Alright I'll admit it Vash is a b*tch

[red5angel]

But that's not really why I'm posting.

I'm posting because I've spent a lot of time worrying about how to get stronger, bigger, faster, and I haven't spent anytime at all on flexibility.

So I need suggestions on how to get more flexible. Capoeira is forcing me to stretch atleats 20 minutes a day, almost but I need to stretch more. I'd like to be able to split by the end of the year if possible so I can throw my kicks higher and faster.

[Toby]

Originally posted by red5angel
So I need suggestions on how to get more flexible.Stretch? :p

I'm almost embarrassed to do it, but I'm gunna recommend Pavel's expensive books Relax Into Stretch and Super Joints. Flexibility isn't something I concentrate hugely on, but I do a decent stretch a few times a week and use some cool stretches from these books.

Here's what I do:

1) touch my toes. I keep my knees slightly bent and rotate my pelvis to feel the hamstring stretch.

2) Lunge both sides - start in the bottom position of the lunge and just relax your hips into it. Hands stay relaxed or hold a chair for balance if you need. Don't take any weight with the hands though. Adjust by moving your front leg further forward and concentrating on hips moving downwards. This'll do hips and groin.

3) Stay in 2) but pick up your back ankle in the same side hand and pull it to your butt. This'll stretch your quads very nicely.

4) Stay in 2) but go down with your upper body as low as you can. I rest my forearms next to my front foot. Again, concentrate on sinking your hips. This'll do hips, groin and hamstring.

5) Cossacks with various widths, feet positions. Hips.

6) Splits sideways. I end up resting my forearms on the ground in front. Concentrate on tilting the pelvis forward for this. Groin, inner thigh.

7) Splits left and right. I do both sides with the front foot pointing up (resting on the heel). I do this between two couches. Groin, hammies, inner thigh.

8) Yoga butterfly pose. Pull forward by tilting the pelvis. Groin.

9) Sitting splits. Pull forward by tilting the pelvis. Groin, hammies.

This can take anywhere from 15min to an hour depending on my mood.