Lack of flexibility

[Jarreddo]

Well, my problem goes like this. I've been doing yoga daily for a month now, but I have this problem that just doesn't seem to be improving. I absolutely can't straighten my legs and bend my waist at the same time.

When my legs are straight, it's like my waist is locked in place; when my waist is bent, trying to straighten the legs causes major pain behind the knees. I realize many people can have problems like this, but mine is severe and keeps me from doing even simple yoga poses. I try double leg raises and can't lift them more than a couple inches without bending at the knees; I tried the plough pose a couple days ago and very nearly injured my neck because my feet couldn't reach the floor.

Could this just be the way my body is built? Or do you think stretching daily will improve my problem? Any specific stretches for this sort of thing, besides sitting forward bends etc.? Thanks for any help you can give me.

[ssandra]

I have no experience whatsoever with yoga or being flexible but here are my 2ct.

If your pain comes from your muscles (in the back of your legs for example when trying to touch your toes) stretching every day will help, but it will take a lot of time if you are not used to it.

If the pain is in your joints (or your knees as you say) it might be something different and I would suggest seeing a doctor about it. This is not really normal as far as I know.

[rocksupreme]

It's very likely the case that you have tight hamstrings from sitting in chairs a lot. I do, and so do most people who work at desks or use computers for long periods of time.

There are lots of ways to go about improving matters, but none of them are quick or painless. The thing to keep in mind is that muscles do no "stretch." That is a misnomer. The just tense and release. When you release the tension in a muscle, it elongates.

Some things that can help loosen the hamstrings: stretch the calves first, massage the bottoms of your feet with a tennis ball, do some very light leg swings to the front and back (at a low speed and height) until you feel some release.

There are a lot of things you can try. Do you have a yoga teacher who can help you work on this, or are you practicing alone?

[Shane]

You might want to have a look at Resistance Stretching. I did a personal experiment on this, that you can find on my blog.

I didn't get totally extraordinary results, but I improved my flexibility somewhat, with relatively short stretching exercises.

These are the cornerstone-posts of my series:
Explaining Resistance Stretching
Explaining the Experiment
Before-After Results

[Tristan Bull]

It sounds like your hamstrings are extra tight.

Basically stretching is the best way to fix this over time.

I would get a stretching DVD that just focuses on stretching and do it every day.

There is a really good one in the p90x workout program but that is a complete training program and I don't think they sell the dvds individually but I would looking into getting a dvd that stretches your body for about an hour.

Hope that helps
Tristan

[ginkgo]

I have been doing yoga since I was 12 years old. Miyagi said in that movie (Karate Kid) "there are no bad students, only bad teachers."

I have read articles in yoga magazines that people that did not have a perfect neck have caused serious problems from the plough pose. Maybe you did something harmful while doing it.

Bikram's yoga does not have it. Also Bikram yoga people would say it is too cold. They keep their room at over 100 degrees. They feel that this is important. But you are doing OK for a room too cold. Also their order of postures loosen you up more and more.

Try different positions that stretch those muscles. You can always see a doctor to make sure that you do not have a medical problem like lockjaw. "Tetanus often begins with mild spasms in the jaw muscles (lockjaw). The spasms can also affect the chest, neck, back, and abdominal muscles. Back muscle spasms often cause arching, called opisthotonos."

It is up to you to figure out if it is a serious problem or you just need more patience. If you do a search for danger of plough position maybe you can find something, but this magazine had an article about it with bad stories from yogis. Here is a book on yoga from a medical doctor for under $15. Amazon.com: Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing Timothy McCall

[rocksupreme]

Originally Posted by ginkgo

...Also their order of postures loosen you up more and more...

Hence the suggestion to loosen up the bottoms of the feet and the calves before attempting to stretch the hamstrings. The muscles along the backs or the legs (actually from the feet to the mid-back) are all part of one connected system. Tightness in any muscle leads to tightness in the related muscles.

[Captain Drywall]

For stretching a month is like nothing. Unlike coffee, there is no instant for your body.

[rocksupreme]

Originally Posted by Captain Drywall

For stretching a month is like nothing. Unlike coffee, there is no instant for your body.

Truly, there are no instant results, but anyone who is consistently stretching with proper technique for a month should see some improvement in terms of mobility.

[ginkgo]

Bikram's Hot Yoga has an excessive amount of postures to stretch out the area around the sciatic nerve. So maybe that means that it requires a lot of different stretches. Actually maybe it is more accurate to say a very excessive amount of postures.

From site above: "The sciatic nerve (also known as the ischiatic nerve) is a large nerve fiber in humans and other animals. It begins in the lower back and runs through the buttock and down the lower limb [back of the leg]. It is the longest and widest single nerve in the human body."

See this.

It says "Bikram Choudhury, author of the newly revised Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class and yoga guru to the stars, is on a mission to heal America through yoga. Bikram claims that faithfully doing his yoga routine, which consists of 26 hatha yoga asanas (postures) set down by Patanjali over 4,000 years ago, can fix everything from chronic diseases (like heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis) to obesity and depression. According to Bikram, his beginning yoga class exercises 100 percent of the body, increases energy, and leaves you looking and feeling fantastic.

The book contains nearly 200 photographs illustrating each of the poses. Each asana is also accompanied by detailed directions on how to do it the right way. Can't quite twist your leg around your head or touch your nose to your knee? Bikram will tell you how to modify poses so one day you, too, can resemble a pretzel.

This is not an easy workout. Even intermediate students will find Bikram's yoga routine, which requires about an hour to complete, challenging. Need encouragement? Beginning Yoga contains suggestions for maintaining proper yoga practice, a section on the medical benefits of yoga, notes from Bikram's students, and a good dose of Bikram humor and philosophy."

[Talkofthatown919]

i have no experience doing yoga what so ever
But i have learned that stretching daily and getting your mind, muscles and body used to doing the stretches will help make the proccess easier

[rocksupreme]

Originally Posted by ginkgo

Bikram's Hot Yoga has an excessive amount of postures to stretch out the area around the sciatic nerve. So maybe that means that it requires a lot of different stretches. Actually maybe it is more accurate to say a very excessive amount of postures.

"Excessive" would mean it causes some kind of negative adaptation. Since most people have poor hip mobility, it seems natural that improving range of motion would require a lot of stretches.

Also, there are many different muscles working in the hip region: extensors, flexors, and rotators in various directions. The hamstrings, quads, and psoas are only the largest. One wold have to stretch in several postures and directions in order to get a good stretch across every hip muscle.

[Michelle]

Have you ever considered whether the physical manifestation of stiffness/inflexibility in your body might be a reflection of a certain inflexibility on other levels of your being such as the mental and spiritual levels?

[billionairekid]

I have a different take on your situation. I used to be a very flexible person. As someone who participated in sports from 5th grade until the end of my high school career, stretching was a daily activity for me. It wasn't until I graduated high school, quit sports, and quit stretching that I realized how important stretching was. After 3 years of inactivity, I began working out again. This time it was for my health and not for sport. I strive to live a healthy life; mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.

When I began exercising, I kept getting hurt. When I did more research on why, it became apparent that I needed to stretch. When I started stretching for the first time in 3 years, WOW. I had lost incredible amounts of flexibility and my muscles killed me but that wasn't the only pain. Through more research I found out that my tendons were also tight. Specifically, my IT band was incredibly tight and causing pain in my hips and knees when trying to stretch and when participating in any activity.

Through searches on YouTube and other places, I was able to find specific stretches to help my IT band and I found some movements with a foam roller that helped relieve the tightness in my legs. I have gotten quite creative with the foam roller and use it for my hips, IT band, and calves to loosen the muscles and tendons. The relief I have gotten is incredible and through daily stretching, I continue to become more and more flexible. I would look into getting a foam roller and look into how to use one for your legs. It could help you greatly in your quest to become more flexible.

[dice]

Do you run or workout (like do a lot of hamstring curls?) That tightens up the back of your legs

Youtube Ballet or Dance stretches. Please do a few jumping jacks first though to keep warm.

Often being flexible just requires years and years (like think 4+) of compulsively relaxing into the same positions. So whenever you find yourself sitting, just move into a stretchier position. Easy!

[andrew112]

Originally Posted by Michelle

Have you ever considered whether the physical manifestation of stiffness/inflexibility in your body might be a reflection of a certain inflexibility on other levels of your being such as the mental and spiritual levels?

Agreed. The reason why is because one time immediately following a water-only fast I did some stretching as usual, but this time I could sit on the floor with my legs straight and touch my forehead to my knees and it did not hurt at all! I did not even feel any stretching either! I literally could have just held that same position indefinitely. This was highly unusual because whenever I would normally do that it would hurt like hell and be extremely intense.

[rocksupreme]

Originally Posted by billionairekid

I have gotten quite creative with the foam roller and use it for my hips, IT band, and calves to loosen the muscles and tendons.

Foam rolling and other self massage techniques can be helpful. I use a tennis ball.

[rocksupreme]

Originally Posted by dice

Do you run or workout (like do a lot of hamstring curls?) That tightens up the back of your legs

Youtube Ballet or Dance stretches. Please do a few jumping jacks first though to keep warm.

Often being flexible just requires years and years (like think 4+) of compulsively relaxing into the same positions. So whenever you find yourself sitting, just move into a stretchier position. Easy!

An imbalanced workout that favors one side of the body or one type of movement can cause stiffness. Still, just sitting down for long periods of time is enough to weaken the hip flexors and shorten the hamstrings.

You are correct that most very flexible people did not become that way quickly. Not to say it isn't possible, but it just isn't common.