The splits machine arrived today; two thumbs up from me. *Self* Fascial Release now possible

[Kit_L]

Hey everyone; see HERE.

I have left the post where it is (in the Stretch Teacher thread) but this is so important, I have linked to the original post. What, perhaps is not obvious, is that this device allows an unique way of stretching the hamstrings too, so can be used for the pike (paschimottanasna or forward bend over straight legs)

Thanks Jim for the heads up!

[Jim Pickles]

Please can you describe the hamstring stretch? Obviously, since getting the machine I've been looking for other ways to stick myself into it to produce other stretches, but haven't managed to come up with any so far.

Thanks, Jim.

[Kit_L]

Jim, that's a simple one. Once in the widest splits position you can get into, turn to one leg as fully as you can, and reach the opposite shoulder's hand to that leg's foot, keeping the back as straight as you can. They're your hammies you feel! Just like the floor legs apart forward bend (upavista konaasana) in Yoga-speak), the adductors can be emphasised or the hammies, or both.

Once you can lay your chest on that leg, you will have loose hamstrings! Note that the outer hamstring is not strongly stretched in this position, but the inner ones are, for sure.

[Jim Pickles]

I've been playing around with other things too. One is lying forward - because the wheel is removable, and the seat is above floor height, once you can do a pancake with chest on the floor, you can take the chest to below the level of the legs (especially if you dont mind the stub of the axle sticking into your tummy). For me, this is just a play, because with my chest to the floor in a pancake there is still a curve in my spine - I need to get rid of that first.

Also a backbend while in a straddle - the backrest folds flat, leaving a gap, in which I can stand the front legs of a small curved support I use, which is like a small highly curved yoga whale, or a small half barrel as used in P and F. This supports me in my maximum spinal extension, at the same time as the legs are in a straddle. The ultimate position (you KNOW you can do it!) is shown in the picture attached (Albana Kukli at the 1998 International Contortion Convention):

[Kit_L]

Ha ha—perhaps not in this lifetime, Jim. Can you post a larger version of this image, if you have one? Cheers, KL

[Jim Pickles]

Here is the whole print, scanned at 400 dpi.To the right on top of each other are two Mongolians, Gavaa below, and Tsende above. The girls in blue and red are from the Hamburger Showsternchen, a famous group of youngsters from Hamburg. Albana is in blue doing the straddle. Cant remember who is in black (her head was cut off in all the pics). You can see my pages on the whole meeting by going to http://www.jimpflex....cc1/intro.html. Needless to say, this was done a long time ago and I would do lots differently now.

Phrases like "tasteful arrays of old farm implements are being arranged on walls" were used to get my impressions across without offending anyone.

Jim

(The photo still shows small, but should show larger if clicked).

[Jim Pickles]

(in editing the above I managed to repost it, but of course you cannot fully remove a post, just replace it with something else; so this is my explanation). Kit please remove this if you can.

[Kit_L]

It's fine the way it is, for me, Jim, and the repost shows an excellent image. cheers, kl