) running a 20 days for $20 special. I wouldn't be able to continue after those 20 days, tho. I've never tried hot yoga or the kind that makes you feel like you've had a workout so maybe I don't know what I'm missing.

There's just not enough space in my LR to really do a video, especially if the kids join (and when do they not?)

[Bonny]

I get to yoga once in a blue moon, but I simply am not a "class" exercise type person.

to the OP - When I'm doing what I should (LOL) I stretch out 3-4x/week (doing each stretch a couple of times - or more, if need be - holding for 20ish seconds each). When I started a year ago, It was painful to sit up straight with my legs out straight in front of me. I've come a long way LOL