Flexibility Problem

[Laban]

Hello everybody, my name is Guy and im 21.5 years old. About 4 or 5 years ago I used to practice Krav Maga regularly, and my flexibility was pretty good - I mean - I could do some high kicks and came pretty close to a sidesplit.

Nowadays, after neglecting my flexibility for couple of YEARS, I started practicing XMA, gymnastics and trickstering. To my disappointment, I found out that getting my flexibility back is harder then I thought, and considering my age and flexibility for now - I'm afraid I'll never get it back.

The thing is, I practice about 3 days a week, one of which is a sole flexibility workout, but it seems to me like I'm not getting any better, maybe even worst. The thing that gets me the most is the fact that I can feel my inner thigh start screaming with pain when I raise my leg (sideways) above waist level (and its even worst when I try it after workout). Maybe I'm not working out properly, maybe I strained or tear my muscles putting them under such extreme conditions that they're not regular to, or mabe I'm just not working enough.
Whatever it is, I wrote here to confer with you all, considering my age and my flxibility, do you think I still have a chanch of getting back to what I was or is it all lost for me?
if not, then what should I do?

Thank you all,
and excuse my english

[Florian Lang]

I started TKD about six months ago; at the time I could barely reach past my knees banding down, and couldn't lift my leg higher than knee level for a side kick. I can now side kick people in the chest and reach past my toes no problem. Gaining flexibility is no problem, as long as you keep stretching regularly.

I am 21 as well, so that shouldn't be a problem.

[Taliesin]

I didn't even become interested in flexibility until I was in my mid 30s - so for somebody as young as you, age is certainly not a problem.

Perhaps you're just being a little impatient - increases in flexibility take time.

Also, since flexibility is increased so slowly, you may not notice how much you are improving. Keeping a written record might help you see the improvement, and may also help motivate you.

Only stretch when warmed up, stretch regularly (3 x per week minimum), don't overstretch and you should see improvements in due course.

[jazzmasta25]

I certainly don't think age is the problem. Like the others said try to stretch for about 15 minutes at least 3 times a week. It takes time to develop flexibility. Remember if you don't maintain your flexibility at least one time a week you will eventually lose it.

View "Stretching" in my signature for a ton of stretches, I actually used this guide to achieve my split.

[TMA]

considering my age and flexibility for now - I'm afraid I'll never get it back.

The thing is, I practice about 3 days a week, one of which is a sole flexibility workout, but it seems to me like I'm not getting any better, maybe even worst. The thing that gets me the most is the fact that I can feel my inner thigh start screaming with pain when I raise my leg (sideways) above waist level (and its even worst when I try it after workout). Maybe I'm not working out properly, maybe I strained or tear my muscles putting them under such extreme conditions that they're not regular to, or mabe I'm just not working enough.


Firstly at 21.5 yrs your not exactly old! In any event age wont prevent you from developing your flexibility although if you start flexibility training at a later age it may make things harder, but not impossible.

Secondly it sounds worrying that your in so much pain when trying to lift your leg and perhaps you should get it checked out by a doctor/physio.

If its not an injury and just you trying to stretch past your current limit then you need to back off a bit, stretching shouldn't be painful, whats happening is its your bodies way of telling you to back off cause you will injure yourself, if you haven't already.

From the sounds of it you are probably doing either passive or dynamic stretching in which case you need to do more than 3 times a week, once you reach your desired level of flexibility you can go back down to 3 days.

You also probably need to work on muscle strength as well.

Also concentrate on your breathing whilst stretching as this will help relax the muscles being stretched.

[zenpokaiten]

Hello everybody, my name is Guy and im 21.5 years old. About 4 or 5 years ago I used to practice Krav Maga regularly, and my flexibility was pretty good - I mean - I could do some high kicks and came pretty close to a sidesplit.

Nowadays, after neglecting my flexibility for couple of YEARS, I started practicing XMA, gymnastics and trickstering. To my disappointment, I found out that getting my flexibility back is harder then I thought, and considering my age and flexibility for now - I'm afraid I'll never get it back.

The thing is, I practice about 3 days a week, one of which is a sole flexibility workout, but it seems to me like I'm not getting any better, maybe even worst. The thing that gets me the most is the fact that I can feel my inner thigh start screaming with pain when I raise my leg (sideways) above waist level (and its even worst when I try it after workout). Maybe I'm not working out properly, maybe I strained or tear my muscles putting them under such extreme conditions that they're not regular to, or mabe I'm just not working enough.
Whatever it is, I wrote here to confer with you all, considering my age and my flxibility, do you think I still have a chanch of getting back to what I was or is it all lost for me?
if not, then what should I do?

Thank you all,
and excuse my englishYou are young. You can still do whatever you want. We all have our limits, but if what you desire is flexibility, you need to put more time into that aspect. From the sounds of it you are stretching past your comfort zone. Dont do that! That is exactly how people get injured, and pulling your groin is not an injury that goes away easily. I dont know what routine you do as far as stretching is concerned, but first and foremost begin by doing some jumproping, shadowboxing, something cardio, then stretch. Next, begin your kicking, punching, whatever. Somewhere in the middle of the training stretch again. Then after your workout while your cooling down, do it once again, and make this your best stretch. You should also look into purchasing some ankle weights. Initially, you will need to hold onto a chair with these exercises, but in time you will aquire the balance to do them without. The excersize is as follows. Use your non dominant leg as your base leg. Hold onto a chair with the same hand as non dominant leg. Set the foot of the base leg so its pointing out like in a side kick. With your dominant leg, chamber it, and begin with a slow roundhouse kick, chamber leg, slow hook kick, chamber leg, slow side kick. Do these three kicks until you feel the burn. Switch legs, and repeat the process. This is an awesome little drill, and if that doesnt help you get more flexible, look into guys like Sang H. Kim, Bill Wallace, or Thomas Kurz. Sang H. kim has a few great dvds on flexibility, and those can be found on www.turtlepress.com . This dude knows what he is talking about with flexibility. Another real good DVD is Training Secrets Of Champions. Should be able to find that one in Blackbelt Magazine. Larry Lam, and two others teach there workout routines that made them champions in their select art. I wish you the best of luck, and in time it will come.

[nready]

Hello, Laban

Why not post something of your routine up so we can critique it and criticize it.

What I mean is we have nothing to go on here other than you have pain when you raise your leg to the side. We need more information, to understand what might be going on.

Criticize means just that, for you to gain something you will need to post what you might think is embarrassing so we can find what you might be doing wrong. That means be specific, or we will not be able to help you. In truth it will require you to think like you have to explain this to a someone that has never meet you. What we need is more in that, so what or when does it hurt exactly like which leg more. What exact part of leg is it hurting. So please share.

nready

[onyomi]

Stretch more frequently at lower intensity. 3 times a week is not enough if you want to see significant gains. That would only be enough to maintain. You might think you'd be too sore to stretch every day (preferably more than once a day), but that's why you go light and take it slow. It also helps a lot to heat up the area you intend to stretch, either by aerobic exercise or outside means like a bath or heating pad. I microwave a sock full of rice and place it on various parts of my body I'm stretching, sometimes even while I'm stretching them. Don't underestimate how much heat can help you.