I need some guidance on timelines. I have been working hard at this for about 6 weeks with minimal improvement. Is it reasonable to expect this process to last 3-6-12 months or do I need to see about changing things? I have NO concept of how long it should take to go from "barely able to touch toes with rounded back" to "strict forward fold". I'm currently able to force my spine into a neutral position but my fingertips just graze mid-shin. I do these stretches (from previous video recommendations) 4x/week. I also foam roll my calves, do posterior pelvic tilt planks, single leg leg raises and deadlifts, and inchworm. From this video I'll be adding the weight-assisted elevated forward fold but I am starting to worry there's something wrong with me because progress is so slow (maybe a centimeter every couple weeks).

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

The jefferson curl will no doubt add to your progress. Loaded stretching works a bit quicker. Also consider going down to 3x per week. With more intense stretching your body needs more time to recover. But yes flexibility is measured in months, even years. Try not to get frustrated. If you're diligent, in 6 months you'll be amazed where you're at

@mockingbirdnightingale7169

Жыл бұрын

@@Strengthside thank you! That is very reassuring to hear. I need to recalibrate the timeline in my head. I will keep at it. I appreciate the wisdom!

@DanielleDeutschTV

Жыл бұрын

Why are you doing posterior pelvic tilt? I honestly hate this cue for anyone. The pelvis should be neutral in a plank, not over extended or tucked under. Neutral as the abs go up and in. As he shares in the video about forward fold sometimes the problem is we're too posterior pelvic tilted... For me that's the case and when I go neutral things start working better.

@mockingbirdnightingale7169

Жыл бұрын

@@DanielleDeutschTV I'm usually the opposite and trying to get into a semi-neutral spine position is often the best I can do. I have a very pronounced arch in my lower back all the time like an elderly horse. The suggestion to use the posterior pelvic tilt plank comes from Daniel Vadnal (Fitnessfaqs on youtube) I think.

@tvann7712

Жыл бұрын

@@mockingbirdnightingale7169 are you connecting the breath with your movement? this helps me a ton to get deeper in each rep

Have you identified a weakness that you want to work on based on these 5/6 steps? How's your hamstring flexibility? comment below. www.Instagram.com/thestrengthside

@yogijager

Жыл бұрын

My issue is tight sciatic nerve!

Actually figured this out on my own and have been doing this for about a month with massive improvement! But I’m glad you posted so I know I’m in the right direction!!

@Manuelrive71

Жыл бұрын

Same here, I’ve been doing it for two weeks now and definitely can see the difference. Slow progress but still progress.

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

great work!

@dansin444

Жыл бұрын

Didn’t feel the hamstring stretch till I watched this video ! Thanks much

Your thumbnail with the word important for this video should be on all your videos. Mobility is salient. I'm in my late 40s and I see the elderly with horrific painful gaits and posture. I when I'm elderly it will be more prevalent. I don't comment much, and I will make a conscious effort to like more of your videos, I'm just way too busy watching your material and implementing. IMO - regardless of how many subscribers you have it's not enough, everyone should follow and practice what you share. This is supreme info, I appreciate your efforts.

@kathyannk

Жыл бұрын

Huh? Too busy to press the like button?

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

Thanks... Now is the best time to focus on mobility. Never wait until tomorrow :)

@jonfernandez8027

Жыл бұрын

@@kathyannk I know it take seconds. I'll make an effort to do so going FW it's worth it

@kathyannk

Жыл бұрын

@@jonfernandez8027 😊

very helpful video. 68 y/o here, lifelong exerciser working on my flexibility. i have all the issues you addressed, but i see flexibility as a key to maintaining some physical youthfulness.

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

Yes I agree!

Thank you, Josh. Your videos are helping me immensely. It’s really exciting when you start seeing/feeling results. I’m so glad I found your channel, and I love that you focus on average peeps with a range of limitations. I cannot wait to see what I continue to be capable of. Feels great to get back into my body. 😊

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

best wishes in unlocking all that potential :)

@kathyannk

Жыл бұрын

@@Strengthside Thank you. :)

This is so helpful. I'm so tired of the advice that's out there these days " don't stretch your hamstrings. They are stretched all day by sitting. Stretch your hip flexors instead". That just never seemed right to me. Why not stretch everything? I have great hip mobility but tight hammies and calves. Thank you for putting in the extra advice on calf stretches in there. Much appreciated. Off to do some hamstring and calf stretches, because I do need them.

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

Yeah everything needs some love even the hamstrings :)

@bidoof22

Жыл бұрын

the hamstrings are definitely not stretched while sitting, they're shortened. unless you sit in with your knees extended

I'm out of shape so all my joints are tight and my muscles shortened. But, I've been doing OMAD and have lost a lot of weight. In addition, I've been stretching and am happy to say that I've gotten rid of a lot of joint pain because of that. My hamstrings are very tight but my calves are really lengthening. Thanks for all the instruction. I'm 76. Better late than never.

@mimig6511

Жыл бұрын

Hey...been thinking about OMAD.....did you do a lot of research prior to doing this? I am in my 60's and run/walk (let's be real...the run is an elegant shuffle.....but hell it is moving)...and have tightness in joints. Need to lose weight..considered OMAD...love to know more if you have the time. Thanks

Have worked on the fold for years. I am 59 yrs old. On and off , Never made much headway. But I have been working on the hip hinge after seeing it another of your video's. In a the last 10 days I have gained some range of motion. I am fairly flexible in some areas and tight in others. Thanks to years of motocross and martial arts. Really like the stuff you guys put out.

I have issues in the areas of this entire video... always have. Now i have a complete routine to hopefully eliminate the pain. Thx

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

hope it helps!

Awesome video and channel! I’ve found that in the beginning it’s sometimes good to have a slight bend in the knees. When my legs were straight I would feel the stretch too much in the back of my knees and not in the hamstrings per se. When I SLIGHTLY bent my knees, I could then start to feel a good stretch in my upper hamstrings. Over time as I became more flexible, then I could keep my knees more straight/locked.

For anyone that feels pain behind the knee but has great ankle and calve flexibility, look into nerve flossing.

@Enhanced-Atrophy

Жыл бұрын

How long have you perfomed nerve flossing to stop feeling the hamstrings stretches on the back of your knees and calves?

@bidoof22

Жыл бұрын

@@Enhanced-Atrophy it should usually provide instant relief and you should be able to stretch further. If you still feel it, try to bend your knee just a little, never hyperextend or lock it too much. Also keep your ankle in a neutral or slightly plantar flexion position, don't dorsiflex as it will pull the nerve too much.

@Enhanced-Atrophy

Жыл бұрын

@@bidoof22 I see. Ty for the tips man

@baz_k

9 ай бұрын

This is a massive problem for me. I can't dorsiflex my ankle because it feels like the back of my knee is about to tear and hyperextending the knee is also a huge problem. I get knee pain when I do the Jefferson curl

@bidoof22

9 ай бұрын

@@baz_k make sure you don't hyperextend and try nerve flossing daily before doing any stretches

Great cues for the mind-muscle connection. I routinely have back of knee pain due to tight hamstrings and calves. Thanks for sharing.

Great topic! I need to live here for a long time: in the topic, that is. I have terrible posterior mobility. I have really opened up my hip flexors, though, with the ATG split squat, so I see a path for progress.

Hey man, where were you when you filmed this video? It's beautiful!

i really like how you directly cut to the chase whilst still having the youtube typical intro, that makes curious and of course showing your logo. But you really keep it to the absolute minimum - i mean wtf it doesn't even take 0:07 seconds! xD And you don't talk in this crazy KZread style, but just stay with your authentic super chill vibe. Very strong brand, while being zero annoying.

I have an ankle issue (heel spur) but I used to be a PTA. I can vouch that if you have an ankle problem it can give you issues with your knee, hips, or back (or all of the above). Chain of command.

Omg! I never knew about the pelvic tilt before bending. I've had 2 lumbar fusions and hopefully this will me stretch better! Thank you!

Gracias amigo!! I did yesterday that first exercise and two more you are doing also in the video!! Mind and muscle connection is sometimes hard to be focused on, but am trying little by little. In my case am suffering of arthritis in my lower back and osteoarthritis in my knees so I have to do my exercises slowly and carefully!! Greetings and take care. 🙋🏾‍♂️

Great stuff, sir. I always learn from your videos. Lots of squats over the years have led to overdeveloped quads and weak/tight hamstrings and hips. Thanks for helping me work through it. Cheers!

Great video! One thing I'm still missing is adressing tight nerves. I really need to floss/stretch my nerves (both sciatic nerve in the middle of my leg as well as one seemingly more to the outside of my leg that wraps around the side of my foot)

@meo150

Жыл бұрын

Same!!

I did indeed just get a cramp ! This vlog is an eye opener! Thanks

Just started making improvements with my hams. I had to learn most of what was said here - making sure my back wasnt taking the stretch and pulling slightly with my hip flexors. But yeah the big thing for me was to do it relaxed and patiently and learn to gently pull with my hip flexors (and squeezing my quads a bit when my knees start to bend and relax it) while imagining my hip angle closing while my back (and neck) is relaxed or in a slightly flexed position. I think learning to use hip flexor consciously more was important. And Im glad you mentioned calves - I stood on a slant board(with adjustable angle) and when I was able to relax, I increased the angle and relaxed again -> this then allowed me to easily get into a deeper hip angle ham stretch. But yeah relaxing my calves, behind my knee, and hams has been great in releasing the workload that my back over compensated to achieve and then flare up from the instability from opening up too much because the rest of my posterior chain refused to contribute.

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

the hip flexor "pulling" is the best feeling

neural tension is also something to think about. i thought my hamstrings where tight but it was actually the nerve i was stretching(which is a big no no). After a few weeks of neural flossing my flexibility went from barely touching my knees to flat fingers on the ground.

@dadanny661

Жыл бұрын

How did you do it ? I also feel like I need this

@mycelis1249

Жыл бұрын

@@dadanny661 There are some videos about nerve flossing on youtube. i performed those movements at least once a day and also did neural flossing before the stretches and exercises strenght side talks about. I hope this also works for you and others. :)

@clray123

Жыл бұрын

Sciatic nerve flossing - repeatedly flex/dorsiflex your foot while keeping the upper leg raised and the leg extended (it doesn't need to be completely straight, just near the end of your motion). I like to do it by laying the leg on a table (while standing on the other leg). But you can also do it while lying on your back with the leg raised to vertical. Essentially the problem is that when your muscles statically contract/spasm and when you try to extend them in that state, then they pinch on the nerves and stretch them along (but you should never do that to nerves). This results in pain. When the muscles are soft (which is easy to check by trying to dig your fingers and move them around), then the muscles extend without pain and the nerves only move within their sheets, but the sheets are not pulled along with the muscle. As a rather flexible person (split-capable etc.) I can lose all that flexibility for a week or more by overloading my muscles (e.g. by overdoing lots of squats or jumping, but also by torturing the core with crunches and the like). When the muscles relax, the flexibility comes back as if by magic. The point is to not try stretching while in that contracted/painful mode - in that situation you try the flossing and do your best to get the muscles soft again. Remember that all muscles are connected together (with connective tissue), so the tightness you feel in one place may actually be a symptom of another tight muscle further away (e.g. spasmed abdominal muscles expressing as tight hamstrings).

I stretch a lot: I work on my mobility at least 4 times a week. As I’m watching you video what I need to work on is my forward fold; my knees are bending. Thank You!

Thank you for the info and inspiration your channel provides. Keep up the great work!

Hope you had a good time in Mexico, thanks for the tips, this will help me with the press to handstand.

Oh the cramps I get in my hamstring just when watching those rings exercises. 😅 I think I did too many static stretches, and now I'm hurt. Thank you so much!

Tight calves is definitely a big factor for me but I’ve also noticed my low back tightness and pain comes from my hips too. I think I have a bit of everything contributing to my hamstrings being tight

Amazing video, thanks !

Was literally perfect timing. I was literally just trying to find a video I think one of y’all did on another channel about calf tightness but I couldn’t find it

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/g4ph2pOte5q7ZNo.html

Stiff leg deadlifts with very strict form, focusing on the stretch at the bottom, worked very well to improve my flexibility.

Hi, I’m a 16yo basketball player. Can you please make a full body dynamic and static stretch for before and after training. Love the vids btw they are helping a lot.

Thanks so much Josh! Ive been using your hamstring stretch routine for a while now and ive made so much progress already, but was always experiencing discomfort at the back of my knee so very grateful that you added the last bit about downward dog! Already incorporating it into my morning stretches and feeling much better

Excellent routine It helps me. You showed this before. Great job. You’re the proven proof from your own previous problems & geez you look great now Cheers 👍😝❤️🇨🇦

Great video! What about the concept that the quadriceps are an antagonist to the hamstrings. Shouldn't tight hamstrings be loosed by contracting the antagonist quads? This is how it is presented in Dr. Ray Long's masterpiece "The Key Poses of Yoga". He recommends tightening the hamstrings first while seated on the ground in staff pose to bend the knees and then tightening the distal quads (pull knee towards your hips) as an agonist/antagonist action to increase neurologic control of the hamstrings. Wondering your thoughts on this approach?

you are awesome man..... very thorough in explaining step by step.... I just subscribed and will be tuned to watch your videos. Simply awesome... thanks a million.

Do you ever have in person workshops? That would be a great training opportunity!

Nice, nice! Comprehensive! Great work. Thank you for sharing

Thanks for the video, it's great! I've been using a band while lying prone to target my hamstrings and it works well. Will incorporate your demos too. Thanks so much.

Great video, as always. Thank you.

Thank you for inspiration 🙏🙂👍 Why have nobody told mes this before 😉

Thanks for all your information

Hey, great channel. I'm a Theravada Buddhist, so we do a lot of kneeling for chanting and kneeling prostrations at temple. What would you recommend for gaining more flexibility, particularly with my legs. They're constantly folded (kneeling, mermaid style and half lotus) in these situations.

One of the best things I've done for my health and skin was to buy a countertop distilling unit. Tap water is full of chemicals especially chlorine and hexa/hydrofluorosilic acid, a byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer and aluminum manufacturing industries that is the "flouride" and is a neurotoxin, which is added to Municipal Water. The goo left in the distilling unit will disgust you, I pulled out and dried out 7 grams, a tsp and a half, of this stuff from distilling 5 gallons of water. There are over 300 chemicals in tap water, including forever chems, like PFAS and also synthetic estrogens. Use your own fresh distilled water to mix with your electrolyte powders.

This Helped a lot

Good video guys. Thx for the promo offer, just ordered my electrolytes mix.

Doing basically exactly this and recording it, posting a video in a few weeks!

Thank you! I really benefited from this video! I really appreciate the effort you’ve put into it.

Great Video! All Informations which are Important For me its the calf you Said at the end

This was great, thank you!

nice tips!! i am just 29 but have osteoarthritis on my lefte knee! i would love to see some extra advice for strengthening and stretching the knee joints!

@loboazulbleu2144

Жыл бұрын

Check "Knees over toes guy" Ben Patrick is excellent on knees

@giannisperiklhs9394

Жыл бұрын

@@loboazulbleu2144 thanks a lot i just found it! its a great video done the whole exercises!

Great channel! I just found it yesterday. You are a wise young dude. I'm about to retire (from work and hopefully the city) and start a more grounded life. What do you personally do with all of your time, both when you were more a struggling minimalist and now that you've "made it?" One can only exercise so much in a day. Thanks.

Nice video! But there is actually one more thing you did not mention: jaw stiffness! Not many know (including me for a long time) but our Jaws are directly connected to our hips. I had this weird stiffness and one day realized my jaw is stiff too. The more I released tension in my jaw, the more I realized that my hip was in the same position as my jaw. Having my jaw almost fully released now, I am now sooo much more free in my hips (also my neck, back and legs were affected by it)

@meo150

Жыл бұрын

Interesting. Can i ask how u diagnosed / fixed your jaw tension? Funny i get a popping sensation in my ears when i am stretching hip flexor areas. Congrats and thanks.

@dakdavid

Жыл бұрын

@@meo150 ah yeah, it can also be vice versa. Your stiff hip causing your jaw to have problrms. I did a lot research on my own. What helped me quite good was to use a mini foam roller in my face, along the jaw muscles. Also there are some other good techniques to do. There is a German KZread channel "Stefanie Kapp Kieferwissen". You could use English subtitles to understand it

@dakdavid

Жыл бұрын

@@meo150 and of course don't forget to train jaw muscles (but don't use things like those shitty jaw liner gums but real training methods). Bob and Brad had a good video on it and also Sascha Huber (but also in German). Furthermore there is a jaw yoga channel on KZread

@meo150

Жыл бұрын

@@dakdavid thank you VERY much!

Is your tip for those starting to round their back to "do your best"? oh my god how did I not think of that

Yup my hips, hamstrings, and calves are all super tight

One of them exercises that you need to do when no one's around.

Love these videos. So helpful. Where is the 1st portion of the video filmed? It's gorgeous

Thanks again, Always good to see you!🙌🏿🕺🏽💜

bro knows everything about my problems

I truly appreciate you and your brother on KZread. You guys have the most sound advice for just general fitness. One quick off topic question, where did you film the Jefferson curls? That place looks beautiful.

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

Mexico!

@danieluhuru6523

Жыл бұрын

@@Strengthside Nice! Thanks

Right hamstring is so tight\short from surgeries on my knee so hard to lengthen

ring ham curls expose me, especially my calves when they start to cramp on rep 2 or 3.

I think my hamstrings are my biggest problem in terms of my flexibility. thank you for this video bro! definitely much needed

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

you got it bro!

Thanks a lot I needed that 👍

I became extremely flexible through Yin Yoga and meditation practice. This improved my ability to heal and to detox my body, which is why I find it very easy to do oversplits, for example. When the body becomes better aligned through activated self-healing powers and detoxing, the body becomes a lot more flexible. Stretching, deep meditation/relaxation and detoxing are the keys to flexibility, at least that's true for me.

Thank you! Excellent!

I've been struggling with both the hamstring and hip flexor stretches. If I stretch one over the other, especially the ham, my hips suffer. I can do a pigeon stretch for a good amount of time, but after a hamstring stretch, my flexors are in a lot of pain.

nice video, so helpful with these stretches

Hey is locking the knees when doing stretching bad? I find it hard to focus on the stretch when I’m alssways focusing on not locking my kness

What about the sciatic nerve connection to hamstring issues.....

Great information

thx!

Where are you filming from? That’s not Colorado!

Very helpful content

I wanted to get your thoughts on the following: I am a 58-yr old, post chemo patient who is experiencing a significant amount of knee and hip pain after engaging in exercise (i.e. working in the yard, playing golf [walking, not riding], etc). I am thinking the chemo did a number on my muscle tone and has created atrophy leading to extreme muscle tightness and presenting as knee and hip pain. Stretching does make all feel better, when I do the correct stretches. Thoughts? I'll hang up and listen....Thanks.

Good ideas and make effort to do...

wonder what your thoughts are on Dr. Stuart McGill's take on hamstrings and stretching them??

Koa Rothman endorses LMNT - interesting.

Good explanation and clear demo....

Super helpful video! One point I think is worth adding is to focus on anterior pelvic tilt when performing something like the straight-leg hinge. It really makes a big difference in the stretch I feel in my hamstrings. Peace!

New ink?! 👌🏻

thx, great tips

Man...my job requires me to drive a lot, for long durations for the last 10 years. I have noticed I have to continually do these things to maintain my athleticism and just to feel decent, keeping up with it is driving me crazy! Ive taken time off from job, 2 years, and after just a couple months dont have to do much of these things. I think the overall solution to problems like tight muscles and joints is to remove the thing causing it. Soon I will be done working that job

I do about 50 Jefferson curls on my slant board daily holding 10 lb dumbbells. Just bought a slant board for my 70 year old dad and told him to use it daily.

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

Love daily jefferson curls. Gymnasts do that

Thank you so much, you have been so I appreciate you

man good work

On the first one you said pelvis forward? It looks like yours is titled back though

do you use sunscreen? what is your opinion about it?

Well yea, good chance bending forward that way may damage your lower back, pop a disc even, if your back is not 100% healthy and strong, while the stretches you discard have been used successfully for thousands of years. But of course, electrolytes and gadgets are indispensable! How could people ever get strong and flexible without them? I do agree with some of the things you're saying, especially the importance of flexors and the balance between flexors and extensors.

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

oh yes and people didn't bend down for thousands of years?!?

@romedbucher2854

Жыл бұрын

@@Strengthside sure they did. I'm just saying this way of bending down should come with a warning. If ones back is not in perfect shape, it can go badly wrong.

Puerto Morelos!? I have to come down to meet you, would love to do a stretching routine together! I’ll be in puerto Morelos on Tuesday!!! 😊

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

No way! P Mo is the best

@Tanyakapor

Жыл бұрын

@@Strengthside how long are you in PM for?

Great video!! Love the new tat

@Strengthside

Жыл бұрын

aw thanks :)

Great video

Where you guys located, FL? Always looks so nice in the Background

Hi, I was wondering if you have recommendations for meralgia paresthetica? I went to the doctor, and they suggested pain medication. I would rather try to fix the issue instead but don't know how I can impact that area to decompress the nerve. Thanks for your help 🙂

Hip stretching is underrated!

This is awesome! Do you have any advice for dealing with hamstring tendinopathy? Every time I get back into stretching (specifically my hamstrings), I start to get pain near my sit bones that lasts for a few weeks and I get nervous about trying again. ( I think I have pretty strong hamstrings via curls and rdls.)

@ayaouahnanou1754

Жыл бұрын

Maybe you could find some info on precision movement channel

Mister my name is Chris Jacobsen I have cerebral palsy 60 years old I know I'm supposed to keep my hamstrings flexible hey you where you can show me or tell me if this exercise you show would help me thank you

I instantly get cramps when doing the curl-heel-back-to-butt move. Where should I start to fix my hammies? Just keep trying that move until no more cramps? Cheers.

Would love a video on stretching tight hip flexors!