left leg way more flexible then right

Before I attempt the pike stretch I like to stretch each leg individually first. My goal is to be able to do it with a straight back using just my hip flexors. I used to grab my feet and try to pull myself in, but I feel like this is forcing the stretch and my legs get feel really sore the next day. So yeah my problem is that my left leg is more flexible then my right. when I try to stretch on my right leg its harder to keep my back straight and my quadricep contracts really tight when I try to lean forward. Heres a video of me stretching both legs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua2nEpgdfcc&feature=youtu.be

Heres another video of me stretching my left leg. Is it more effective to bring your shoulder to the ground or forehead to your shin? Other leg in front or facing back? Feet pointing forward or facing up?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adXmu0bL5tI

I must be dense but when I look at your videos it seems to me you're right side is more flexible, not your left.  Or is the video backwards or something?

Regardless make sure your foot is flexed (ie: pointed up not out) when you do these stretches, that will work the whole hamstring, back of knee stretch.  This is especially important on your less flexible side.  REally pull those toes back toward you actively working the back of leg stretch.  Initially it won't matter how far your chest goes to your knee if you focus on pulling your toes back.  

You also might consider working the active version of this stretch on your less flexible side to work that hip flexor or at the least a standing passive version.

In the forward fold nose to knee and shoulder to floor are different stretches and both can be done per preference.  The shoulder to floor incorporates more of a side strectch obviously.  For variation you might consider threading your lower arm under your back thigh and grabbing your ankle and pulling.  This provides an interesting counter force and increases the intensity of the side stretch.

jl5555 said:

I must be dense but when I look at your videos it seems to me you're right side is more flexible, not your left.  Or is the video backwards or something?

 

Regardless make sure your foot is flexed (ie: pointed up not out) when you do these stretches, that will work the whole hamstring, back of knee stretch.  This is especially important on your less flexible side.  REally pull those toes back toward you actively working the back of leg stretch.  Initially it won't matter how far your chest goes to your knee if you focus on pulling your toes back.  

 

You also might consider working the active version of this stretch on your less flexible side to work that hip flexor or at the least a standing passive version.

 

In the forward fold nose to knee and shoulder to floor are different stretches and both can be done per preference.  The shoulder to floor incorporates more of a side strectch obviously.  For variation you might consider threading your lower arm under your back thigh and grabbing your ankle and pulling.  This provides an interesting counter force and increases the intensity of the side stretch.

yeah thats weird, it does look like its my right side now that I pay attention to the video. I filmed it with my mac book webcam. maybe that causes like a mirror effect or something. but yeah i guess ill just spend more time on my right leg, incorporating passive and active stretches. and that variation seems interesting, ill try that out next time too 

Some strategies that I have found successful in the past:

Do a series of two legged variations. Start with an easy ones and progress on up.  Concentrate on keeping symmetrical.  If you feel it more in one side than the other it's OK.  Your objective is to increase ROM by stretching the tightest pots, not to punish both legs equally

Something like

A) standing pike feet 60cm open, hands on something 30cm above floor. 

B  ) standing pike 40cm feet open hands on something 20cm above floor

C) 20cm open  y 10cm above

D) 10cm above y 5cm open

E) normal standing pike 

F) Walk hands forward to stretch heels more (like yoga)

G) return to normal remove hands from floor and hang head downwards (arms behind back)

H) Seated feet on the floor, if needed do the slightly separated thing all over

I) Seated feet raised 5cm

Another strategy that works is to stretch the bad side first.  With patience and humility work your way in until you get as far as you are going to get.  Then stay there a goodly long time.  Turn to the good side and stretch up until that point (or maybe a tech further if you are really unbalanced)   Then continue with two legged stretches.

Everybody has a good side and a bad side.  If you invest time and work you can reduce the difference.

Someone on here said that they consider stretching to be a form of eccentric contraction.  I kind of like thinking like that when calculating how much and how intense flexibility work can be done.

synchroGENized said:

 (...) a goodly long time (...)

Note to self: File in calibration next to crapton

synchroGENized said:

Some strategies that I have found successful in the past:

 

Do a series of two legged variations. Start with an easy ones and progress on up.  Concentrate on keeping symmetrical.  If you feel it more in one side than the other it's OK.  Your objective is to increase ROM by stretching the tightest pots, not to punish both legs equally

 

Something like

A) standing pike feet 60cm open, hands on something 30cm above floor. 

B  ) standing pike 40cm feet open hands on something 20cm above floor

C) 20cm open  y 10cm above

D) 10cm above y 5cm open

E) normal standing pike 

F) Walk hands forward to stretch heels more (like yoga)

G) return to normal remove hands from floor and hang head downwards (arms behind back)

H) Seated feet on the floor, if needed do the slightly separated thing all over

I) Seated feet raised 5cm

 

Another strategy that works is to stretch the bad side first.  With patience and humility work your way in until you get as far as you are going to get.  Then stay there a goodly long time.  Turn to the good side and stretch up until that point (or maybe a tech further if you are really unbalanced)   Then continue with two legged stretches.

 

Everybody has a good side and a bad side.  If you invest time and work you can reduce the difference.

 

Someone on here said that they consider stretching to be a form of eccentric contraction.  I kind of like thinking like that when calculating how much and how intense flexibility work can be done.

thanks for the advice. that looks like a good plan 

I know that Kit suggests to stretch the less flexible side two times in a session to help balance it. For example, if your left leg was less flexible and you were performing a single leg seated Hamstring stretch then you would stretch the left side, then the right, and back to the left again.

I've employed ut with reasonable success.