Stretching and Mobility

[Jeffrey.]

I am about as flexible as a brick. I have never been big into stretching and mobility but realize I need to start.

I see a lot of methods and suggestions out there but at 56 I do not know where a good starting place would be.

Can you give me some suggestions?

Thanks

[not on the rug]

yoga class? great for your mind and body and plenty of eye candy. a total win-win

[Mark E. Hurling]

Where do you feel the lack of flexibility most? In my case, it's my wrists, shoulders, hamstrings, and now and again my illiopsoas. So I do wrist stretches, towel dislocates, hamstring stretches for the first 3. Then I back up to a door frame, drop to one knee, grab the door frame behind me, and arch my lower back while pushing my hips forward for the illiopsoas. Do the stretches after you lift when already good and warmed up.

I'm 64 and just started them again after a year or so hiatus.

[lou t]

I am about as flexible as a brick. I have never been big into stretching and mobility but realize I need to start.

I see a lot of methods and suggestions out there but at 56 I do not know where a good starting place would be.

Can you give me some suggestions?

Thanks

Jeffrey....I don't think anyone dislikes stretching more than....having said that my warmup for every training session includes the following:
1. rumble roller
2. dynamic stretching
3. warm up
total time about 15 minutes...every single workout

conclusion of training
series of static stretching.

I had to work very hard on my mobility in my hips and hams...

If you google dynamic stretching you will find no shortage of stretches.

I also have trigger point deep tissue once a month..I started with once a week, than every other week....now once a month. its the best thing I do to maintain flexibility and mobility along with the rumble roller and stretching....its a total commitment to keep me from becoming the Tin Man who stayed out in the rain.

[Suwannee Dave]

I don't do any stretching; just a couple of sets with only the bar using full ROM.

[Jeffrey.]

Where do you feel the lack of flexibility most? In my case, it's my wrists, shoulders, hamstrings, and now and again my illiopsoas. So I do wrist stretches, towel dislocates, hamstring stretches for the first 3. Then I back up to a door frame, drop to one knee, grab the door frame behind me, and arch my lower back while pushing my hips forward for the illiopsoas. Do the stretches after you lift when already good and warmed up. .

I use to be able to bend over and place my hands flat on the floor now I can only go half way down my shins the. I am really stiff in my shoulders and neck. I am to the point where I have to move my whole body when looking out the back window of the car.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Sounds like hamstring stretches, towel dislocates, and neck stretches are on point for you.

For neck stretches I'd recommend:
* Head circles both clockwise and counterclockwise.
* Look up at the ceiling and down at the floor.
* Look to your right and left alternatively.
* Rock your right ear to your right shoulder and your left ear to your left shoulder.

I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings here, but there is relatively recent research recommending post exercise stretching rather than before. Warm up certainly, but pre-exercise stretching has been shown to make muscles slightly weaker. We don't want that when strength training.

[modenacart]

Yoga. I thought it was stupid at first but now I love it.

[hondotbt]

+1 on yoga. Kelly Starrett's material has been helping me immensely with increased flexibility as well. I've been rolling on lacrosse ball and yoga-therapy balls for the past month and it's been helping tremendously with increased range of motion.