wanted, help with stretching techniques

[gltnk71]

Could anybody help me gain extra width ,my roundhouse is at shoulder height and could do with being at head height. Any tips gratefully received

[Eyegouge]

Sure. Wall splits. Lay down on the floor. Slide your butt up against the wall. Stradle out. It's really easy on your knees. I know you crazy kickboxing fuks need stuff that dosen't screw up your knees anymore. Just lay on the floor with your butt against the wall and stradled out. Push your legs down as far as they can go, and just sit there reading your fav MA magazine. Have your girl or mom or whoever you live with come by everynow and then and push your legs closer to the floor. Stay there till you read oh, 4 or 5 articles and then get up. Do it everyday and you'll see improvement pretty soon.

[Ryukyu Damashi]

That is the way I got my full splits 15 years ago, I can still do splits with very little warm up even now.

Be sure to wear a pair of socks so your feet can slide. You can also put ankle weights on and do it.

Be sure to warm up good first. Skip rope or a good 5 minute jog to break a sweat, then right into the stretches.

[blitz]

I'm sorry but can anyone provide a pic or something more clear. Sorry I couldn't understand it fully but I'd really like to know how lol.

[Ryukyu Damashi]

You don't need a pic. Just lay on the floor on your back with your ass against the wall, leg spread as wide as they will go...towards the floor. Relax and let gravity do the work.

Try for a few minutes, then shake it out..repeat as much as you can. Don't force anything and it is a very safe stretch.

[Drag'n]

^thats a good one.
Here are some other tips.
Always warm up! break out a sweat before you stretch.(I know, already been said. but its important)
If you're doing a seated stretch, eg: sittng with legs spread, dont bend your back. Keep it straight and focus on rolling your hips forward. Dont try to touch your head to the floor, focus more on pushing your chest forward.
Dont bounce!!! I cant beleive how many people still do this!
Take it slow. Hold the stretch as long as you can till your body stops fighting it and relaxes.
Try isometric stretches. eg: for the above stretch, tense your thighs like you're trying to push the back of your knees into the floor and hold this flex for 10 secs, then relax and lower a little deeper into the stretch, then repeat.
I used this method to get both front and side splits.

[blitz]

Can you give me a more accurate time limit? like 2-3 minutes>? I dunno I don't have any magazines im interested in so id like an approximate

[shadowkiller]

For a warm up as well as stretching try doing a pilates tape. Improves over all flexibility greatly. Or just use the tape as a warm up, your muscles will be pretty loose and relaxed by the end of a good tape, usually they are only 20 mins. A lot of people told me to buy pilates for dummies, I did and its one of the better ones, don't let the name fool you.

[gltnk71]

the lord said let there be pins and needles and BOY were there pins and needles.Thanks its a good stretch (eventually,tendons tighter than a prison shower sphincter)

[Ryukyu Damashi]

Cool, start out real slow. If you try to do too much - too soon, you will slow your progress.

[blitz]

Hm so for 2 times I did about 1-2 minutes each, I read 3 pages of a book while doing it. But what I want to know is how much does it take to achieve full splits using this stretch routine?

[Ryukyu Damashi]

Depends on your own body. It took me a four months of stretching twice a day, every day to get a full split.

[gltnk71]

do the three point stretching aids work, the ones that you put you ankles on the pegs and pull with your arms to put the stretch on? it would save turning the tv upside down

[Ryukyu Damashi]

Nothing you really need. Just keep at it...

[shadowkiller]

The wall splits are doing wonders for me. Its already probably doubled how far I could do the splits before. You really feel it when you get up though, wow what a stretch. I've only been doing it for about two weeks now, do it once a day for about 10-15 minutes depending on how long I can take it. But it is working and that is what counts.