I've come to the believe that being more flexible willl aid me in the persuit of size. Is yoga suitable for this or can anyone recommend options? Looking to increase ever aspect of my flexibility. Thanks
Big believer in mobility work although I never do any where near enough and generally take it from a more performance perspective rather than pure size but certainly being able to hit full range of motion must be beneficial for size gains too. I'd recommend Kelly Starrett's stuff this, this guy really know's what he's talking about, his primary target audience is crossfitters and weightlifters but he is a Physio and is the guru on all things mobility. He has a youtube channel and a couple of books out there
You can do stretching and mobility drills area by area after your training / at home. Google specific area by area 'shoulder mobility drills' etc etc Not as good as staring at a fitty trying to swallow her own arse though is it. Yoga for the win
Lol I sort of think I'm more likejy to stick with it if I can stare at some tits. Drago good info cheers.
I'd just echo the Kelly Starrett suggestion. I've been doing some basic mobility stuff before workouts and it's really helping with niggles, increasing ROM and just generally making me feel like I'm moving better.
Done a bit more research on this and Ben pakulski makes the suggestion that often weaker body parts are also the least flexible in individuals. Defo going to give this some more attention starting with Kelly chap. Cheers
I used to go to a guy that did assisted stretching which was great a really good kick start but you need to keep it up, which I didn't. Anyway the way it was explained to me was that when your body no longer has to fight itself to get into the positions you are asking it to it will be able to fire better and help you lift more/get stronger etc. Made sense to me anyway. Once after I went to this guy, the next day I hit a 12.5kg pb on the clean. At this point I became a believer_ still don't do it anywhere near enough
Defo helps, shoulders especially. Dislocates, face pulls, using correct form whilst pressing I.e scapula retraction. Trap and chest stretching between sets. Holding the dip position... All that shit. Great for posture as well
yup get kelly starrett's book 'becoming a supple leopard'. its expensive but very good. also check out his youtube stuff.
Second this - excellent book. Also "The Anatomy Of Stretching" (and whilst i'm here "Strength Training Anatomy" is also excellent). One of the less desirable side-effects of strength training is the reduction in flexibility and mobility. This can lead to postural problems later; especially if you're not exacting enough with your training with regard to keeping everything balanced. It is a LOT easier to maintain flexibility than it is to correct things. Personally; I think full body stretching should be done every time you hit the gym at least. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anatomy-Stretching-Brad-Walker/dp/1905367031/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413974860&sr=1-3&keywords=the+anatomy+of+stretching http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Sports/dp/0736092269/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413974845&sr=1-3&keywords=the+anatomy+of+weight+training For those people who are already experiencing pain/discomfort as a result of muscles being tight - this is a truly excellent way to deal with it (but again...it's not a replacement for a regular and well planned stretching session) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Myofascial-Pain/dp/1594770549/ref=pd_sim_b_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=0A5ZPF91K1Q9WXX4D79Q
It's intersting, I see the benefit to strength training very clearly but looking at hypertrophy...think of muscles that lag behind and ask do they suffer flexibility wise. For me, looking back over the years, all of by lagging body parts now I think about it have lacked flexibility. Don't get me wrong not expecting to explode but there has to be something in it.
Ronnie Coleman, flex wheeler doing splits on stage, Antoine v with his acrobatics...lots if big guys are also very flexible.