flexibility training for front split and ankles

here is a little introduction how i got to gymnastics and what it means for me:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1845

so i want to get the flexibility mainly for the deep squats of oly weightlifting that means i want to have a front split and realy good ankle/calve flexibility as i am 6'2''. until now i never had a flexibility day once a week in my programm i did not do dynamic warm ups i only did post normal workout stretching. and my flexibility did not improve very much while the last year. this week i started with PNF like relax into stretch from pavel tsatsouline.

so what stretches/exercises do you recommend and how to integrate them into training? post workout, warm up, flexibility day? i also dont feel as i am able to construct a stretch routine by myself (therefore i am asking) i read on boards and books (the stuff from pavel mainly) about stretching but it is very confusing as there a lots of methods.

thanks for your advice!

For ankles http://www.foot-ankle.co.uk/lib/tmp/cms ... tretch.JPG try to stretch the calf of the back foot.When you get flexible enough try this http://www.foot-ankle.co.uk/lib/tmp/cms ... tretch.JPG with a straight back.Also do this http://www.exrx.net/StretchImages/Tibia ... ngShin.jpg for the front of the shin,so you dont get imbalances.For the hip flexors do this http://images.teamsugar.com/files/users ... tretch.jpg .

http://agt.degreesofclarity.com/stretching/

for warmup, i like a few deck squats, lunges, side lunges and leg swings. I also will do a set of FS or BS or OHS and hold the bottom.

I wouldn't say you need a front split for a split jerk, but the ability to hold an extended lunge with the angle from the forward to backward knee at near 180 is important.

thank you for your links!

i should have said that i am definitly more flexible than the average (can easily grab my feets when doing a pike stretch) but it seems to be not enough for a deep upright squat.

greg everett the author of olympic weightlifting said that a weightlifter should be near a front split. i think that the flexibility is needed rather for the deep squats than for jerks. the less split you have the more calf flesibility is needed in order to tilt the shin enough to stay as upright as possible to get as deep as possible.

some deep squats even if not good for knees (esp. the first one)!

the second is better than the first and is more of where they caught it.

Here you can see Zhang Guozheng, one of the best in his category, performing the side split

EDIT: oops I was actually searching for front split and already wrote the post before finding the img

We actually call that a side split. If you are sitting on your butt in a straddle, we refer to it as a pancake which generally has the chest and stomach on the floor as well.