Thanks for this! Finally someone who gets how stiff I am and doesn't start with impossible stretches. I've hurt my sacro-iliac joint a few times trying to touch my toes, but I don't give up hope!
Awesome, awesome video. So easy to follow. Can't overstate that. Been looking for a suitable routine for such a long time. Found the new one as well. Really appreciate it.
I'm glad you liked it (thanks for working through the sub-par audio) - I'm actually recording an updated version to launch a free 30-day toe touch challenge in June, so keep on the lookout for the new updated video for some additional beginner-friendly ideas!
Hi Dani, another very inflexible viewer here... two things I'd love your advice on: 1) when I do the saddle stretch, I find I can't keep a flat back unless I'm sitting on a low chair and when I do it sitting on that, I feel the stretch in hip flexors and not my hamstrings 2) when I do downward dog, I struggle to keep the flat back. I can manage but I don't feel the stretch in the hamstrings because of how bent my legs end up being. I usually feel it behind the knee. Any recommendations for these two issues? Continue regardless, or try something else?
Bend your knees - like, a LOT. Generally that helps the pelvis tilt and you should still be able to feel a hamstring stretch. If you have a hard time feeling the stretch, bend your knees a lot first, tilt your pelvis to flatten out your back, *then* start to work on partially straightening the knees to see if that makes the stretch feel a bit more intesnse
Hi Dani, really appreciate this video. I have real trouble with the straddle positions and can't seem to get the curve out my back to go away no matter how much I sit on. Plus doing these positions feels like it's putting more stress on my back and I only feel little to no stretch at all in my legs. Should I skip these ones until they become more comfortable? Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback! How does it feel if you sit on a block AND bend your knees a bit? That’ll lighten the stretch on your hamstrings, and hopefully take some pressure off your low back.
@@DaniWinksFlexibility Just did this routine for a second time and realised you did actually suggest this in the video and I didn't hear it ha. Much better after bending my knees a little. Thanks you!
@@TheAmazinglyAdequate yeah unfortunately I didn't realize the audio fades in and out (oops!). I've been meaning to re-record this video with another person as a "model" so the audio is better (and so folks can see the stretches when someone with more "average" level of flexibility is doing them)
Hey so I'm a gym junkie who's really awful mobility has gotten worse the more muscle mass I've gained. Would you recommend doing these drills before or after resistance training
After! There have been some studies that show intense stretching before strength training lower your lifts. Unless you struggle with flexibility for a specific lift that compromises your form when you perform the lift (ex. poor ankle flexibility for squats), save the stretching for right after your workout.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m just that inflexible, but even sitting on two couch cushions and bending my knees, I can’t bend forward at all without it straining my back. I feel like I can do most of the other stretches okay though, so idk if this just means I have back problems I need to take care of first?
That said, the other stretches are great though. I’d been doing a rounded back downward dog for about a month before watching this video because everything I read said you needed to try and keep your legs straight. It felt liberating to have someone understand that a “normal” downward dog just isn’t feasible for someone with super tight hamstrings, and then be given the green light to do a version with bent legs.
Hard to say - it could just be that you've got tight hamstrings and it's straining your back muscles to keep your back from rounding. The challenge with using couch cushions is they are quite squishy, so they might not be helping lift your hips high enough. You could sit in a chair to *guarantee* that your hips are high enough for the forward fold component to feel a little better. I just posted an updated hamstring focused video earlier this week that shows that version - you might want to give that video a try: ruclips.net/video/0aa7x140Q48/видео.html
With the straddle pose I cannot keep my back straight, even with tons of books and pillows , my back just arches as soon as I stretch out my legs and my spine and back compensates so I don't feel anything in my Hamstrings. I'm at loss 😭
Does the same happen even if your hips are VERY high, like sitting in a chair? That would be my first suggestion. Otherwise you could try to straddle in front of the leg of a coffee table or something heavy you can grab where you can use your arms to *pull* your torso forwards (so your hip flexors don't have to do all the work of trying to overcome your tight hamstrings)
Thanks for this! Finally someone who gets how stiff I am and doesn't start with impossible stretches. I've hurt my sacro-iliac joint a few times trying to touch my toes, but I don't give up hope!
Glad you found it helpful (despite some of the crappy audio)!
Awesome, awesome video. So easy to follow. Can't overstate that. Been looking for a suitable routine for such a long time. Found the new one as well. Really appreciate it.
So glad to hear it!
Wow thank you so much for this! This is actually super beginner friendly, showed me i approached some of those stretches wrong before. Thank you!
I'm glad you liked it (thanks for working through the sub-par audio) - I'm actually recording an updated version to launch a free 30-day toe touch challenge in June, so keep on the lookout for the new updated video for some additional beginner-friendly ideas!
Hi Dani, another very inflexible viewer here... two things I'd love your advice on:
1) when I do the saddle stretch, I find I can't keep a flat back unless I'm sitting on a low chair and when I do it sitting on that, I feel the stretch in hip flexors and not my hamstrings
2) when I do downward dog, I struggle to keep the flat back. I can manage but I don't feel the stretch in the hamstrings because of how bent my legs end up being. I usually feel it behind the knee.
Any recommendations for these two issues? Continue regardless, or try something else?
Bend your knees - like, a LOT. Generally that helps the pelvis tilt and you should still be able to feel a hamstring stretch. If you have a hard time feeling the stretch, bend your knees a lot first, tilt your pelvis to flatten out your back, *then* start to work on partially straightening the knees to see if that makes the stretch feel a bit more intesnse
I will follow this and post my progress in a month
I'd love to hear how it goes in a month!
Just perfect!
Anyone else having a hard time with the sound on this video ? Volume is high and low and SUPER echo-y/ muffled at times too :-/
Yeah, unfortunately I recorded all of these on my phone, so the audio wasn't great - I'm researching some mic setups to make it better in the future.
Hi Dani, really appreciate this video. I have real trouble with the straddle positions and can't seem to get the curve out my back to go away no matter how much I sit on. Plus doing these positions feels like it's putting more stress on my back and I only feel little to no stretch at all in my legs. Should I skip these ones until they become more comfortable? Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback! How does it feel if you sit on a block AND bend your knees a bit? That’ll lighten the stretch on your hamstrings, and hopefully take some pressure off your low back.
@@DaniWinksFlexibility Just did this routine for a second time and realised you did actually suggest this in the video and I didn't hear it ha. Much better after bending my knees a little. Thanks you!
@@TheAmazinglyAdequate yeah unfortunately I didn't realize the audio fades in and out (oops!). I've been meaning to re-record this video with another person as a "model" so the audio is better (and so folks can see the stretches when someone with more "average" level of flexibility is doing them)
Hey so I'm a gym junkie who's really awful mobility has gotten worse the more muscle mass I've gained. Would you recommend doing these drills before or after resistance training
After! There have been some studies that show intense stretching before strength training lower your lifts.
Unless you struggle with flexibility for a specific lift that compromises your form when you perform the lift (ex. poor ankle flexibility for squats), save the stretching for right after your workout.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m just that inflexible, but even sitting on two couch cushions and bending my knees, I can’t bend forward at all without it straining my back. I feel like I can do most of the other stretches okay though, so idk if this just means I have back problems I need to take care of first?
That said, the other stretches are great though. I’d been doing a rounded back downward dog for about a month before watching this video because everything I read said you needed to try and keep your legs straight. It felt liberating to have someone understand that a “normal” downward dog just isn’t feasible for someone with super tight hamstrings, and then be given the green light to do a version with bent legs.
Hard to say - it could just be that you've got tight hamstrings and it's straining your back muscles to keep your back from rounding. The challenge with using couch cushions is they are quite squishy, so they might not be helping lift your hips high enough. You could sit in a chair to *guarantee* that your hips are high enough for the forward fold component to feel a little better. I just posted an updated hamstring focused video earlier this week that shows that version - you might want to give that video a try: ruclips.net/video/0aa7x140Q48/видео.html
@@DaniWinksFlexibility thank you for responding! I’ll give the chair exercise a try
With the straddle pose I cannot keep my back straight, even with tons of books and pillows , my back just arches as soon as I stretch out my legs and my spine and back compensates so I don't feel anything in my Hamstrings. I'm at loss 😭
Does the same happen even if your hips are VERY high, like sitting in a chair? That would be my first suggestion. Otherwise you could try to straddle in front of the leg of a coffee table or something heavy you can grab where you can use your arms to *pull* your torso forwards (so your hip flexors don't have to do all the work of trying to overcome your tight hamstrings)
Great video!
Please improve audio so it'll be easier to follow.
Check out this video instead (much better audio) - ruclips.net/video/0aa7x140Q48/видео.html (unfortunately I can't replace this old one
@@DaniWinksFlexibility Great! Already hit the like button on the new video.
the audio is the worst thing about this video. Get a mic!
I have since gotten one! This video is 100x better: ruclips.net/video/0aa7x140Q48/видео.html