Can you touch your toes?

[Eddie]

Is that supposed to be hard?

I just flip the "upper" leg around to the side and stand. Is that cheating? Is there some other way you're supposed to be able to stand up from that position?

Read the article.

[Pelado]

Is that supposed to be hard?

I just flip the "upper" leg around to the side and stand. Is that cheating? Is there some other way you're supposed to be able to stand up from that position?

Here's a video linked in that article:

[Sleeping in EQ]

How did you start? I used to be very flexible. Not so much now.

I started by sitting on the floor and trying to straighten out my legs. After a month or so, I could sit flat with my legs extended for a little bit. This also gave me a mild, but significant, ab workout.

Then I started reaching past my knees and holding the reach for several seconds (not bouncing). My lower back started to loosen up, and as a tall guy, loosening up my back has just been wonderful.

Then I did a 1-2: I did my routine on the floor, and then I reached for the floor while standing.

Then I added a third step: After my reach on the floor, I started moving my legs apart while sitting, reaching, and holding. I found my arms, shoulders, and neck were loosening and my posture was much improved. I don't have any scientific proof, but I think my circulation improved too.

It took a while--months--before I could put my knuckles on the floor, and then a little while longer and my palms were on the floor.

Then I was doing butterflies with reaches and I was doing poses from my wife's yoga book (and without straining).

When my forehead touched my knee it was a real milestone. I hadn't done that since grade school.

[Scott R Nelson]

That video helps. I can get down and back up without touching anything, but I need a little bit of arm motion to make the weight transfer to get back up. Unclear how many points I lose doing it that way (not more than two I'm sure). Balance is not an issue for me. The article didn't give me much useful information, but the video did.

[Commando]

Yes. For the time being.

[Bo Diddley]

Yes, I'm getting old. But this thread is making me feel much better about myself.

[mtnbiker]

I started by sitting on the floor and trying to straighten out my legs. After a month or so, I could sit flat with my legs extended for a little bit. This also gave me a mild, but significant, ab workout.

Then I started reaching past my knees and holding the reach for several seconds (not bouncing). My lower back started to loosen up, and as a tall guy, loosening up my back has just been wonderful.

Then I did a 1-2: I did my routine on the floor, and then I reached for the floor while standing.

Then I added a third step: After my reach on the floor, I started moving my legs apart while sitting, reaching, and holding. I found my arms, shoulders, and neck were loosening and my posture was much improved. I don't have any scientific proof, but I think my circulation improved too.

It took a while--months--before I could put my knuckles on the floor, and then a little while longer and my palms were on the floor.

Then I was doing butterflies with reaches and I was doing poses from my wife's yoga book (and without straining).

When my forehead touched my knee it was a real milestone. I hadn't done that since grade school.

Here's your next stretch goal:
sumo stretches.jpg

[clackamascoug]

According to that video - I died two years ago.

I'm calling BS on the facts and figures.

[Eddie]

According to that video - I died two years ago.

I'm calling BS on the facts and figures.

Can you prove you're not dead? Ever seen Sixth Sense? That could be you.

[Eddie]

I started by sitting on the floor and trying to straighten out my legs. After a month or so, I could sit flat with my legs extended for a little bit. This also gave me a mild, but significant, ab workout.

Then I started reaching past my knees and holding the reach for several seconds (not bouncing). My lower back started to loosen up, and as a tall guy, loosening up my back has just been wonderful.

Then I did a 1-2: I did my routine on the floor, and then I reached for the floor while standing.

Then I added a third step: After my reach on the floor, I started moving my legs apart while sitting, reaching, and holding. I found my arms, shoulders, and neck were loosening and my posture was much improved. I don't have any scientific proof, but I think my circulation improved too.

It took a while--months--before I could put my knuckles on the floor, and then a little while longer and my palms were on the floor.

Then I was doing butterflies with reaches and I was doing poses from my wife's yoga book (and without straining).

When my forehead touched my knee it was a real milestone. I hadn't done that since grade school.

I keep thinking I should find some simple yoga style stretching routine on video that I can follow to increase my flexibility. I probably should just go back to some general stretching like you describe.

It sounds like you at least had some flexibility in the past. On my best days as a kid, I could maybe get my finger tips to touch my toes, but never the floor. Even thinking about my head possibly touching my knees results in a pulled hamstring. :yikes:

[Moliere]

No, and I never will be able to. My left hip is messed up and prevents me from doing certain stretches/yoga poses. But I can turn my left leg around to the outside farther than anyone else that I’ve seen.

[BigPiney]

I started by sitting on the floor and trying to straighten out my legs. After a month or so, I could sit flat with my legs extended for a little bit. This also gave me a mild, but significant, ab workout.

Then I started reaching past my knees and holding the reach for several seconds (not bouncing). My lower back started to loosen up, and as a tall guy, loosening up my back has just been wonderful.

Then I did a 1-2: I did my routine on the floor, and then I reached for the floor while standing.

Then I added a third step: After my reach on the floor, I started moving my legs apart while sitting, reaching, and holding. I found my arms, shoulders, and neck were loosening and my posture was much improved. I don't have any scientific proof, but I think my circulation improved too.

It took a while--months--before I could put my knuckles on the floor, and then a little while longer and my palms were on the floor.

Then I was doing butterflies with reaches and I was doing poses from my wife's yoga book (and without straining).

When my forehead touched my knee it was a real milestone. I hadn't done that since grade school.

Thanks.

Sounds like I just need to actually do something.

[happyone]

After stretching a bit and on a good day

[clackamascoug]

I've got to stretch for half an hour - and then hold my breath - as I get down there and trim my toe nails.