Stretches you can't get by without doing frequently

Let's hear them... might give us all some ideas on little things we should be doing to become better, more mobile athletes.

1. Hip Flexors - Can't squat, bench or deadlift or even walk efficiently with tight hip flexors. Has caused me major problems in the past...

2. Sciatic Nerve - Doesn't matter how much I stretch my hamstrings, if the nerve is tight it'll stop you long before you reach the limits of your muscular flexibility. Has caused me major problems in the past...

do you do PNF stretching for this?

1. Quads - Stretch these regularly because if i don't i get problems with shooting pains in my knee.

2. Hamstrings - Suffer from tight hamstrings so stretch these frequently too, i was told by a specialist once that mine were in the top 5% of tightest hamstrings he'd ever seen.

Can I add, please explain how you do your streches so that I can use them aswell

I only currently do dislocates, since reading Macca's recommendation in your log Tom. They have helped no end with my constant shoulder problems

i think because i drive 300 miles a day my hammies are a bit 'off' and they deffo need stretching out

couldnt overhead or bench or squat without shoulder dislocates

couldnt squat or deadlift with hip flexxing!!

That's where you stretch to the limits of range of motion, then contract the antagonistic muscle group(s) isometrically for a few seconds, then find you can magically increase the stretch a bit further right? I've never tried it for this. The 2 I like to do are...

Sciatic Nerve Stretches

1. Sitting on a table or any raised surface that allows you to swing your legs freely. Round your back over completely and put your chin on your chest. Extend each leg seperately, and take note of how far you manage to go before it hurts. Then alternately swing your legs forwards and backwards, stopping before the point where it would hurt. Do it for about 30 seconds, then try the stretch again and see if you can go any further.

2. Sitting upright with your legs straight out, knees locked, feet against a wall. Round your back over and touch your chin to your chest (if you get this far you are better at it than I am). Then lean forwards as far as you can to put more of a stretch on the nerve.

Hip Flexor Stretch

Kneel on the floor, with your knees together initially. Take the opposite leg of the hip flexor you want to stretch, place your foot on the floor in fornt of you so there is roughly a 90 degree angle between lower leg and the floor, lower leg/upper leg/ torso. Contract your glutes and keep them contracted while you push the front knee forwards. Keep an upright torso while you're doing this. As you get more flexible, progress the exercise by moving your front foot into a further forwards position.

If anyone is interest I was recommended this chap on youtube a while ago, he posts a video everyday of some new mobility/stretching stuff an has a long catalogue of previous videos. Quite interesting:

http://mobilitywod.blogspot.com/

Erm the thing that lil alex shown me ??? Involves getting a bar and stretching your arms behind ya back feck knows what its called

There's an argument against doing flexibility, because it can reduce force generation. While this is true, it is important to have enough flexibility to be able to get into the most efficient positions necessary for your sport, or you will be sacrificing force generation anyway, by not being in the best position to drive from. Not to mention injury risk...

WTF is a shoulder dislocate??

I don't do any stretches, maybe one of the reasons everything hurts. I'm getting old now maybe it's time to start..

ive got this dvd 'gray cook ..the secrets of the hip n knee' he seems a clever fella and is ginger too kev .. might be a good watch for you and the reasons your hip is is a worse state than dot cotton after giant haystacks has nobbed her

If he's got orange bo***cks then he's ok by me! Yeah it's something I'd be interested in watching mate if u don't mind me borrowing it?

I always strectch my shoulders/upper back etc. Otherwise the various niggles and pains ive got there feel much worse.