Training flexibility everyday is bad or good?

[Alexis Solis]

Is it good to stretch everyday to gain flexibility? I've searched on the Internet and many said that it was ok. Others said that it was bad, that you should do it 3 times a week to gain flexibility and once a week if you wanted to maintain your flexibility. Coach, can you tell us what's the correct answer?

Also, I've tried several routines for developing my flexibility and none has worked (elasticsteel, flashmavi, stretching at the gym). I'm going to be honest here and say that they haven't worked because I haven't been diligent. Any tips for motivating myself into bear all that pain and stretch at least 3 times a week?!

[Joshua Naterman]

Start caring about your flexibility. There's no other way. If you don't care, you won't work.

[Cole Dano]

Is it good to stretch everyday to gain flexibility? I've searched on the Internet and many said that it was ok. Others said that it was bad, that you should do it 3 times a week to gain flexibility and once a week if you wanted to maintain your flexibility. Coach, can you tell us what's the correct answer?

Also, I've tried several routines for developing my flexibility and none has worked (elasticsteel, flashmavi, stretching at the gym). I'm going to be honest here and say that they haven't worked because I haven't been diligent. Any tips for motivating myself into bear all that pain and stretch at least 3 times a week?!

Hi 3runMX.

Motivation has to come from within. Now if it takes a specific goal, your coach yelling at you etc to bring that out its ok, but there is no magic formula for motivation other than just deciding to do something and following through with it.

I see you have a couple of posts on the topic of stretching. I'll give my 2¢.

I've always been a bit weird but i actually like stretching! But here's the thing, i NEVER go into pain! I know there are lots of methods of being stretched by someone and going really deep, even too deep so that it hurts. I'm not a big fan of that, mostly because i have seen many many people get themselves injured. It may be that you don't have a choice in the matter as its part of your chosen program. Even when someone is stretching you, its a two way process, you have to learn to be part of it at not just lie there and take the pain. There is a process that one slowly learns of to put the stretch in the belly of the muscle. You 'put your mind' in the areas being stretched and 'move' the stretch to the middle. E.g. i imagine you are talking about your hamstrings, move the stretch away from the sit bones (the most common point of injury) and the knees to the center of your femur. What will happen is you will automatically start to oscillate between being active and passive, and if your trainer is at all sensitive your feedback will help him know how far to go. Most importantly, this should actually feel mostly pleasant.

I don't recommend this more than a couple times a week because you have to recover from this kind of work. And i can tell you, it can make you sore!

However, part of the problem IMHO is that one needs to learn to stretch on their own. I don't have time to go into all the possible ways of doing this, but i will talk about one method which seems to be overlooked out side of yoga though i see no reason it should be.

Lets call it the restorative stretch. This is a fully supported totally passive stretch held for longer periods of time, in some cases up to 15 minutes. This is about master the art of totally letting go of the tension that keeps the muscle from releasing in a deep stretch.

The actual intensity of the stretch should be about 5 on a scale of 1-10.

Lets take a couple of examples for working the hamstrings (i say this lightly as in truth every stretch involves the whole body and nervous system) Though there are dozens these are two anyone can do and are easily explained.

1)Passive seated pike stretch

Support needed- one chair (or if you are more flexible a bolster or some pillows)

Method: Sit on floor with straight legs. Have the chair facing you and pull it in close enough that you can rest your head or chest on it and your arms. Stay 3-5 minutes

2)Foot up the wall

Support needed- A wall. Optional-Bolster or neatly folded blanket

Method: Sit near wall, roll on side while bringing legs up the wall. keep legs together and straight. Stay 5-15 minutes

Note that legs and lower back must be straight if your lower back rounds into the floor move away from the wall until it assumes a neutral spinal curve.

While in the postures don't space out, keep your mind feeling the stretch and actively participate in releasing your own tension. You may be quite surprised at what happens while simply being there as at first a whole world of sensation may open to you.

You can combine this with the assisted work by doing this on your off days. I think its best done on its own rather than part of a workout, however if it is part of the work out it should be done at the end, the foot up the wall pose being the very last thing.

This is something that can be done everyday no problem as it doesn't create trauma or micro-tearing to the muscles.

[Animalonfire]

For beginners, I recommend beginning with a serious stretching routine once per week, on the same day each week. Please note that this is not twist twist, touch your toes a few times, but a correctly structured full body stretch that will take a minimum of 30 minutes hard work. As a beginner, if you have stretched correctly, you will be SORE. It will take some time for the DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness) to dissipate. For beginners this dissipation may take the better part of a week; especially the first time. The amount of time for the DOMS to disperse will then begin to lessen from week to week.

After 4-6 weeks, when you are no longer spectacularly sore after a thorough stretch, it is time to add an additional day and begin the process again. It may also help to remember that stretching is a separate endeavor from joint preparation and pre-hab. For example, I prefer for hip extensions to be performed after leg conditioning rather than during stretching.

Many people confuse stretching with relaxation. While you may feel relaxed after the stretch, the stretch itself should be hard work. For those who are interested, I will be going over and leading several of the stretching protocols that I use with my own athletes during the course of the upcoming GB Seminar.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

If you really can't motivate yourself you could take classes in yoga, MA, or Gymnastics.

[Cole Dano]

It sounds like he already has the serious once a week set up with his trainer cranking on him.

The above post is a simple routine that can be very effective in addition to this. Its not just relaxing and lying around when you engage your mind and actively release.

[phken4343]

I usually do some warm up stretches everyday (10 secs), and I work on increasing my flexibility 5 days a week (90 secs each stretch). If you want to stretch while relaxing, here's an another stretch I sometimes do.

Find a wall, and I lie down so you're facing the wall and place your thigh close to the wall as possible. Now bring your legs up and split your legs. It's like the pancake stretch, but the gravity does the stretching for you.

[sean.albo]

Some motivations:

[Josh Shaw]

Some motivations:

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