Popular Post Tris Posted September 12, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted September 12, 2015 Last updated 28 September 2015. Head to Toe: 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT Nordic Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 that's an impressive increase in ROM in just 10 days, man! look forward to seeing what day 30 looks like! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tris Posted September 13, 2015 Author Share Posted September 13, 2015 Thanks! Hmm the idea of another 18 days of this sounds terrifying... Although it is getting easier; sessions are starting to feel more like a good stretch and less like an overwhelming force assault on the body. One day, one rep, at a time. Very powerful mantra, I find. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon.valentine Posted September 13, 2015 Share Posted September 13, 2015 Just try to make sure that you have a consistent target to touch as that can take away some of the fear of just throwing yourself at your foot and will allow you to get deeper into the stretch. If you need to use straight arms to touch the toe then do that and then slowly fold the arm until you're hitting the elbow. (You may already be doing this, if so feel free to ignore.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndeL Posted September 13, 2015 Share Posted September 13, 2015 Yeah, I recommend accurate targeting and logging of it is well. I wished I had logged more accurately from the beginning. I note where I end up each set now. If it is a rubbish set, I don't bother and just tick it off. It is useful to look back on progress as one hits a plateau for example and acknowledge good progress - for perspective. To see the history of these on one page is nice. From where you are, you could maybe reach an outstretched hand span, starting at double hand span? Thinking of another option, hold the foot and then use the other hand to measure off some point on the arm eg hand span + wrist. I find accurate landmarks are useful and motivational. Oh and the anchor point (holding something) is useful for stabilising/assistance/power etc. when required. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Regarding logging, I agree with Andrew. Rather than logging where I ended my sets, though, I would log at what point I hit my current working target. So once I hit head to toe, I would then go on to log how soon I got there in subsequent sessions (3rd set 21st pulse, etc.). This way, I could see definite progress (hitting the target sooner) even when working between two targets. As for the importance of using targets, I think it's more of a mindset thing. I do agree that they can help give a sense of security and likely help you push further, but if your goal is to increase flexibility in general rather than hitting a final target, I think just listening to your body and pushing slightly outside of your comfort zone still works. This is how I approached pancake - I never used any targets. But my pancake is terrible and I just wanted to see improvement in general, so this works well for me in this stretch. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tris Posted September 14, 2015 Author Share Posted September 14, 2015 It's interesting you guys bring this up; I've been thinking about targeting a lot over the past few months. While I always love getting advice from those who have been where I am going, I think the use of a target may be a preference thing. Personally, I have never had a good time stretching to targets. In the past I used measurements to push for new range each day, and it caused a lot of frustration as well as injuries that set my flexibility back days, sometimes weeks. Especially because I primarily stretch in the morning, I don't know how loose or tight I am going to be. Some mornings I burst into new range with barely an effort, and other mornings it's an absolute grind to get anywhere near where I have been the day before. I have had to learn to accept this, and trust that working to a fixed feeling intensity (even if range is relatively less) does me long-term good. Otherwise, I strain something and set myself back. My approach is to know what intensity of sensation I can take, and just move to wherever brings that sensation on. What I love about the ballistic pulses is that intensity starts off being barely a 90-degree bend, but by the end of the 72 reps that same intensity has me below the hips reaching for my feet. I notice the same progress day-to-day as well. So it's very sensation-focused, mainly driven by the fact that when I wake up, my legs feel so disgustingly tight I feel like I am in a 100 year-old body. But once I have stretched, I feel youthful, free and euphoric. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing progress, and I do visually picture the distance of elbow to toes every few days, but that comes second to the feeling, wherever that feeling may be. As a side note on anchor points: absolutely yes, I am starting to discover how helpful they are as I get lower! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tris Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 Update made to OP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmet Louis Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Are your pulses real time or sped up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tris Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 Real time. It may appear sped-up because the framerate is low. I am still playing with speeds day-to-day, and wander around 50-75 bpm. Sometimes I have to sit slow as the stretch is so intense, and other times I feel like I need to speed just to get any stretch sensation (before the hamstrings pull me back up). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmet Louis Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Have you tried taking a longer stance and sitting back a bit more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tris Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 I'm going to try that tomorrow morning. Re-watching your video, there's a few cues that will help. Update: Thanks Emmet, that makes a drastic difference. I'm able to slow down and throw myself with more stability. Also, wrapping a hand under the foot and pulling myself forward gives me plenty of momentum to feel the stretch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tris Posted September 28, 2015 Author Share Posted September 28, 2015 Yes! Made elbow-to-toe contact on right leg. Opposite elbow is hovering, not far. The left leg is about 3-4 inches above making steady progress. I might cement the contact over the new few days and then move on to elevated. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ciaran Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 @Tris -- I am going to start a similar thread to you. How did you go about setting up the .gifs? Seems like an awesome reference tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Nice work man! how many days between starting and making contact? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG_Recomp Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Sorry if I missed it but how many pulses you do a day? Are you also doing pulses to the side? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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