stiff leg windmill

I am starting foundation 1 with the stretch series (at age 48) on monday 1/2, after having worked with fundamentals for about 2 months. In previewing day 1, I think I can perform all movements well enough to progress. However, the stiff leg windmill does give me some problems. is being able to touch the ground sufficient mobility to progress or do you need to be able to reach through the legs?

Hey Jay,

Reach through your legs for this movement. Can you please submit a video? That is the best way to know if you are ready to move on. 

This is the only F1 element where the mobility piece is what's holding me back.  When I try to do these up to speed I can't keep the weight balanced and sometimes can't keep me balanced.  Would it make sense to slow it down and focus on form first, then speed it up and just stay on step 1 until I can do these up to speed?  Thanks.

Hi Jessica,

My recommendation is to focus on mastering form first.  To this end, pause the video, complete your reps and then continue the workout.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

It is also the only mobility element holding me back thus far. Would it be beneficial to do some extra work with this movement as a warm up or cool down for other workout days?

39 minutes ago, JAY ROACH said:

It is also the only mobility element holding me back thus far. Would it be beneficial to do some extra work with this movement as a warm up or cool down for other workout days?

Most definitely. You can include a set in a daily limber routine if you'd like and also put some extra practice in around your workouts. 

This movement has also held me back literally almost a year I have been working in my flexibility and mobility but I feel this is a movement that is too advanced and there should be preliminary mobility work to reach this movement for example I feel like I'm jumping right on a bike with this movement when I should be doing something else is trainingwheels before this movement

My other shoulder is making noises when I am doing this one. I have dislocated it 4 times (twice I was able to put it back myself, twice had to go to hospital for them to put it back, no surgery has been done). Actually the last it happened was when I was doing Fundamentals "Rotation of the torso", gained more movement, so the next night I popped it while I was sleeping. 4 months of rehabilitation (according to doctor's instructions), finished Fundamentals and now I am doing my 2nd week of F1.

I am doing it without any weight at least for now. Most of the noise occurs when I am coming back up, just in the very end. It doesn't hurt, but I wonder if it it will be like this forever.

On mobility side I am able just to touch the ground, because of doing Foundation twice.

Hi Simo,

First rule to training is to never work through pain. I would highly recommend to see a physician before moving forward. 

It would also be helpful if you could post a video for us to better assist you  

@Mike Ross, please submit a form check. You can try stretching your hamstrings and hips before performing this exercise if mobility is holding you back here.

Are you doing the Stretch courses? These will definitely help  

@Pauline TaubeIm doing the stretch courses  but my flexibility in this area is so limited that its beyond just doing this stretch with good form over and over until I master it...I need to focus on specific elements that are holding the motion back...Ive done the form check already a couple times months ago took the advice but again kinda irrelevant if other muscles are impeding the movement...So for example, back when I was having trouble deep squatting the advice was just squat more with good form etc etc until I said screw it isolated that it was my upper quad...did the kneeling lunge stretch with my back foot up not he couch for a month and long and behold I could sit i a deep squat for 8 minutes.... 

Same problem here I have to find out what to do 

Hey Mike,

Because of your previous shoulder injuries I strongly suggest seeing a sports physio or other medical professional. It is incredibly difficult to work on these issues behind a monitor. You can always keep up on your form checks and that will certainly help but there are trained professionals for these types of specific issues. An in-person assessment is the way to go for this situation. 

I also get popping sounds in my shoulders when doing these, at least when going down, nothing on the way up. Its also right at the end of each rep and sometimes it doesn't make any sound at all. It is weird  However there's no pain, so I guess there is nothing to worry about, but also I have never had any shoulder issues so.

I couldnt find this in the instructional videos. What weight are we using for stifflegged windmill?

I think its a 5 pound dumbbell....I don't do these I do half windmills while I am increasing my flexibility ....The form checks on this site are fantastic however my one gripe is anytime there is a problem the only solution is send a form check send a form check (which is great in most scenarios but not all the time)....which when you have flexibility impingement it will take 10 years of doing the same thing over and over instead of offering up a progression to work up to the the exercise like the stiff legged windmill since this is a very advanced move.. Its like telling someone with really stiff ankles and hips to keep doing weighted back squats and eventually your ankles will get looser instead of having them do progressions that will open up the ankles along side or first...nonetheless...I am doing the half windmill on one knee to slowly open up and control the twist motion which seems to be heavily stopping me from getting anywhere with this exercise...I have been stuck on the manna 1 for over a year because of this exercise

5 hours ago, Jonas Berglund said:

 

I couldnt find this in the instructional videos. What weight are we using for stifflegged windmill?

 

Hi Jonas,

Aim for 10lbs for mastery. 

2 hours ago, Everett Carroll said:

Aim for 10lbs for mastery. 

I'm currently working on it with a 15lbs, do you recommend to lower it to 10?

15lbs is ok to use as long as the form is perfect.

I do get some tiny bit of knee "pain" in the outer side of the knees. I dont feel it during the stretch but i can feel it 1-2 days after. Nothing serious, a 2-3 of 10 in the pain scale. Goes away if I rest from the windmill in 1-2 day. Is this normal of should I adjust something? 

Hi @Jonas Berglund,

If you are having doubts with your form, you can submit a video for form check/video review. If it goes away then it is quite normal. But always keep in mind the difference of pain and discomfort.