Increasing Flexibility

[EdithKeeler]

My flexibility is SHIT. I'm trying to get healthier and more in shape--no, I'm not in good shape--but as part of that, I've come to realize just how unflexible my body is. It was funny (well, funny sad) today, because my boss, who is several years older than me, jumped up on his desk and was demonstrating hip flexor stretches to me (complaining his hip flexors were tight) and I realized that I could barely have gotten up on the desk, let along twist myself up like a pretzel like he was.

I've googled some stuff on stretches to improve flexibility, but are there any particular ACTIVITIES you recommend to help improve flexibility? My current exercises are pretty much walking the dog and swimming, and I'll have to work up to more strenuous stuff, but this is something I really want to work on before I'm too old to change it.

I know sitting at a desk all day is killing me, and contributing to the inflexibility. All tips are welcome.

[OTCW]

Yoga. Build up the intensity/level of difficulty as you go.

[Scott 2]

I would describe what you want as mobility, rather than flexibility.

Yoga is a good option. Look for names like level 1, gentle, senior, Hatha, curvy. Maybe iyengar if you tolerate highly detailed instruction.

Avoid vinyasa, Baptiste, forest, ashtanga, bikram, hot. Those types of practices are probably too physical for your goal.

Tight joints are probably protecting areas with weak muscles. Strength needs to come with the flexibility.

[thrifty++]

Do easier yoga and do it regularly. I second hatha yoga provided its not the one with heaps of equipment as that is confusing and time wasting. Just pure body movement hatha yoga. Dont push your body too much only to a natural limit or you can make flexibility worse. Need to go regularly, try for at least twice a week.

I second avoiding bikram/hot yoga, seems manufactured and unnatural to me to heat up the room so much to enhance flexibility, also seems to create injury risks to me to manufacture flexibility in this way. Such a contrived and forced approach also seems antithetical to the whole idea of yoga.

You probably need to work out what areas of your body are most inflexible and focus on that.

[BRUTE]

regularly sitting on the ground/getting up from the ground. squatting and sitting in a squat (heels flat on the ground, not on the toes!). lifting heavy things overhead.

[FBeyer]

My flexibility is SHIT...I know sitting at a desk all day is killing me, and contributing to the inflexibility. All tips are welcome.

I have a completely backwards suggestion then: Don't focus on flexibility, but focus on solid fitness and I think you'll find that most of the flexibility issues get fixed as a side effect.

Doing yoga might improve your flexibility, but when you realize you're still not as strong as you'd like, you have to find some way to do some functional fitness anyways, so you might as well kick it in the ass to begin with and get familiar with a barbell and a training log; alternatively callisthenics and a log.

Anecdotal evidence: I have suggested heavy kettlebells and/or barbells to several women over time. None of those who started 'manly' training ever regretted it, and none ever wound up looking like a 'man'.

Yoga is good for a gazillion things, but the pure physical aspects of it don't manifest itself until yoga have embedded itself into your life, as a lifestyle. And no surprise: a more healthy lifestyle leads to better health. There is a special feeling that women rarely get to experience due to timidness: It's picking up something really heavy from the ground and then telling yourself that YOU did this to yourself, for yourself, by yourself!

'you know what's good mindfulness? Mu'fukkin' heavy deadlifts!!! Be present mu'fukka or you're gonna have to set that thing down again.

[enigmaT120]

It was funny (well, funny sad) today, because my boss, who is several years older than me, jumped up on his desk and was demonstrating hip flexor stretches to me (complaining his hip flexors were tight) and I realized that I could barely have gotten up on the desk, let along twist myself up like a pretzel like he was.

We active people can really be assholes sometimes. Sounds like a case of humble bragging.

I think yoga is good, with an instructor if you haven't had classes before because it's easy to do wrong. I also agree with the anti-suggestion of Bikrim's or hot yoga. I enjoy it, but if I hadn't already taken yoga classes I could easily have hurt myself, as it's much more fast-moving.

[EdithKeeler]

Thanks for the suggestions. I agree--it's probably best to improve/work on overall fitness. I was doing a kettlebell routine for a while but stopped; need to take it back up.

I will say I've tried yoga before and seriously hated it, but admit only went twice. It may have been because my fitness level isn't where it needs to be, but I think part of it was the annoying tinkly music, the oh-so-serious yoga instructor, the earnest yuppie moms in their perfect yoga gear, perfect hair and makeup.... Meh. But I'm willing to give it another shot. I did find a beginner yoga video on Amazon that doesn't annoy me terribly, so I'll work on that.

I'd like to find some group exercise thing that I like and is social. (God forbid you laugh during yoga!). I'd kind of like to have fun while I'm working out.

[Smashter]

Katy Bowman is the flexibility/functional movement queen, in my opinion. I highly recommend checking out her stuff. Her videos helped me work through many issues I was having with my shoulders, knees, hips and feet.

https://nutritiousmovement.com/