Kick my @ss if I can't force myself to STRETCH more!!

[Kristoffer]

*sigh* I could barely make a side split. But then I lost it coz I REALLY hate stretching. I can't seem to fin any motivation. It's boring. It hurts even more than breaking stones or getting KO'ed. It takes alot of time because u have to warm up first yadda yadda yadda

What's your stretching routines at home? WHEN do u do it and HOW do you find motivation? Also,, Im aiming to stretch the **** outta me so if anyone can help me do a stretching routine to be able to do splits in as shortest time possible... I'd appriciate it.

[Kristoffer]

Im gonna watch a movie now.. catch ya later

[Nevermind]

Dude, I have the same problem. Read the book "A Scientific Guide to Stretching" by Tom Kurz. This guy is good. I followed the instructions in the book to the letter for about 3 weeks and it was almost magical the increase in flexibility that I experienced. Problem is I slacked off and stopped doing it. It is only supposed to take 6-8 weeks to reach your maximum flexibility. It is really difficult to stay consistent to such a dreadful activity for that long. So I am trying again. Another helpful hint is to stretch after doing some sort of aerobic activity. Like after your work out. You will be more flexible because your muscles are warmer. The stretches you may do in the beginning of your workout just to "warm up" are not going to give you the results you need. Their purpose is to prevent injury, not necessarily to increase flexibility. Good luck! Sounds like we both need it. (o:

[yenhoi]

You dont have to 'warm-up' before you stretch really.

First rotate all your joints, you can spend alot of time on this or a little, its upto you. Some people start with the joints ****hest out, some the other way, doesnt matter.

Most real stretching, like working upto the splits, can be done while your reading or watching tv or something.

Pick any major strech for your legs and hold it for longer periods of time while you focus on relaxing and deepening your stretch. You learned a bunch during highschool probably, pick a couple, and do them for 15 minute each while you watch your favorite tv crack.

A really good one for the splits is to lay on your back, butt against a wall, feet straight into the air, legs resting against the wall, then let both legs slide down the wall as far as they will go, and stay there for 10-20 minutes, relaxing and letting your legs slide down the wall. Do this every day and you can probably do the splits in 3-4 weeks, or sooner, depending on how stiff you are already.

For me, I wake up in the morning, do some pushups to force myself awake, and then stretch for 20 minutes or so. I stretch briefly before and after any intense activity, and do the longer deeper stretches at night.

[Suntzu]

Most real stretching, like working upto the splits, can be done while your reading or watching tv or something.

thats were i have MY problem... at those times i'm normally workin on my 'Buddah Chillin on the Couch' technique... which i have found out is couter productive to increased flexiblity...

[fa_jing]

Yoga: Sun salutation, 12 times. It both warms you up, and stretches you. Then do whatever.

[Arhat of Fury]

Sorry yenhoi, i have to disagree with you. I have read in many journals that you should never stretch a cold muscle(for increasing limberness) From my understanding, when you are cold it is ok to do a mild stretch to loosen up but if you are trying to achiev limberness/splits you should be stretching at the end of you training when you are warm. Hold your stretches until cold. I will usually do stretching out to gain limberness(dont know if this is a word) I will start right after training and hold it until I am cold.
Think of your body as a rubber band. If you stretch when you are cold you will contract back to normal but if you do it while you are warm until cold you/rubber band will stay stretched and limber.

Also check www.shaolinwolf.com under shaolin training. They have a pretty good article on stretching.

AOF

[Ajax]

You're right, static stretching is a really boring way to become flexible, just as running on a tread mill is a really boring way to get a cardio workout, and as lifing weights is a boring way to gain muscle. Lucky for us, we have martial arts. Just do a lot of high kicks and ballistic stretches as you work out and you'll gain all the flexibility you need. I can't see achieving a full side split in just 2 months from doing only ballistic stretches tho.

[Felipe Bido]

Yoga. Denifitely

[Former castleva]

Yeah...
warm ups to stretches and,
first stretch/warm up before trying any high kicks.

[Souljah]

Cod liver oil anyone?

It does help seriously, just by having you RDA's

[Kristoffer]

Hi guys, thanks for all your feedback! Yenhoi I've heard that u should warm up b4 too But doing stretches infront of tv might be a good idea.. I'll try that. I also recall reading about jymnastic training in Beijing where they force little children into doing splits when they are small. They 'break' or RIP their tendons so when they heal they will be loose as hell = )

..Is that something I should consider?

[Arhat of Fury]

Can anyone confirm the tendon ripping in Beijing.

AOF

[SevenStar]

When tendons are ripped, don't they heal tighter than before? In addition, it seems like they wouldn't be able to stretch until the tendons healed, which would be counter productive to their progress. I dunno if there's any truth to it, but I wouldn't do it even if it's true.

[fa_jing]

I would do it, even if it was false.

(j/k)