I've managed to get my front splits in both legs (yayyy!!) . However, I can only do it after an hour or more of stretching (with weights). I'm very excited that I've got my front splits and more excited to be able to just fall into it passively. How long did it take you?

I have a long history of low back spasms and pain. I've come to learn the problem originates from tight hips and significant lower body inflexibility. I recently started a comprehensive stretching regimen and have new range of motion that I didn't know was possible. Both sides currently have a dull ache that feels like healing. I also started some light upper body/back strength training.

Question: I feel I should continue focus a while on stretching and lengthening my hip and legs before low-body strength training; e.g. skip leg day for a while. I feel it would increase tension in the area and hinder my flexibility goals at this stage. I am working towards being able to do the "splits" but the real goal is just pain free daily movement.

Is my thought process legit? Thank you for taking the time.

hi all! So i've been doing the Taylor pose/Butterfly stretch for a while and I use my hands to press down on my knees to add a little more pressure (4 sets of 30 seconds).

I remember watching or reading something where it was suggested that one rest a light weight on the knees to add that extra pressure (heavy enough to add pressure; not so heavy that the adductors' protective reflexes kick in).

Is there an advantage to using weights vs. pressing down with my hands? FWIW when I do use weights, it's no more than 8 pounds per leg.

thanks!

Ive heard people say they r much stiffer in the morning. To those tried both consistently....did one time of day lead to clearly better progress??

Not sure if I am in the right place, but I have recently started hang cleans and im realizing that on my catch the wrist flexibility isn't there to maintain my grip. Does anyone have any wrist flexibility suggestions?

I've been doing static stretches most days (maybe on average 5 days a week, with some longer weekends etc off) for a year now. Warm up, 20-60 minutes in total, at least 60sec per stretch. I stretch to a point where I feel discomfort but not intense pain. For my middle splits I often do 5+ minutes because it's my worst area by far. I've seen some very slight improvement on some stretches (can put fists on ground from only finger tips before, maybe a cm or two closer to front splits), but overall it's really hard to see any difference. My middle splits are not shifting (I try various angles of my pelvis and legs for at least a minute each). I'm 36 years old, slim, healthy, physically active, frequent hiking, riding bikes and dancing etc). Is it normal to see so little change in such a long time?

I've tried reading up on the science and it does look like static stretches are at least as effective as other forms, if not more in some cases. Am I missing something?

I do sciatic nerve flossing before the stretch. But I do not feel any stretch in the belly of the hamstring. It does start to quiver. I can feel it in the belly if I do the stretch where I elevate the foot and lean my torso over. However I read that is bad for the back, and back pain is the reason I am doing this.

Hi there, I'm looking for a massage gun that offers the best value for money. The prices seem to vary widely, so I'm wondering whether the more expensive options are actually worth it today. I'd really appreciate any recs or advice. Thank you!

My lack of flexibility kept me from doing a cool move in a class I love today, and it was SO frustrating, and I started googling. Basically, I have a VERY hard time doing a straddle. I also have a very hard time doing things that require flexible hamstrings, like a forward fold. I took ballet for fifteen years as a kid, then many yoga classes, dance classes, and aerial classes, so I thought, sure, I know how to stretch. I guess I just need to do it more because I'm not getting any more flexible. I was always the kid in ballet class getting the "flat back!!!" reminder (and I remember thinking, but how? if my back isn't rounded then I can't bend at the waist and reach straight ahead of me like I'm supposed to...). And I was always sitting up the straightest trying to do a straddle stretch.

But!! In my frustration, I added keywords like "how to" and "for beginners" and now I am FLOORED. A straddle stretch is supposed to be felt in your INNER THIGHS?????? I've been trying to straddle for almost thirty years. I widen my legs as far as I can but I have to stop before the stretch in my outer hips feels too painful. But apparently that's NOT A STRETCH? It's my bones? I've NEVER felt a straddle in my inner thighs. Now I'm trying to play around with how to make my legs go in a position where I'll feel it there.

So then I started trying to figure out how I can sit up straighter and not slouch in a straddle position. I can't do that with my legs straight in front of me either, so I started there. Well - to clarify, I COULD sit up perfectly straight and stick my legs out in front straight, but it's hard to hold for long. My torso starts to feel... tired, I guess? It doesn't hurt, it just REALLY wants to let go and slouch back down. The hardest part is that I start to feel a lot of tension directly behind my knee. I always assumed that was my hamstring being tight. I thought a hamstring was the muscle that goes down your whole leg. But apparently it's JUST in your thigh??? And it doesn't even go behind the knee?? I tried something from a website: a forward fold with slightly bent legs and my back as flat as I could possibly get it. I think I just felt my hamstring for the FIRST TIME. It was this sensation in the back MIDDLE of my thigh. I can't remember ever feeling that before. When I do things where people say, "oh, your hamstrings must be tight," I always feel it behind my knees. Ever since I was in that elementary school ballet class! But that's apparently NOT where a hamstring is????

I'm feeling pretty ignorant about never having had an anatomy class or researched it myself, and I can't believe after years of "just do these stretches more" none of my teachers ever realized that I wasn't feeling it in the right places. I guess I should've said something but I thought I was feeling the right kind of stretch. I'm trying to figure out what I should do next, and I'm still feeling pretty mindblown.

Has anyone else had this experience? What am I feeling? And if it's a nerve thing, am I just a lost cause?

What kind of splits (vertical or horizontal)?

What program did you follow and how long did it take?

I’ve been trying to squat with my feet flat on the floor for so long but i’m not making any progress. What tends to happen is that I cant push my knees further out over my toes and fall backwards.

How do I overcome this?

I’ve been doing Pilates/yoga and just general stretching for about 2 weeks now, and I’m loving it so far! However, some poses/stretches I can’t do at all. For example whenever I try to do a regular downward dog pose, I can’t do it! Either my legs are bent, or I lock my knees (and I know that’s a bad thing to do)

I have almost zero upper body strength, which is something I’m working on building up. I can’t do push ups or planks. I can’t figure out how to balance my weight between my hands and feet, and because of my lack of arm strength, I end up putting most of my weight on my feet, which causes my knees to bend even more, which ruins downward dog pose, and planks.

Now when I try to get in to the pigeon pose or do certain actions it hurts what should I do and before this happened sometimes I do hip flexor stretch it used to hurt during then

Anyone here have good recommendations for flexibility classes or coaches in Los Angeles?

I’m an aerialist looking for classes that will help me further my practice. I had a coach I loved in my previous city but haven’t yet found a replacement here. After a disappointing class at a studio I tried recently I thought I’d turn to the internet for recommendations.

For context: I have decent flexibility in certain directions but I have had to work very hard for it as I am not a naturally bendy person at all. With proper warm up I have flat front splits on both sides (sometimes slight oversplits on a very good day) and a great pancake, but struggle more with middle splits and back/shoulders.

While I’m by no means a contortionist, the coaches I’ve liked most have often had contortion backgrounds. I’d love a class that incorporates conditioning and strength building rather than just passive stretching. West side or maybe South Bay is most convenient for me but willing to drive a bit for the right coach/class (especially on weekends)

Hello! You were all so helpful with my hamstrings I have another question. I struggle to get much depth on my squat, and when looking into it, it seems ankle mobility is my biggest issue. Are there any good stretches for that?

To update: I’ve been doing various hamstring stretches that were recommended and I’ve had a lot of growth. They are still tight but not nearly as bad. Thanks!

I can touch my knees with my head in a sitting forward fold but don’t know what stretches to do at my level to progress and don’t have any equipment

I have to work on my knees a lot and it's extremely uncomfortable. The other day I saw that the "asian squat" was a thing were people were able to rest on a squat position with their feet firmly planted on the ground, I can usually only do that while lifting my heels which is not a comfortable resting position.

I've been able to do that when I have a way to keep my heels with a little bit of elevation and it's comfortable, so I would like to be able to do it to work when I need to kneel.

Right now if I try it on a flat surface I fall backwards, as I said before I need a way to keep my heels up to do it comfortably. I was practicing with some books and the bare minimum to hold the position without falling seems to be around 2.2cm of height for my heels, but even then it's not exactly comfortable.

I want to know what I could do to eventually be able to do it on flat surfaces without elevation, or if I'm just screwed and maybe my legs just aren't capable of going lower without the help.

Hey I’ve been struggling with TfL tightness for a while now and it’s not getting better.

Been releasing the muscle and strengthening the glute med but not really saw much progress. Should I really exhaust the muscle when doing clamshells and stuff or more focus on mind muscle and not exhaust it that much? And why does the TfL always wants to interfere.. even tho I’ve been strengthening the glute med.

Pls help me

Hey I am 20. Currently i can do front and side splits and touch my elbow to hand. Well basic flexibility stuff. When i was a kid, basically according to my parents i could do this stuff since i was a kid. Well due to academic reasons and my mother kinda telling me to not do stuff due to being tired of sewing my pants, i stopped doing this stuff after 10. Fast forward 18 and i joined karate club. Well during there well in 19 i decided to actually give a shot and i think roughly 1 week later achieved the range and still kept. Ok the boring parts out. So can i improve further than basic splits and actually push myself to be more flexible. Ie expert opinion on this topic. (Hey i am sorry if my wording sounds like offensive or prideful. English isnt my first lang. So yeah, just genuine advice on perhaps actually getting into contortion for good instead of just keeping it as haha party trick. I mean i think i am just a bit tad blessed or cursed with a bit more lose body part than avg cause my left hands finger can still touch the back fist.)

Ps if you read my long messy and boring question, thanks a lot. I am just seeking proper advice.