I've always had seriously tight hamstrings and this strentch hits the spot. Feels extemely euphoric and a massive tension release when I relax.

@KitLaughlin

6 күн бұрын

YT ate my comment!. Relaxing is the key. It's also the reason to not go in too hard in the beginning (this increases the fear). As @alithk said below, befriending this emotion can be very helpful.

Thanks Olivia ! that's what I need !!

Hi Kit ! I have just stumbled upon your work through Emmet Louis and Physical Alchemy and I am very glad to have found your videos. You have a very efficient way of explaining combined with your calm demeanour that makes the stretch less intimidating. Thanks for all the work.

excellent! thank you!

I love the description and the details involved in understanding how it should feel. Thank you very much Kit!

@KitLaughlin

4 жыл бұрын

The feelings, and how to change/adapt to them is the key to becoming more flexible. There are many articles and posts on the forums if you want to know more.

It is very interesting that you mention the emotion of fear while stretching the hamstrings firmly. I have very tight hamstrings and can exactly feel that emotion. But i am making progress and i am trying to befriend that emotion, which is so strong and overwhelming. I love this . Thank you for these videos.

@KitLaughlin

3 жыл бұрын

Once you acknowledge to yourself that this is actually what you are feeling (so, 'look it in the eye', so to speak) this changes the experience; the perception of real danger goes away. The sensation becomes just that: a sensation. Then you can work with it more safely, because the anxiety we feel about that emotion, in particular, has reduced. This is why it is essential to really immerse yourself in the sensations of breathing-you will know immediately when that emotion returns, and you can let it go by relaxing. This becomes a new skill, and the stretching experience is completely changed as a result.

@alithk

3 жыл бұрын

I am inspired. I am going to master this,sir.

extremely helpful and highly beneficial for my body. Thank you Kitt!

@KitLaughlin

7 жыл бұрын

We have many, many more. Jump over to my Vimeo channel and browse there: vimeo.com/kitlaughlin/vod_pages There are some free ones there, but most are pay download (but very cheap!).

You are fenomenal!

@KitLaughlin

2 жыл бұрын

It works, that's the main thing. My suggestion to everyone is do this sequence at least twice in any session, and relax fully on your thigh in the end position. If you get new movement, you will be sore, so wait a week for the next session (while doing all your normal activities). If you can be patient, the paradox is that your progress will be faster, in the long run. This is because 'super-compensation' is required for these muscles. Too many people try to stretch muscles that are still sore, especially in the beginning period of their training.

Thank you so much for sharing this great knowledge. Many people think cars and clothes are all that matters, but for me information to improve my body is priceless. It would have taken me 20 or more years to figure this out on my own.

@KitLaughlin

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you, sincerely.

Hi kit i love you videos i do follow the stretches , what can i do for popped collar bone Thanks

@KitLaughlin

7 жыл бұрын

Go and see a decent chiropractor. If the ligaments that normally hold the collar bone in place are ruptured, though, surgery is a possibility.

I absolutely adore your videos Kit. I will be teaching a massage and flexibility workshop soon and will def be incorporating some of your recommendations and alterations.

@KitLaughlin

6 жыл бұрын

Please do; we have an explicitly open learning system; we take great ideas from wherever we can find them, and we encourage others to do the same! I am watching one of your videos now; will leave comment there.

someday Google algorithms are going to catch-up and suggest your videos to lot of people

@KitLaughlin

2 жыл бұрын

Not in this lifetime, I suspect! Thanks for commenting; I appreciate it.

Amazing exercise! Hoe oftewel domyou recommand doping this? Thanks for helping out!

@KitLaughlin

3 жыл бұрын

Be guided completely by your body's reaction - the first time I had a major breakthrough in hamstring lengthening, my hamstrings were sore for over a week. So all I did in that week was some light mobilising work, and no stretching at all, and once that severe discomfort had settled down then I was able to stretch again. If you do get sore after stretching, station is the same as doing a new weight workout that you haven't done for a long time - like when you first do a set of of reasonable weight squats having not done any for six months, say. If you always give your body enough time to recover then most workouts will see some improvement and all work out will produce a result of some kind. And over time you will notice that you're definitely getting more flexible. I should add that when you get the kind of flexibility, it takes almost no effort to maintain it - it's getting the new range of movement and leave the body feeling sore.

@kiter93kiter

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your fast answer. For how long should I hold each stretch and how often do you recommend it for each site? Love your other stretches aswell! Stay healthy

Very interesting. I’m extremely tight and immobile in my 30s. Seems to be getting worse with more stress and clenching constantly. I’m going to try this. Plus once or twice a week sounds easier than yoga everyday for me.

@sports872

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much

@KitLaughlin

3 жыл бұрын

Sean, I amended the description above to include relaxation exercises and how to get free recordings; learnign how to relax, deeply, will change your life-I do not exaggerate. It changed mine.

@sports872

3 жыл бұрын

@@KitLaughlin Thanks Kit, I started tonight. Such an intense feel but satisfying and will go slowly as its extremely tight I need to be careful when coming back into place. I feel a lot more in the opposite hip than the hamstring I'm stretching, it's intense but a good sore.

@KitLaughlin

3 жыл бұрын

@@sports872 That will be your hip flexor on that side; the beautiful thing about this pose is that *there's no escape*! Whatever needs to be stretched and lengthened will be. But, and this is an important 'but', if the sensation in the opposite leg hip flexor is too strong, you will not be able to feel the hamstring you're trying to stretch. So, sometimes it's better to bring the back leg forward slightly to reduce that sensation and concentrate more on the front leg.

@sports872

3 жыл бұрын

@@KitLaughlin Thanks Kit I will! Its actually that intense a sensation at the top of my inside leg I could last 7 seconds max. I'll make the changes 👍

Kit geeeat move What tensions could i be holding between my hips and rib or is it my waste, i noticed when i bend over there seems to be a tension or some challenge that give me a problem in this bend of my body.

@KitLaughlin

2 жыл бұрын

If that tension is on the front leg side, it will be your hip flexors (you will be using them to lift the leg into position, and to help you bend forward). If this happens, change your legs over and try again. You might need to change the legs over a few times in the beginning.

Hi, is it most efficient to perform this stretch once everyday, or say 2-3 times a week? Additionally would going through the routine as demonstrated in the video once be sufficient, or would you suggest running it again once or twice again, sort of like a set? Thank you

@KitLaughlin

5 жыл бұрын

You can limber every day, but if you are doing the contractions elements, then twice a week works well. The reason is that the body needs to recover from the experience of being in a new range of movement, and this can be quite severe DOMS-like pain with respect to the hamstrings (no one knows why, but these muscles exhibit this response more that most other muscles). Be guided by what happens in the following days. And in the beginning, less is more. Yes to two or even three repetitions of the stretch in a single session; you will definitely go deeper the second time around.

@kobeni-enjoyer1713

5 жыл бұрын

@@KitLaughlin Thanks for the quick reply and guidance. I've been working on this stretch every night for the past few days, but I'll be sure to cut down to 2-3 sessions a week. And like you said there is some soreness in my hamstrings, so hopefully I'll be able to increase my range of motion more safely from now on.

@kobeni-enjoyer1713

5 жыл бұрын

​@@KitLaughlin I have a few more questions about the technicalities if you don't mind me asking. How important are the contraction parts of the stretch? As you only hold them for about 5 seconds in the video, I'm not sure what their purpose is; is it just a way to know exactly which hamstrings are being targetted, or is it more than that? If it's the latter, and it's a crucial part of the stretch, could you explain what it's purpose is? Additionally, just following on from my query about the repetitions of the stretch, do you suggest starting the entire stretch from the beginning, eg. at the 3:50 mark, or perhaps at the 7:25 mark where you begin to hold it for a minute or two. I guess inbetween reps you would take a minute break as well? Thank you very much

@KitLaughlin

5 жыл бұрын

@@kobeni-enjoyer1713 All this information is covered in the relevant articles/threads of our forums. Contractions, and deep relaxations, are a crucial element of our approach; the reasons are too detailed for me to write here, but are covered in great depth on the forums, too. The forums are free, as well: kitlaughlin.com/forums

What if you can't lean over onto your thigh on one side, Kit?

@KitLaughlin

7 жыл бұрын

Put a pillow in between trunk and thigh, and do everything else the same.

Hello, im a young man (26y.o) and i have just discovered your channel. i suffer from an herniated disc since i was 18 and i suffer sciatic pain. Im currently trying to be more flexible but i cant even sit properly with my legs straight. Im completely inflexible and i feel pain behind the knee whenever im trying to train my mobility. What would you recommend me? Thank you

@KitLaughlin

3 жыл бұрын

Start with the elephant walk - you'll find a tutorial on this channel. You will also need to stretch your hip flexors, to take pressure off the discs, and we have excellent solo and partner exercises for these key muscles on this channel, too. As well, because piriformis syndrome can create all the symptoms of disc induced sciatica, you need to loosen it in order to eliminated as a possible cause. Search on piriformis on this channel.

@MidGrashlolz

3 жыл бұрын

@@KitLaughlin thank you for the fast response! I will make sure that i watch all the content you mentioned. I have kind of a normal life (i used to be in a very bad condition and couldn’t walk properly for years, but recovered thanks to swimming) its just that im completely inflexible and cant do several things life straightening my legs while sitting. Thank you for helping people out. I look forward to increase my mobility thanks to your content

@KitLaughlin

3 жыл бұрын

@@MidGrashlolz the "elephant walk" exercise will change that completely. The bent to straight leg approach that we use in that exercise is the secret.

Hi Kit, in your book and in another of your videos you mentioned that you studied martial arts in Japan. I was curious about what martial arts you studied?

@KitLaughlin

Жыл бұрын

Jishukan, a mixture of kenpo and jujitsu.

@Seedy446

Жыл бұрын

@@KitLaughlin cool!

@KitLaughlin

Жыл бұрын

@@Seedy446 That was a very long time ago!

@Seedy446

Жыл бұрын

@@KitLaughlin that’s every martial artist’s dream! Travel to the homeland country and study with the masters. You lived the dream!

@KitLaughlin

Жыл бұрын

@@Seedy446 It's never as rosy as it seems from the outside, of course. In one sense, we are all living the dream.

I've tried doing this stretch as part of a toe touching routine to hopefully get more flexible, but I can't do it comfortably what with my facilities. Is an extended triangle pose a good substitute? Every other hamstring stretch that I can find is like, downward dog where you need straight legs or you need to sit with your legs straight in front of you and that's impossible for me.

@KitLaughlin

2 жыл бұрын

When you say, "I can't do it comfortably what with my facilities", what do you mean?

@xXLoonoeXx

2 жыл бұрын

@@KitLaughlin I mean that I live with my parents, my room has a wall to wall carpet as flooring so everything is very non-slip and I can't really use any other room. If I were to use cushions it wouldn't be a very smooth movement, and it's too hard on my knees to just do this on a yogamat (although, could just place a cushion on the mat as support). Also, concerning my own physical facilities, I'm going to see a physiotherapist concerning my knees and mobility in general. I get a great stretch from this but I don't feel stable enough and have some lower back pain that makes it a bit uncomfortable. Extended triangle doesn't however, but I don't know if it substitutes everything this stretch does.

@KitLaughlin

2 жыл бұрын

@@xXLoonoeXx A plastic folder (the ones for documents) will let you slide either leg on carpet. Have some closed-cell (firm) foam on top of the folder so the back leg's knee is comfortable, and you'll be fine. If you're feeling unstable in this exercise simply put one shoulder up against the wall and your front and back legs in the same plane of the wall and you'll be 100% stable. Alternatively, have a chair next to you and use an elbow on that.

@xXLoonoeXx

2 жыл бұрын

@@KitLaughlin Alright, thank you, I will try it out :)

@xXLoonoeXx

2 жыл бұрын

@@KitLaughlin Tried it out, it feels better and I feel more stable, but my hips, I think the psoas, feel really uncomfortable

Who's got time to do all these stretches!

@KitLaughlin

7 жыл бұрын

So get on with the rest of your life; no problem here.

Marketing glorified C-R PNF Stretching as "Stretch Therapy"? Interesting...

@KitLaughlin

3 жыл бұрын

Have you ever read the original Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Handbook? I have. It is a manual for practitioners who work with the cerebrally and spinally injured, and it details how a practitioner can help someone with these kind of injures how to re-learn basic movement patterns, like rolling over and sitting up. There is only a v. short paragraph on "stretching" in the whole book, and that paragraph simply listed the five techniques by name (p. 98 original edition) with no detail on how to do, how much force to use and for how long, how to breathe, or any other details: just a list of five names. The manual that everyone refers to as"PNF stretching" has zero detail on stretching in it. People like myself and Leon Chaitow put flesh on these bones in our various publications. If you want a full exposition of how I took these ideas from the original PNF handbook, with acknowledgement, you will read about how I took those fragments (like "Hold-Relax") and fleshed them out by experimenting with large numbers of students. For the record, I renamed the technique "Hold-Relax" (in the original Handbook) to "Contract-Relax", because it better describes how we do it than the original PNF manual did). This process is described in my book Stretching & Flexibility, and further elaborated in the 4th edition of Overcome neck & back pain.