Help - I'm too bendy!! Stability exercises pls!

Flissbo
Flissbo Posts: 302 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi All,

I'm after some exercises to help with my stability. I'm very flexible (to the point of hyper-mobility) but because of this my body doesn't seem to have the balance between flexibilty and stability right.

I take a yoga class once a week, I swim regulary (crawl & backstroke), I bellydance, and do Jillian Michaels dvd's at home several times a week.

My yoga teacher has recommended I work on my stability. I will ask her for some advice but hoped someone on here may be able to suggest something in the mean time?

I suppose more yoga and pilates? Things like planks? Though it's not just core stability I'm after; it's for most of my body / joints.

I'd like to start lifting heavier to become stronger but I don't want to injure myself if the stability isn't there.

Many thanks in advance :smile:

Replies

  • shining_light
    shining_light Posts: 384 Member
    Dumbbell exercises are the best for building functional stability, IMO, especially things that lead to an imbalance of weight, such as single-leg deadlifts and squats. Those engage your core like crazy, using all of your stabilizing muscles. If you're worried about injuring yourself, just work with a weight you know you can handle and increase the weight as you become stronger, just like everyone else does when they start training with weights. No need to get overwhelmed with it. Test the water with a 5-10 lb. weight to make sure you get the form down, and then increase it to add challenge to it.
  • Flissbo
    Flissbo Posts: 302 Member
    Great advice about starting light and taking it from there - thank you for your help:-)
  • Flissbo
    Flissbo Posts: 302 Member
    Anyone else please?
  • eversmj
    eversmj Posts: 40
    Selecting the standing variation of exercises will help core and stability. Turkish Get Ups are a good movement as well.
  • Flissbo
    Flissbo Posts: 302 Member
    Thank you!
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    Have you looked into what contortionists do? All the contortionists I know do a balance of strength and flexibility training because they need both. Aerialists that are also contortionists have to be really careful because certain wraps and poses can easily fold them into a compromising position. I assume the same could be said for TRX if you try it, where you'd have to be careful that you aren't letting gravity twist you into an over flexed place.

    Assuming you aren't putting your body into a position where you can hyper-extend, I can't imagine that weight lifting would compromise your joints. Start slow and with lower weight until your form is perfect and progress from there.
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    Would you consider doing Ashtanga Yoga as this style focusses more on stability and drawing in while you are stretching out, so you would still be stretching but in a contracted state. Also much concentration on core strength and stability, whch is possibly where you want to go.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    Where are your issues with being "too flexible"? Knees maybe (Knee Valgus)?
  • kevindflynn
    kevindflynn Posts: 2 Member
    Tai Chi. It's been shown to improve balance and stability in lot's of varied classes of disabled patients and the elderly. Plus, you look really wise doing it :glasses:
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    what's your resistance training like? Do you do any free weight training at all?
  • Flissbo
    Flissbo Posts: 302 Member
    Just checked back here and lots of great stuff to read :) thanks guys!!

    Yogicarl......I take a yoga class; I assume its hatha yoga? I'll take a look into Ashtanga - great suggestion. Thank you.

    JoRocka.....I'm lifting 4kg (8.8lb) free weights when I do JM workouts. I've not been in a gym for a few years so I don't remember what I used to lift in there - it would have been more than I can manage now I expect as I was stronger then.

    Sam.....The problems with stability seem to be my core,and also my hip area. which I guess is linked. and elbows especially. When I run the outside of my knees hurt and I limp for a few days, not sure if this is linked at all?

    Sorry to freak anyone out, but I'm bendy enough to be able to lick my own elbow which I understand not many people can do?

    Kevin....I've always liked the look of Tai Chi could do with looking a bit wiser!!!! I live near an ancient forest (Epping Forest in the UK) and I think they do a class out by the trees in the mornings - will take a look :)

    husseycd....your profile pic looks fab!! How did you get into doing that?

    Thanks guys!! :flowerforyou:
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    Sam.....The problems with stability seem to be my core,and also my hip area. which I guess is linked. and elbows especially. When I run the outside of my knees hurt and I limp for a few days, not sure if this is linked at all?

    It kind of makes sense actually. The Core is important for overall stability, so that is something that should be worked on for sure. If you think about your muscles as a chain rather than individual groups, it'll help to see how dysfunction in one can cause dysfunction in another (cumulative injury cycle). It sounds like your hips might be over or under active and possibly your hamstrings are having to over-compensate for leg extension or your quadriceps are over-compensating for flexion, which is why you're experiencing some soreness. It's hard to tell without having more information. It's also possible your IT bands need some improvement in mobility and a foam rollers hits those nicely. One thing you can try is to do an over-head squat test. Hold your arms straight up in the air and do a squat. If your knees naturally flex inward (knee valgus) you may have some general weakness in your adductors as well; in addition to some possible lack of mobility in your IT bands.

    As for your elbows... that could be an easier issue to help with some bicep curls and tricep extensions. You can use weights or bands. If bands, then just use a resistance that's challenging but not struggling and shoot for 50 consecutive reps; increasing as you are able to hit 50 straight reps (60, 70, 80...).

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