As a former professional ballet dancer one thing I would strongly suggest is to warm up the body first. Warm muscles are more pliable. Otherwise there is potential for micro-tears in the muscles creating scar tissue. Stretch AFTER warming up or exercising. Fewer injuries.
After careful consideration (time available, daily motivation), I ended up doing exactly those + sides + jefferson curl (bnus hamstrings and back) + hands grabbing behind back (because desk job). Glad to feel my choice validated.
Did the wall quad stretch after watching your video at night and saw immediate result. The relief felt in entire lower body was amazing. Never knew I had so much tension in the hip muscles. Slept like a baby after that - which doesnt happen often. Thanks a lot. Keep up the good work!
I'm just having the same sensation. Did every strech for 2 minutes an my hips feel like water.also, the constant pain im my lower back is currently gone.
@@forgottenvirtues5480 I don't know how official mine is: Sitting right leg down, left knee up. With a straight spine the right elbow goes on the left side of left knee to help the twist from waist all the way up to neck. Reverse positions and twist the other direction too. Or 2) Laying down, knees raised heels at the butt, keep feet and both shoulders on the floor as both knees slowly drop to the right, raise, both knees drop left, etc. and turn your head to look the opposite direction for twist in the upper spine.
In yoga we learn to warm up the back first thing to avoid injury. Stretch in all 6 directions: flex (forward fold), extend (back bend), side bends (lateral flexion, Right + Left), and twist each side (rotation of spine above fixed pelvis, R+L).
Stewart McGill says the spine shouldn't be trained for flexibility. The hips and shoulders should be flexible, allowing twists and bends. The spine should be held in the anatomical S-shape by the muscles. Twisting movements damage the spinal discs, something that young people don't realize yet. Wait, the damage will come later
as a German Biologist and Pythagorean - I follow you for some time and always am surprised about your presentations. It is Neuro Biology - it starts with the purification of the mind- sense of clarity and rank of Values. In my view - the range of Function and Movement. Every day I see Elderly with bad posture and hanging bent over their wheeled push helper - which only makes it worse - reminding me- I never will be like this - as it is easily preventable. We have a lot of wait times during the day- which easily can be used for Posture control, isometric contraction, stretching - even 1 minute can do a lot. Gratitude to YOU for the en Couragment. And how easy it gets - once we set our Mind to it. Bravo!
@@Strengthside as a German Biologist and Pythagorean - please study Neuro Biology Conditioning the PAIN - Reward pattern in the Auto Pilot the train to endure PAIN then PAIN disappears The Comfort Zone hyper conditions to avoid even imaginged Pain and lust for instant intense Rewards then the comfort Zone becomes Self destruction as long as we are stuck in our conditioned Auto Pilot there will be no progress in anything I adore your excellent Work! You are an In Spiration! bravo!
The sixt stretch: walking. Last year I had a serious back problem. Tried so much to get back up. But it was when I started taking walking serious that the whole area got so much better. And with serious I mean just 5000 steps a day. Ps. That squad at the end is really good to tight low back muscles too. Don't see it recommended that often, but always my first thing to do when feeling tight in the lower back muscles again. Thanks for the vid!
ou i can´t imagine that. i have a job where, i have minimum of 12 000 steps every day. Walking another 2km to get to work and off the work.. i was like.. "maybe i should change job cuz i want more energy and time for sports that i like to do in free time. But i think its better to be tired from walking/carrying stuff around then just to be tired of sitting at the work.
Pigeon stretch with front leg elevated on an incline bench is my favorite. The different incline settings allows for more or less external hip rotation without compromising the knee with excessive torque. It is great for developing external hip rotation (front leg) and hip flexor mobility (back leg) and it strenghtens both positions because you need to hold your own bodyweight. You can also add a bonus shoulder stretch by interlocking your hands and stretching the arms overhead into full shoulder flexion - which has great carry over to the bottom of the clean and jerk if you are into olympic lifts
I also saw this stretched performed as a strength exercise by Knees Over Toes Guy by performing weighted reps with your torso lowering towards your stretching knee (more glute stretch) or towards your toes (more external rotation). After trying it I can really recommend it. I used to experience bad hip torque but not with this one, because the knee is fully supported
At 52 years old, the wall quad stretch was a game changer. I found that specific video months ago and incorporated it into my stretching routine. The first attempt at it was a workout, I started sweating and shaking, my body didn’t know what was going on. Thank you for all the great videos.
Just tried it. Out of all of them I can see this one is key. I can tell that this restriction is creating huge issues not just for my pelvis and area, but for my nervous system as well. I was shaking all over till I held it for 30 seconds.
@@rameshjha2264 I think you mean most 52 year olds... And if you do really mean all, you haven't been to a senior yoga class with people that take it seriously...a youngster like you should know that.
@@rameshjha2264 You obviously know nothing about the relationship between health, longevity and flexibility. There are 90 year old yoga instructors that are more flexible in thought and body than you.
I am 73 And I literally do these every morning. In addition : -cat/cow,10 reps -cobra pose, 60 sec.'s -standing knee ups with a twist, 60 reps -large circles both ways with my arms for sixty seconds each way -" The world's greatest stretch "10 reps both sides And I finish with five minutes in a full asian squat, Is followed by a great poop and a three mile brisk walk😎 I also do resistance training.2 to 3 days a week with dumbbells And resistance bands concentrating on functional mobility.Ie squats, curls,presses,flys, rows,etc.
I had no idea what kind of junk I was eating my whole life. I got terribly fat and worst thing is I wasn't noticing it until I went to doctor for a checkup and my results were terrible. That's when I decided to start living healthy. Bad thing is I am lazy and hate to research about food and I just couldn't count calories all the time so I decided to invest in a meal plan from site Next Level Diet. Best thing I got myself in this life. I lost so much fat and got so much more energy when I started eating healthy.
Child's pose is one daily stretch I can't live without, my body just needs it...... Loving strength side! Love the way you guys explain things and you are truly inspiring! Thank you for doing what you do!
My 6th stretch would be “worlds greatest stretch” which is basically a deep lunge, then with the same arm as the forward leg, reach across the body to the floor, then twist the other way and reach the arm as high as possible.
I was searching “stretches for flexibility” when I came across and was drawn to this one. I did all 5 of these stretches and now my body is in a more loose, relaxed state before bed. Thank you so much for uploading this video! Think I will be doing these stretches every night before bed.
Stretching first thing every morning is my goal. Based on our body joints being ball and sockets, we are designed for circular motion, not linear. The 6th stretch is rotating my core to 180 degs looking and reaching backwards. Keeps me surfing and snowboarding at age 60. This really works!!
I work from home and I spend 1-2 hours in deep squat position. Another thing not mentioned here is free hang on a bar. Mainly passive one but active with scapula engagement from time to time is also great for me.
Just stumbled across your channel today, and I love all the stretches that you showed. I’ve been doing a couple here and there, but you’ve really motivated me to be more serious about stretching.
As a chiropractor, always looking for ways to help my patients and keep them out of my office. I tend to give specific exercises and stretches for problem areas but this is a good preventable exercise routine, especially when accompanied with your three best exercises; pushups, pullups and squats. Thank you. I will be referring patients to your youtube channel.
Thanks Strength Side , its up too us how we age. Don't retire your body at 20 years old but instead develop the best relationship of your life with your own body. Thanks man.
If you had to pick a sixth stretch, what would it be? Let us know in the comments below 👇 Fitness Faq's Podcast with Josh ► ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-laUIPdr2eOU.html
My sixth stretch would be stretching the flexor of the forearm. I find that most training utilize the flexor muscles in the arms which cause them to be tighter than the extensors. I personally struggle with handstand and push ups and so forth due to lack mobility in my forearm and wrist. PS: I suck at all these, I suspect 15 years of strenght training and stretch neglect have turned me into a brick wall.
I don’t think I can even get my stiff body into any of these stretches! 🤣 but I’m going to do like you say and set time out of my day to do these. Thanks!
Nice! For me the 6th that I'm investing time in is spending more time sitting on the floor and getting more comfortable engaging neglected parts of my anatomy. I'm desk-based so I need to make a conscious effort to move regularly to improve.
6th stretch would be a cross-lateral reach with feet and in opposite directions. ring out the spine like a wet towel. get space between vertebrae, loosen up the spinal fluid, and bring awareness so that when a twist is load-bearing... there are no surprises.
As someone with a slightly hunched back, this has helped me tremendously regaining a good posture. I didn't know I could feel that free inside my body. Especially the Lats and the shoulder exercizes were really working strongly against the hunched back.
Started routinely stretching 3 days ago and honestly this is exactly what i needed. With all these complex stretches i cant do, this is a clear and easy roadmap!
Is it ok to randomly take 5 minutes out of work & do 1 of these stretches without being warmed up? Obviously won’t be able to go as deep but is there still a benefit? (Naturaly if push too hard without being warmed up there is increase prone to injury)
I’m 65 years old and I have always considered myself in pretty good shape for my age. but I have neglected my stretching and I paid the price.I am getting on a routine of stretching and following your videos and I am going to get back into the shape that I used to be in.I want to thank you so much. I just don’t wanna be one of those guys hunched over and walking like the President.
Excellent video! I have been doing variations of most of these on a regular basis for years now, and yes, they are great for the body. A 6th one would be for the chest (using a door frame, for example), which I also do daily. I mean, you covered back, quads, hamstrings, and hip flexors. The only other big muscle left is the pecs! Everybody should do all these at least 2-3 times/week, and work towards 1-2 times a day, if they want to be independent in old age!
with almost every second person in todays times suffering from lower back pain or survical pains, it would be very helpful if you could add a precaution warning if required in any exercise for those who have buldges in spine as the cause of pain, again reason being so common.
ya know.. Im pretty much a fatass but Ive noticed that Im more flexible than the average guy and I wondered.. after seeing this video tho now I know! I regularly do these exercises (unknowingly) because they feel relaxing therefore I have more maneuverability than most *but* since Im kinda fat my tummy still makes me unable to use my wider range of motion haha
Your videos are awesome and inspirational, and I appreciate the advice, however, it would be great if you guys could do a video working with people that have no/limited flexibility. It's awesome seeing you guys do it and teaching about it, but you guys can stretch from your head to your pinky toes! It would be nice to see you working with an absolute beginner or someone who has limited flexibility. Someone who doesn't know how to even get into the positions to begin these stretches (because they are so desk stiff) and you showing them where a good stopping point would be to avoid injury because they're trying so hard to do it like you. Many of your users are young or have years of athletic activity behind them. They are familiar with movement and listening to their body. I see comments all the time about how they're going to add this and add that to their routine. What about us that don't have any routines. That don't have years of athletic or dancing or play movement behind them? I would love to begin. Even though I'm older, it's never too late to begin. I would love to see you working with somebody who has no clue. Someone I can relate to! I can watch that and say Hey that's me. Now I know how to start!
One thing that might help is to think about chasing sensation, not shape. Don't worry too much about your stretch looking like what Josh and Trevor are doing, just approximate the position and only push till you feel a stretch even if that's not very far. When that feels safe and okay, push a little more. Take it slow. Over time you'll learn to interpret the messages your body is sending you through sensation (like what's a "slightly uncomfortable but good stretch" feeling and what's a "danger danger!" stretch feeling). Think about movement as a conversation you're having with your body to explore these positions and make sure you "both" feel safe, instead of trying to force your body into a range. It might sound weird but thinking about my body as an entity trying to communicate with me through sensation, almost like a child that needs reassurance, has really helped me get better in touch with it and learn to trust myself more.
Hey Alison, Trevor here - Our youngest brother Mitch has a channel that is more dedicated to stretching for stiff people. Check it out - ru-vid.com/show-UCHIBth5jUa03iTB_B8HCfBg - Or search Strong Roots in the search engine
I've was doing many of these stretches that I learned in rehab when I injured my left knee many years ago. As my knee healed, the pain went away and I went back to training to start strengthening and I accorded less time to stretches. Now that I'm starting to have pain again in my knee, I realize that this absolutely must become an essential part of the training and must never be taken away.
I would definitely say sitting in a deep squat would be my sixth. Great info in this video. It’s your channel that taught me the benefits of daily hanging and squatting. Thank you!
If you are as chronically stiff as I am, you also need to research the most efficient protocol for how you actually DO the stretch. You want to check out the Isometric Stretch, also known as the Resistance Stretch. There's plenty of quality research to validate its value, and a host of practical experience too. It's a safe form of stretching, because you are developing strength and control at the limits of your range of movement as an integral part of the training. Many forms of stretching leave you weak and injury prone at your limits. It's been a gamechanger for me, and I'm a highly qualified yoga teacher who never made much progress increasing ROM with conventional stretching techniques despite countless hours of practice.
Hey gents… man, you hit the nail on the head with these stretches! Question - I’m a 62 yoa male who has had 2 knee replacements. I know that I have a restricted amount of knee bending due to my prosthesis mechanical limits. Do you recommend any specific adjustments or just go slow and as far as I can. Loss of my mobility as I age is my biggest concern. TIA!
Most people have no idea how important flexible muscles are for their overall well-being. A lot of suffering and doctor appointments could be spared if folks developed a balanced stretching routine that they do every 2nd day, or even better...daily. I was a chronic back patient for 15 years, with 3 disc prolapses...last one needed surgery. Then, some 12 years ago, I was introduced to yoga, started practicing daily, and after about 3 years ALL my back, knee and shoulder problems that I had before: gone. I can even play basketball again at age 55, together with guys who are more than 30 years younger than me. That's the power of good stretching, breathing, meditating and eating predominantly vegetarian food. 🤷♂️
Wonderful stretch routine this is what I need for my body after having three artificial joints . I am still struggling with the flexibility which I developed after years of yoga. You give me hope . Thank you very much .
Thank you for this! I do 1mi hikes to meditate before doing dance, martial arts, and recently started weight training, but never knew how to properly stretch before then . 💪🏽🔥
For me what I would add is strength and stability to these 5 stretches. For me it's about spinal health. As you age it becomes less about muscle mass and flexibility, and more about bones, ligaments, tendons and joints, strength and stability. To these 5 stretches I would add a hug embrace, twist and balance. To have a strong, stable posture. What's a tree and flexible branches without it's trunk and roots.
This is 155% way better to learn and apply than that $200 a month Pilates class I joined. Definitely not going back there and going to incorporate this to my exercise routine. Thank You 😊
Came back to say thank you! Started this regime a month ago. Lost 11lb(after the water weight) and am able to do 2 pull ups(couldn’t do any before training). This has become less about working out and more about how far I can go. Every workout is fun and feels like one step closer to achieving the skills I want to learn.
I've done the first one before. The wall quad was intense! I was only able to have my torso upright on my left quad. The right one was so tlgnt I had to have it lower. Crab was tough too. I'm going to do all these regularly i need to improve my flexibility.
Damn i suck 🤣😂🤣 could only do the lat stretch. But think I can learn no 1 and no 3... but at least I have good self-irony, I'm alone i my apartment at the moment and I was literally laughing out loud at myself... but you get a like 👍 and a subsciber for the challenge. I now understand it is not enough to be able to deadlift 200 kilos and bench press 150 kilos.. I tough i was in good shape for a 48 old man before i tried the stretching in this RU-vid video 😂🤣😂🤣😂 a lot of thanks from Denmark to you two crazy guys ❤🙏🛐 Ps. Sorry for my shity english
When my back gets tight it’s often partly due to tight IT band. Some variation of pigeon pose has always been a must for me to keep that under control. Thanks for the video!
You guys are so cool, so beautiful, so inspiring and I am thrilled to have found this channel...! I'm up at five thirty a.m. doing some of your recommendations. It's unbelievable how it has changed my life! Thank you and congratulations that everybody loves you!
Great video, thank you. Whenever I do the wall quad stretch I get cramp in the back of the thigh (of the leg against the wall). Is this just me and is there any way to stop this?
i love watching ur vids, so simple yet powerful. Look forward to seeing ur vids every morning. Thank you for all your informative videos. Love you guys
I'm doing 3 of those 5 for many years now and I will definitely try to do the remaining two as well. However, I have not figured out yet (because there are many opinions on that) 1.) how often per week should you at least do the streching, 2.) when you should do it (after sports, first thing when you wake up, multiple times...) and last but not least 3.) how long do you hold each strech. I take my time and do at least 1 minute for each position but is there is lower (no benefit yet) and upper (no more benefit) limit? Great video, made me wanna strech right while watching it :-)
hey Jorg! 1. as many times a week as possible 6 days max if you do an hour long session at a time, if you only do 10-20 min - then every day is safe; 2. if you do any weightlifting - afterwards is the most beneficial (other than that what is most beneficial is starting to incorporate these into your life: eating/pooping squatting, sitting at a desk chair with crossed legs, tree pose while brushing your teeth, making these movements part of your life); 3. 30 sec to 5 min max - depends on the pose and depends on the intensity you chose for yourself, i wouldnt hold 100% intensity for 5 min, but progressive load is always safer; in yoga school we hold things for up to 20 mins, but that is something you work up to slowly and i wouldn't recommend doing that without also learning yoga philosophy training (stepping away from your ego, developing compassion and kindness to the self, developing an attitude of non-harm towards the self, being closer to truth, etc etc)
6th stretch Definitely something to twist the spine laying down. I don’t know the name but there’s a Yoga pose where we lay down flat and twist right knee to left side will twisting upper body opposite direction . ( hope that makes sense) it opens up whole sine, neck and sacrum as well as hips, often hear a crack from the spine when needed. It’s such an important stretch
Nice one guys. That wall quad stretch, wow, jumped the knee up and immense stretch straight away, clearly the desk job is impacting there. But good to know. Cheers.
These were fantastic and felt from great to horrifying! But I was missing one area! What about the wrists? Desk work goes on the back, but the most challenged part is always my hands and wrists from all the typing. What's the one stretch you'd recommend for that area? Hang on, I just found the short ;)
