Stretches and exercises for flexiblity?

[Big A]

Hello every one...

I'm looking for some guidance for stretching and fleibility. After my workouts my hamstrings and glutes are tight and it is affecting my lower back. I stretch before and after I do my hour on the eliptical and I stretch again when I get home after my workouts but I am still feeling really stiff and I feel like Dr. Frankenstien's monster when I get up in the mornings.

My trainer has shown me some stretches to do and he actully helps me with a few too but I am looking for more. I'm also thinking about trying my hand at Yoga.

Any advice is greatly appreciated and thanks in advance to all whom reply...

[yoni]

After over 2 decades in a special ops unit and hitting my mid 50's I was in pain and was ready to try anything to relieve the pain.

I was talking to a friend who said he had started doing yoga and his back pain was gone. I questioned his sexual orientation and forgot about it.

a few weeks later I was at a estate sale looking at the guns and saw a yoga tape for sale along with a TV with a built in tape player.

I offered them $5 for the set and walked away with them.

That was 6 months a go or so and I know do yoga 5 days a week and I am pain free.

[Shorts]

Big A, what stretches are you already doing?

Also, look at the the back heel of your workout shoes. Any angle in them? If so, possible you could benefit from an insert or support, even an appropriate type of shoe. Foot/leg imbalances manifest up in the lower back because they cause the hips to rotate or tilt. Therefore putting you off kilter.

Off the top of my head I would stretch:

- achilles
- foot flexors
- calves (in, out, straight)
- hip flexors
- abs
- quads

...pretty much the entire lower body.

Also be certain that when you workout you are keeping a balance of strength in your muscle groups. Remember, muscle groups are opposing. You don't want one yanking on a joint more than another or else yo'ull feel it (Often this is a knee issue).

Make sure you are drinking enough water and you're eating the right food to recover. If you don't have the right fuels and fluids your muscles won't clear out the lactic acid or repair.

[prq9218]

After over 2 decades in a special ops unit and hitting my mid 50's I was in pain and was ready to try anything to relieve the pain.

I was talking to a friend who said he had started doing yoga and his back pain was gone. I questioned his sexual orientation and forgot about it.

a few weeks later I was at a estate sale looking at the guns and saw a yoga tape for sale along with a TV with a built in tape player.

I offered them $5 for the set and walked away with them.

That was 6 months a go or so and I know do yoga 5 days a week and I am pain free.

I use the yoga routine from p90x every Sunday...Amazing how flexible you can get.

[Big A]

Big A, what stretches are you already doing?

Also, look at the the back heel of your workout shoes. Any angle in them? If so, possible you could benefit from an insert or support, even an appropriate type of shoe. Foot/leg imbalances manifest up in the lower back because they cause the hips to rotate or tilt. Therefore putting you off kilter.

Off the top of my head I would stretch:

- achilles
- foot flexors
- calves (in, out, straight)
- hip flexors
- abs
- quads

...pretty much the entire lower body.

Also be certain that when you workout you are keeping a balance of strength in your muscle groups. Remember, muscle groups are opposing. You don't want one yanking on a joint more than another or else yo'ull feel it (Often this is a knee issue).

Make sure you are drinking enough water and you're eating the right food to recover. If you don't have the right fuels and fluids your muscles won't clear out the lactic acid or repair.

I don't know the names of all of the stretches. One of them is where you bend at the hips and hang there trying to touch your toes. My gym has this thing called a strech mate that is a series of cables arranged at different angles. One is at about 90* that I use to strech my hamstrings and quadriceps. I strech my calves as well by doing the "wall push" method.

My shoes are good. I have two pairs of New Balance running shoes that I alternate daily. I've already dealt with the odd shoe wera problem so that is not an issue currently.

My right side is my strong side so it tends to bunch up more, especially in my right glute and lower back.

Water is not an issue. I drink plenty of water throughout the day and the only other things I drink are coffee and tea.

[Kirkrv8]

Yoga it will amaze you

[Mr blasty]

I've become a yoga nut after trying it out and seeing what it did for my climbing and pistol shooting. I'm a runner and my legs and lower back get the same as yours. Yoga made it all go away.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2

[Big A]

Ok, any recomendations on where to start learning about Yoga?

YouTube maybe?

[yoni]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF5VHmtJnQU


these work for me and the same people have a DVD when I get back home I will post a link for the DVD

[jpeezy]

I've been lifting heavy for years and never really developed a good stretching routine due to no other reason than getting by on youth and luck. By what I attribute to dumb luck I've had very few training/work injuries. My number was finally up and I was seriously injured at work. I had pt 2x a week for 4 months and didnt step foot in the gym. I lost some strength but finally learned the value of foam rolling, hip mobility and band stretching which has already benefited me in my slow return to the gym. There are numerous sites that have stretching/warm up tutorials including elite fitness, tnation etc. Putting together a good plan will take time and will involve some study, but in the bigger picture its well worth it and will benefit you in all aspects.