Flexibility

[MikePhillips]

I was reading some flexibility training stuff, and apparently normal people are supposed to be able to reach behind their head/back with one arm, up behind their back with the other arm, and be able to touch fingertips, or close to it, or even actually link their fingers together.

Now I have to ask: Is this exercise intended for women? Is there any normal human male with a reasonable amount of muscle who can do this at all? I haven't even been able to touch my fingertips to my shoulder since I was probably 20 years old, not without relaxing my bicep and using my other hand to push it down a little. No pain involved, it's just that there's no way my arm will come down far enough to allow my fingers to touch my shoulder with my bicep flexed, so it makes me wonder if this is even intended for men.

 

[jp4355]

I could do it, but then you'll have to Take Me to the Hospital, cause I just Dislocated my Shoulder..................................... JP
P.S.
I think Kids and Babies and the Double Jointed have No Problem with this, the Rest of Us are Fucked !

 

[poonplatoon]

Not being flexible is not a good thing. There are many bodybuilders who maintain flexibility and why wouldn't you want to? Being more flexible makes you much more functional. Its great being huge but if you find yourself panting and struggling to tie your shoes you need to reevaluate. I say that honestly I am kind of at that point right now and it feels gross. Walking around like a rubber band ready to snap aint cool. When I was stretching every day I felt amazing.

 

[MikePhillips]

Not being flexible is not a good thing. There are many bodybuilders who maintain flexibility and why wouldn't you want to? Being more flexible makes you much more functional. Its great being huge but if you find yourself panting and struggling to tie your shoes you need to reevaluate. I say that honestly I am kind of at that point right now and it feels gross. Walking around like a rubber band ready to snap aint cool. When I was stretching every day I felt amazing.

I'm not a bodybuilder, I'm just naturally very heavily muscled. I don't have trouble tying my shoes or anything like that, but touching my shoulders with my fingertips isn't possible. I can, however, put my hands flat on the floor with my legs straight, have always been able to, and figure that's flexible enough. I was just wondering whether any adult male could actually do the maneuver I mentioned above. It just seems impossible to me, unless you're a woman, built like one, or a pre-teen.

 

[stevesmi]

I stretch after every workout for about 10-15 minutes

99% of guys I do not see stretching or they are stupid and stretch BEFORE they workout.. you should stretch AFTER, not before.

also invest in an inversion table and use that daily

as a bodybuilder with large muscle mass you will never be as flexible as a skinny yoga instructor. I used to be able to do the eagle pose for example.. now I can't even scratch my back I am so big. but it doesn't mean I am not flexible.

 

[MikePhillips]

I stretch after every workout for about 10-15 minutes

99% of guys I do not see stretching or they are stupid and stretch BEFORE they workout.. you should stretch AFTER, not before.

also invest in an inversion table and use that daily

as a bodybuilder with large muscle mass you will never be as flexible as a skinny yoga instructor. I used to be able to do the eagle pose for example.. now I can't even scratch my back I am so big. but it doesn't mean I am not flexible.

Yup. Stretching before something strenuous can cut your strength significantly, found that out in high school. I could sprint quite a bit faster if I didn't do the stretches before....not that it mattered much, I was never much of a sprinter anyway....too big, I guess. I could run down anybody or anything with enough time and distance and could hold a 5 minute mile pace for over 2 miles before I'd get blown, or run basically until I got bored with running if I started at a 6 minute mile pace, but about anybody I knew could beat me through 500 yards or less.

 

[stevesmi]

^^^ that but also you run the risk of pulling/tearing a muscle when you stretch a cold muscle

warm up the muscle, do not stretch it

"but steve, I watch on tv football players stretch before the games!"

yes but they are getting twisted and turned in every which direction so for them risking a pulled muscle is far less risky then getting twisted around and tearing something major. in other sports where you aren't getting twisted around coaches are stupid for having their players stretch before, they should warm up before with a nice light jog for a sport like soccer for example.. and in weightlifting its a MAJOR no no

 

[Wetworks]

Ya it's pretty important. When I was on vacation I was doing that Insanity workout with my cousin. He was just ragging on me the whole time because I'm so stiff and outta whack with that aspect of my body. I use to be very flexible when I played football in college, but I fell away from it.

It's easy to to forget how important it is and just pump weights in the gym. Now I'm looking into getting into some type of class a few times a week to help with that. I don't wanna be a big ball of muscle and can't even turn lol.

 

[25homes]

Flexibility is very important should stretch 10 min pre and post workout

 

[varbomb]

I was reading some flexibility training stuff, and apparently normal people are supposed to be able to reach behind their head/back with one arm, up behind their back with the other arm, and be able to touch fingertips, or close to it, or even actually link their fingers together.

Now I have to ask: Is this exercise intended for women? Is there any normal human male with a reasonable amount of muscle who can do this at all? I haven't even been able to touch my fingertips to my shoulder since I was probably 20 years old, not without relaxing my bicep and using my other hand to push it down a little. No pain involved, it's just that there's no way my arm will come down far enough to allow my fingers to touch my shoulder with my bicep flexed, so it makes me wonder if this is even intended for men.

I used to be able to do this when I was seven.

 

[fearfulsymmetry]

stevesmi is right. I occasionally join my wife for yoga and some of the women are not more flexible than me, actually pretty stiff, but because they're so skinny they can do things I could never do. Yoga is good to increase flexibility.

 

[jp4355]

I had to get back to this.
Believe me when I tell you that I'm Religious about my Flexibility.
It of Course has Diminished over Time, but it would be Much Worse if I didn't do any at All................................ JP
P.S.
I'm Always looking at Videos on Newer Techniques for Stretching.
I'm on the Newsletter List of Two Top Injury Specialist who send me Lots of Info.

 

[Shultz]

^^^ that but also you run the risk of pulling/tearing a muscle when you stretch a cold muscle

warm up the muscle, do not stretch it

Absolutely. Never, every stretch cold. You are asking for a tear.

"but steve, I watch on tv football players stretch before the games!"

What they don't show you is the long warm ups they did before they ran onto the field. You think an NFL player rocks up in his Ferrari, puts on his helmet and goes out on the field? Pfft.

Warm up first then stretch, if you need it (I do, more for lower body though). Best stretching is done after a workout. Rotator cuff issues? Stretch your pecs. Sore knees? Stretch your quads. You may not put on 5kg of lean mass but you will be able to avoid tearing something and miss 3 months training. Its a marathon, not a sprint.

 

[dylangemelli]

i find myself not practicing what I KNOW on this concept or what I preach and its not a good thing... stretching is key for MANY reasons... not only the obvious injury prevention but to ensure max muscle growth, repair etc... one thing that you should absolutely do is look into yoga and any sort of other stretching enhancements... an inversion table as steve pointed out is very important as well... make sure you take stretching very serious and incorporate it as much as possible...

 

[Shrine]

I was reading some flexibility training stuff, and apparently normal people are supposed to be able to reach behind their head/back with one arm, up behind their back with the other arm, and be able to touch fingertips, or close to it, or even actually link their fingers together.

Now I have to ask: Is this exercise intended for women? Is there any normal human male with a reasonable amount of muscle who can do this at all? I haven't even been able to touch my fingertips to my shoulder since I was probably 20 years old, not without relaxing my bicep and using my other hand to push it down a little. No pain involved, it's just that there's no way my arm will come down far enough to allow my fingers to touch my shoulder with my bicep flexed, so it makes me wonder if this is even intended for men.

There is this female on Instagram that my wife follows named Massy.arias who's range of motion is ridiculous. Now obviously females are naturally going to be more flexible then men a majority of the time, but because she is so damn flexible she is strong as a ox. I've really been working on my flexibility to develop even more strenght.

 

[RickRock]

Before I got into lifting I wasn't flexible at all, and I was a beanpole. Now with a large amount of muscle mass, I'm more flexible than I've been in my life. I'm religious about stretching after workouts, and even don't longer fascia stretches for the muscle groups worked. I'm a believer

 

[krazieone56]

Reverse for me. When I was 180# 4 yrs ago I was way more flexible than now that I'm 212#

KL

 

[meathead96]

The bigger I've gotten the less range of movement I have. I really need to start stretching more.

 

[bulldog333]

I was a pretty flexible guy when I played ball, especially in the arm and shoulder because of throwing. Now I'm so big I can hardly throw a baseball lol. I really need to incorporate some stretching into my life...

 

[stevesmi]

my gym has too many meatheads so the yoga class is midday and doesn't get many people. a shame. its a tough workout doing those sun salutations and warrior poses. brutal.

 

[ooothats]

Great info here. Embarrassed to say I'm guilty of stretching preworkout. Once again, thanks Evo!