Flexibility routine

I'm a new gymnastics convert and right now flexibility seems to be my biggest weakness (especially shoulders but really everything). I read in a getting started sticky that noobs should have 1 serious 30 minute stretching routine per week, however, I have also read on here that we should be stretching every day.

Basically I just want to know what is the absolute fastest way to gain flexibility. How often, when, and what should I be stretching?

Mr Brady knows a lot about stretching, but I can recommend TWO books for you: "Secrets of Stretching" and "Relax into Stretch".

There is a static (relaxed) stretching routine around here somewhere. You probably saw the link to it in the stretching thread you mentioned.

You should read up on Active Isolated Stretching (AIS). This involves a stretch being created by the agonist of the movement and none other. For example, a AIS hamstring stretch could be lying down on your back and, using only your hip flexors and abs, raise your straight leg towards your face. Hold for a few seconds and repeat for reps or just hold for any amount of time.

You should also read up on Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF), also known as the Contract/Relax method. An example of this would be putting your foot on a box, trying to push your heel through the box towards the floor and your other foot, then relaxing, tensing up again, etc.

The other more experienced members will have a lot more to say about this than I do, but I think the general weekly schedule is 1 heavy static stretching day, 2-3 PNF days, and 1-3 AIS days. My schedule is PNF and AIS on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, and static (some static active) stretching on Monday and Thursday.

Hope this helps...

Thank you so much for your response. I will definitely look into all that you mentioned. My lack of flexibility is going to hold me back from progressing unless I start fixing it right now.

I really hope coach plans on releasing Liquid Steel™ sometime in the near future!

Keep in mind that even though you want fast results, like building strength takes time and consistent effort, so does flexibility.

Consistency has been the key ingredient for me at least. If you really want to make gains, then 3-4 times a week of stronger flexibility work and some lighter, what i call mobility work everyday.

You may feel the flexibility work more than the strength work, in other words, it can make you sore. That's part of why doing some light work everyday is important, it takes out the soreness, hair of the dog.

The forum has a lot of specific advice, i won't get into that until you have more specific questions. Flexibility is a large topic, and some people find it to be a lifelong pursuit.

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

this has more than enough links on stretching and a basic crude passive stretching routine

Mr Brady said:

Keep in mind that even though you want fast results, like building strength takes time and consistent effort, so does flexibility.

Yes of course I would never expect to be able to do a front split by next week. Although I'm new to gymnastics, I have been training for a year and a half. During that time I never really took stretching all that seriously. I kinda just blew it off doing some basic stretches and touching my toes a few times. Now I figure is a good time to get a routine together and start taking flexibility a lot more seriously. Right now my plan is to go to circus school in 2 years...so as long as I see some very significant improvement by then I'll be happy.

Mr Brady said:

You may feel the flexibility work more than the strength work, in other words, it can make you sore. That's part of why doing some light work everyday is important, it takes out the soreness, hair of the dog.

Haha it's funny that you mention that because I was just thinking about that earlier. I did Ido's scapula mobilization routine and some more serious stretching than I've ever done. It was the most sore I've been since I worked out for the first time.

Mr Brady is right that it will take more than a week. However, if flexibility (specifically in the way of the splits) is your top goal, you CAN get both splits within a few months given that you start with a solid base of strength. Either way, it's probably best not to time yourself and try to blitz through these things. Everything is nicer if you take your time.

It can be done that fast, but it won't be pretty! After that honestly a good year to own it. It also depends a bit on the style of front split, with the back foot turned out will come much quicker than foot turned down.

In my experience there are some people that progress quickly and some that no matter how they try improve very slowly.

Mr Brady said:

It can be done that fast, but it won't be pretty! After that honestly a good year to own it. It also depends a bit on the style of front split, with the back foot turned out will come much quicker than foot turned down.

In my experience there are some people that progress quickly and some that no matter how they try improve very slowly.

That's true, it does depend on the style. Some call it the mixed stance front split, half side split, martial arts split, but there's one thing that everyone can agree on and that is that most people get it before they get either full splits.

Not to discount your experience by any means, but at first glance, it seems to me that the people who progress slowly are missing some sort of important step, be it getting all those joints in proper place and resetting proper mechanics or proper strength and conditioning.

By the way, have you read anything by Thomas Kurz? (http://stadion.com/)

Patrick Smith said:

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The other more experienced members will have a lot more to say about this than I do, but I think the general weekly schedule is 1 heavy static stretching day, 2-3 PNF days, and 1-3 AIS days. My schedule is PNF and AIS on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, and static (some static active) stretching on Monday and Thursday.

Hope this helps...

Ok cool that's exactly what I wanted to know. I'm just using the template that's frequently found on GB for my static stretching days. I have looked up PNF and AIS so I know what they are, but is there a specific routine or template that I could follow for PNF or AIS? Or do I just kinda have to figure out my own?

And Mr Brady: How do you differentiate between stronger flexibility work and daily mobility work? Are things like Ido's scapula mobilization routine ok to do almost daily?

Patrick Smith said:

Not to discount your experience by any means, but at first glance, it seems to me that the people who progress slowly are missing some sort of important step, be it getting all those joints in proper place and resetting proper mechanics or proper strength and conditioning.

By the way, have you read anything by Thomas Kurz? (http://stadion.com/)

That's a very idealistic viewpoint. In all endeavors you will find situations where two people put in the exact same amount of work and yet one 'gains' more. This doesn't always mean the other person is doing it wrong. Sometimes but definitely not always.

Yes i've read Kurz, it was interesting, but not earth-shattering, however i've been doing flexibility work for over 30 years now. I did particularly enjoy the emphasis on active stretching.

I don't know what it is with flexibility work and three letter acronyms. I think if i ever write a book it will be called Flexibility it not a three letter word. None of these ideas are new, someone just packaged them and gave them a scientific sounding name. Kurz is not guilty of that BTW, his style was very refreshing.

To answer your question jugglinggymnast, mobility is fine to do as often as you want. From what little i've seen of AIS it looks like it would be a reasonable way of doing leg and hip mobility. You could use a heavy band around your leg rather than a belt, bands have a certain way of feeding back into the system.

Blairbob wrote:

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

this has more than enough links on stretching and a basic crude passive stretching routine

Thanks Blairbob. I just started going to a weekly stretch class but needed to sort out a daily stretch routine so I can reap the benefit. That link has saved me some time.