Improving flexibility

[m00se]

I have problems with flexibility. Most of this, I think, comes from when I herniated a disc in my back when I was 17. It's basically better now and I don't get any pain from it any more, but it has left me stiff and not very flexible in my legs. As an example, if I sit against a wall with my back flat against it, I can't get my left leg flat to the floor - it's very tight and it's very painful to push it down past about 10 degrees of flexion.

I have been working towards full hanging leg lifts and while I can do Ls from the bar (albeit with my left leg slightly off straight) I can see no way I could get my legs up higher while keeping them straight.

Does anyone have any ideas about how I can get more flexibility in my legs/hips/lower back? I realise that stretching is the answer, but what sort of stretching?

Thanks

[Skirler]

Yoga ...

Floor Poses: cobra, pigeon, up-dog, seated forward fold, legs aainst the wall, locust

Standing: any of the warrior poses, forward fold, chair pose

Those might be some good starting points. All of them can be found by Da' Google.

[Timmy M]

a few months ago i did some fairly serious damage to my pelvis through deadlifting with bad form, now i stretch every other day or so with a mix of:

quad stretches (stand on one leg and put your heel to your bum with the other)

hamstring stetches (sit on the floor with one leg straight out in front of you, the other leg bent so your sole is flat to the side of your knee, try to touch your toes and bend your head down so your chin is touching your chest, also good for a lat stretch if your 'roll' to the side your flat leg is and try to touch your toes with both hands)

the standard 'touch your toes' stretch

glute stretches (lay on your back with one leg out as normal and grab your other knee and pull it to your opposite shoulder)

and an abductor stretch that is pretty hard for most people (sit up and instead of crossing your legs put the soles of your feet together and lean forward, since doing these often i can get my knees on the ground and my head to me feet )

[DustMite]

The yoga and stretches suggested by Timmy and Skirler are probably the going to help you the most, but if you can afford to get a massage that can also help a little if you let the massage therapist know what you're having issues with.

[m00se]

Yoga ...

Floor Poses: cobra, pigeon, up-dog, seated forward fold, legs aainst the wall, locust

Standing: any of the warrior poses, forward fold, chair pose

Those might be some good starting points. All of them can be found by Da' Google.

Thank you Skirler! Some googling reveals very interesting, painful-looking positions that I can only imagine will send my other half into fits of uncontrollable laughter Still, I'm sure it'll be helpful - I'll give it all a try.

Also thanks to Timmy - I do the basic stretching stuff pre- and post-workout but the abductor stretches look like a good thing.

It's weird, thinking that I'll get more flexible with time, but I suppose it's like anything - you're bound to if you try hard enough. Any tips Skirler?

[Timmy M]

yh the abductor stretches are a bit random/hard and i just kinda discovered it, but when doing the hamstring stretch putting your chin to your chest really makes a big difference, when i injured my hip it's my gluteus medeus/minimus that gets knotted up real easy and needs a lot fo stretching and it hits it juuuuust right, a friend who does it finds it makes his hamstring get a bit more stretched as well, guess it just depends (it adds the stretch by pulling up all the way down your back, so could be extra special for you )

[Hermione Gainser]

www.mobilitywod.com