Squat mobility & general mobility progress (nature vs nurture)

Hi all

So, this is more of a motivational question than a technical one (although possibly not...) but I am very keen to hear if anyone out there has managed to develop decent range of motion on a squat, having previously had a very limited range (i.e. not being able to get below parallel)?

My strength is good but my general flexibility is terrible and no more so in the squat position where i cannot hit anything approaching a decent depth. I get around this is weight lifting through the use of foot supports etc but it's still not that deep!

While i have focused on additional stretches to help with this area (it's not the only problem area!), progress is slow and it's quite demoralising as I'm so far off being able to do some of the basic movements / stretches in the GB series that my "scaled down" version feel pretty redundant. I'm fairly convinced that ROM and flexibility is predominantly dictated by genetics / early life etc but can be improved through training. What i'm less clear about is the extent to which it can be improved. I'd love to believe that training / stretching can over-come chronic inflexibility to at least get you to a solid level i.e. one at which you can progress through the GB system and build on the strength elements.

So, I would love to hear from anyone who's successfully overcome serious flexibility issues. Motivational issues apart, I'd also appreciate hearing if you've found something that really works for you in terms of improvement etc

Thank you

B

Bert B said:

... I'm fairly convinced that ROM and flexibility is predominantly dictated by genetics / early life etc but can be improved through training. What i'm less clear about is the extent to which it can be improved. I'd love to believe that training / stretching can over-come chronic inflexibility to at least get you to a solid level i.e. one at which you can progress through the GB system and build on the strength elements ...

Depends upon context.  

Most of the world class athletes that you see exhibit high levels of mobility and flexibility are by nature extremely tight individuals.  Their demonstrated mobility is the result of proper training and progressions.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I think many people who believe they can't be more flexible are the ones who try, and they stretch, but they don't follow or even know about the proper training and progressions. They think they are stretching correctly, so they build a belief that they can't be more flexible. I've met quite a few, and it's important to know it is possible. Just look at all the quick and substantial progress since the stretch series came out. As an example, my pike went from fingers to toes, to face touching shins in about six months. You can do it, it just takes patience, consistency and proper programming.

Thanks, Jason - good to hear. Will report back.

Coach Sommer, that's a fair point but top athletes are also likely to be training their mobility properly from a young age. The results might be somewhat different were they to start out in their 30s..

Merely an urban myth that adults are unable to correct mobility deficits.

Orench and all of the other senior GB students all began their mobility training as adults.  And I can assure you that Orench began far more tight than you are currently.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

There's a saying: you can't achieve everything, but you can achieve anything if you put your mind into it. I take it a step further by saying you can achieve a lot, and this applies to flexibility as well.

if i were to wipe my memory and start GST again, i'd want to know these things to achieve flexibility:
1. be consistent
2. scale appropriately
3. be honest about the sensations i'm feeling.
4.explore what is tight, dont avoid it. fix it.
5. be weak, be inexperienced, be an amateur, but don't be a wimp.

and for motivation a poster of these words:

difficulty is a reflection of where I currently am, not what is possible for me. investigate what is possible for you and find the manageable method to chip away at the goal.

since we were talking about motivational.

edit: there's still much to learn, thats a list of some of the things I can pick up on to a certain degree.

I had significant, chronic mobility issues when starting the GB system that I can share (Still do )​.   I'm also 38 with chronic lat and overhead reaching issues from competitive racing with various ocean paddle sports.

I remember just less than 1 year ago, I sat there testing out one of the first, overhead mobility exercises. 

Struggling to hold an upright sitting position with a flexed spine, I tried to elevate my arms.  Disappointingly, I could only lift up to 130 degrees of shoulder flexion; with straight arms, my hands could only lift half way between eye level, and overhead!  I was upset, and also asked the question can chronic flexibility issues be overcome? Worse off, I was questioning if I should continue with the GB system because I conceptualized how long things might take.  I chose to plug away at it... picking the GB system as my personal physical therapy rehab of choice for an experiment.

I also remembered what the poet Wendell Berry said, something like, "... we do not have the right to ask the question WILL it work in the end... the only question we can ask is WHAT is the right thing to do at this moment". 

Thought I'd share a recent picture, retesting that same position that seriously challenged my outlook nearly one year ago.

I do not know where the end game will be... but I enjoy this road I have been on over the last year very much.

-Ryan

Thanks all. Good to hear; will keep plugging away. It also sounds, from other posts elsewhere on the forum, that i'm probably guilty of over-stretching. Will get some photo evidence of my ROM in some of the basic movements now and track progress in 3mths time. 

Thanks again

Bert