How to get better at stretching?

W_Stewart wrote: »

I'm 55 and I've never felt very successful at stretching. Hamstrings and back always feel tight when I do stretches recommended by PT and fitness trainers and never seem to improve.

I'm currently at week 8 of a renewed fitness/nutrition journey where I do a post-workout set of stretches 6 days a week and just not feeling stretching improvement despite great results in all other aspects (seeing definite improvements in strength, energy levels, needed weight loss).

I feel like I need either a yoga class focused on beginners and stretching or perhaps a trainer to get a more effective stretching routine established. I do better when I have someone who can watch my form and offer tips or alternative movements that fit me better. That said, perhaps a recommended Youtube video may help get me started? I feel like I'm going to have my morning workout routine and then a separate stretching routine I fit in later in the day.

I did the HYPERBOLIC STRETCHING program and it seemed to help. And I'm a kickboxing instructor. Can't do the splits like when I was younger, but this helped me to get close to it again.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Whenever my hamstrings are tight, my back will start to hurt. And they tend to tighten up often due to cycling/spin classes. I love yoga now (I used to hate it) because it helps keep my muscles stretched and flexible.

If you're new to yoga, I highly recommend looking at the Down Dog yoga app. Each practice can be customized for skill level, time, and whatever you want to work (hamstring stretches are an option.) As you progress, you can advance to another level. Just something to think about!

W_Stewart wrote: »

Yep, my back just hurts when I try to sit and stretch my hamstrings.

Are you sitting on the edge of a cushion and tilting your pelvis forward?



I just use two stacked neck pillows, but here are more ideas:

https://mellowed.com/best-meditation-cushions/

You can also stretch your hamstrings this way:

kshama2001 wrote: »

I'm looking for an infographic for lower back stretches and as someone who had lower back pain for decades and is a certified yoga teacher am appalled at what I am seeing. Plow Pose - NO! Good grief...

But here is something that should be safe and gentle:



Breakdown and video in the link:

https://impactptaz.com/stretches-for-low-back-pain/

I’m curious. Are you saying not to use plow for back pain?

That’s my go-to position for lower back. My favorite for low back is to do plow with feet pushing as hard as I can against a wall so I can get “reverse” pressure against my low back and tailbone. I often do shivasana in plow or a kind of loose and floppy deaf man’s. I’ve stopped caring what other people think. It feels so relaxing to me.

I’m weird, I guess. I realized just today while doing it that that’s how I used to be as a child. I drove my parents bats “sitting” upside down on sofas with head dangling down and feet up in the air. Funny how stuff cycles around.

Anyway, OP, I began stretching years ago simply by blocking off time and thinking what parts of my body needed stretching and doing what came intuitively.

After a few basic free yoga classes at Kaiser (and god bless them for offering those-with a stellar instructor- and starting me on my yoga journey) I incorporated a few things I learned there along with simple slow breathing. It became pet-pet time for my dachshunds which increased the relaxation for me and they loved it, of course.

Try some basic yoga classes, or see if you have a local studio that offers Yin style yoga classes. They are a slow stretching variety of yoga, where you generally hold a pose 3-5 minutes and relax/breath into the pose.

Warm or hot classes can help loosen muscles to increase stretch, but on the flip side, can sometimes cause folks to stretch further than they really ought, and create pain or injury if pushed too far.

I am far more flexible now than I was even a couple of years ago. And won’t lie, losing weight has helped tremendously. No fat rolls to shift out of the way or get in the way of a stretch.