[cofe]

can anyone recommend a good set of stretches to improve leg and hip flexibility? the kind of thing that can be done in front of the tv at night etc.

yes i know i could have search for old threads.

thanks a bunch.

[SA Chris]

If you want to literally do it in front of the telly you could probably get a Pilates or Yoga DVD. 

[dave]

if you do a few leg stretches every time you go climbing then before long you'll be more flexible. You probably already know someone who does this you could copy.

[Pantontino]

I'm similarly psyched about increasing my flexibility. My hips seem to be seizing up with age, and all my attempts at climbing slate slabs this year have ended in the same scenario, i.e. feet on a reasonable edge, jack for my hands and an obvious foothold somewhere around chest height which I haven't got a hope in hell of lifting my foot onto.

I can't be arsed going to a proper yoga class - surely you can just do some simple stuff on your own.

Yeah, I know about google, and I guess that is my next call, but if anybody can recommend anything, either books or online I'd be a happy man.

[cofe]

so

can anyone recommend a good set of stretches to improve leg and hip flexibility?

[Monolith]

Don't own a copy but if I remember rightly, was there not a fairly decent section in Eric Horst's Training for Climbing?

[Paul B]

I own a copy, the book is pretty  in general

[Houdini]

Find your starter kit enclosed.  Salut.

[nic mullin]

In the past I've found that 'normal' leg stretches (holding knee up to chest with other leg straight and sitting with soles of feet together while pushing knees out etc) alone didn't do a huge amount for me, as while they gave me a bigger range of movement they didn't strengthen the muscles required to pull my legs to the extent of my new-found flexibility. The best thing i've found to do this is hackey-sack as it forces you to lift your legs into weird positions under their own steam rather than pulling them into place with your hands. Its good for warming up too.

[Pantontino]

The Hackey-sack thing does make sense, but then again, maybe I should get down with some Flextasy:

http://www.evolutionhealth.com/index.html

I'm just loving the hard sell.

[Houdini]

No Pantantonio, I think you need the Inversion Swing:

[Pantontino]

Nice. I just can't believe I've got by all this time without one.

[SA Chris]

In the past I've found that 'normal' leg stretches (holding knee up to chest with other leg straight and sitting with soles of feet together while pushing knees out etc) alone didn't do a huge amount for me, as while they gave me a bigger range of movement they didn't strengthen the muscles required to pull my legs to the extent of my new-found flexibility.

This is why I find yoga so good. You are stretching, but at the same time holding strenuous and difficult positions, so you are also working muscle resistance (I think that's the word) at the same time. I'm sure google would show you some useful positions if you don't want to go to a class or get a DVD. Things like cat stretches, crocodiles, sun salutations, warrior poses and downward dogs (yes all hilarious) all have deep stretches that really work you. 

[Johnny Brown]

maybe I should get down with some Flextasy:

http://www.evolutionhealth.com/index.html

I'm just loving the hard sell. Roll Eyes

"The most effective form of exercise known!"
---NASA

Brilliant! There's no evidence for it, but it is scientific fact.

[erm, sam]

I can't vouch for its actual climbing use, seeing as I don't get out much these days, but I do have a lovely circuit of in front of the telly stretches.
1. Sit with feet together - bottom of feet touching- and knees sticking out. Keep back straight, push knees down and vary the distance the feet are from groin etc..
1b. is the lying on the back variation of this, more intense.
1c. is the lying on the back version, but with the thighs at 90 degrees to the body and the lower limbs at 90 degrees to the upper limbs, as though you were in stirrups about to give birth. This one murders.
These both do the front of top of leg area allowing centre of gravity to be closer to the rock when frogging (ever done that? Frogging is a bit 80's.)
2. Sit cross legged, but with shins parralell to each other and lean forwards with a staight back, or slump forwards for a outer buttock stretch. Alternate which leg is furthest from you.
3. Lie on back with you legs as though they were crossed -ankle on other knee. Pull thigh of not crossed leg towards you. Moving crossed leg from ankle on knee to mid shin on knee will move the stretch from outer buttock to inner hamstring area.. swap legs
4. I also do sat down straight legs holding toes type hamstring and calf stretches and
5. Sat down, legs at 90 degrees to each other and staight hamstring and calf stetch

I find it is easy to spend an hour or more watching tv, stetching the whole time. Whether it helps for climbing or not, it adds greatly to one's feeling of virtue..