Flexibility

[Guest Ido Portal]

I've been asked to share my views on the development of flexibility and the stretching methods I use.

Actualy I am not a big believer in the multipile times a day, daily passive stretching 'waste of one's time'. This is not nutrition. (Where I am a big believer of eating often and in small amounts)

This kind of aproach mainly works with children and training systems that are supported on the idea of training someone from an early age and into adulthood. For someone who has missed the boat, (like me) it is not a potent enough method to develop a high degree of flexibility. (A less plaiable nervous system is the reason, not less plaiable musculature)

I use a combination of mainly active elements and I do them rarely and not often. I maintain the degree of flexibility I am in need of in my practice, no less, no more.

Here is a small demonstration of basic passive positions:

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Enjoy,

Ido Portal,

Hacasa Performance Center.

[gymrob]

Ido,

Many thanks for posting that. Your level of flexibility is very impressive!

Just a quick question: since you have said that it is the nervous system that mainly governs flexibility levels, is it always necessary to warm up before a stretching session? I'm sure it's advisable by many people but is it completely necessary?

I ask this since in the only flexibility book I have read (Pavel's Relax into Stretch) he states that warm ups are a complete waste of time. Do you have any particular favourite reads on the subject?

Thankyou for the video it is very helpful.

Regards.

[Mats Trane]

Hi Ido

Thanks för a great video. I´m almost all the way down in my frontsplits. My sidesplits are way behind my frontsplits. What do you recomend for progressions for sidesplits?

[Guest Ido Portal]

It is a simple matter, actually. Simple but not easy, mind you.

If one builds strength in extreme range of motion, the body will allow this ROM to be used. Going one step after another deeper and deeper and keep making strength gains is the key. (this is a kind of presuation of the CNS - 'this new ROM is ok! Let me move deeper')

Actualy, most people who fail at achieving the middle split are suffering also from a lack of progression in strength skills also. True flexibility work should also be periodized, planned, regulated, as it is a strength skill first and foremost.

This is the best I can provide you, as a general guidline. The amount of true straddle planches demonstrated on youtube and the amount of true side splits-strength supported are highly correlated. Because both are a result of well programmed, multi step progression program. Making initial gains in strength and though, flexibility, is easy, but afterwards... 95% of the people who train never progress further.

Ido.

[ChenZhen]

Hey Ido,

really nice vid! i also "missed the boat" and used isometric stretching (mainly kurz' method) to achieve all kinds of splits. eventhough i can do the splits my hammies are still quite tight, i wonder what kind of exercise do you use to target the hamstrings? at the moment i do some good morning hamstring stretches with a kettlebell but they don't allow the full ROM so at some point i can't go further.

hope you can give me some tips!

all the best

btw, here's my sidesplit vid:

[eppersoj]

you could try straight leg dead lifts elevated on a bench to get fuller ROM.

I saw your splits video. Very impressive. What did you do for adductor strength?

[ChenZhen]

thx for the tip, i'll try that!!!

i just used kurz' horse stance method along with my strength training which is mainly kettlebell and bwe stuff, for the lower body i do lots of pistols, bw and weighted.

all the best!

[lyzis]

Hi everybody!

In fact I "missed the boat" too and I have a big problem with my shoulders' flexibility... I really can't open my shoulders, in fact I can't do a bridge. So when I saw your video Ido I was wondering how can you gain shoulder flexibility?

This lack of flexibility affects my flips and other many skills using this flexibility...

So Ido what are you doing to have such a good bridge? Daily training? And what kind of training?

I also eard that the strenght of shoulder girdle also plays an important role about shoulder flexibility so does an increase of the strenght of shoulder girdle can increase the ROM of the shoulders?

I need a reply because this lack of flexibility really handicap me...

Thanks to everybody!