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Flexibility

Fitness tips, Relaxation, Mind and Body
granretire
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Flexibility

#51014

Postby granretire » May 3rd, 2017, 7:11 pm

A 46 year old female wants a dvd to improve her flexibility. Has anyone any suggestions, please?

kyu66
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Re: Flexibility

#51035

Postby kyu66 » May 3rd, 2017, 8:32 pm

Sorry I can't answer the specific question, but hopefully this will provide food for thought.

There is a lot more to improving mobility (which is what one is really talking about when saying flexibility) than just copying a DVD workout.

Fortunately a small amount of understanding of the reasons behind the lack of mobility (usually lifestyle but possibly due to injury etc) goes a long way to pointing one in the right direction to address the problem, which is due to modern life making it far too easy not to move properly or frequently enough.

For a female-oriented view (but equally applicable for males), I would advise reading some of Katy Bowman's articles, listening to her podcasts and reading her books - her website is https://nutritiousmovement.com/

For an active sporty-type, another well-known 'movement\mobility' person is Kelly Starrett - https://www.mobilitywod.com/ and https://www.youtube.com/user/sanfranciscocrossfit

Then there is https://www.movnat.com/ which is all about natural movement.

Following the guidelines in the above will result in an improvement in mobility, but there is no quick fix for a lifetime of sedentary living, one needs to be more active, with more all-around movements all-day everyday. The harsh reality is that following a 1 hour video a few times a week won't cut it I'm afraid.

HTH
kyu66

midnightcatprowl
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Re: Flexibility

#51130

Postby midnightcatprowl » May 4th, 2017, 8:37 am

The harsh reality is that following a 1 hour video a few times a week won't cut it I'm afraid.


No but if someone has been fairly inactive, following a video a few times a week is a great way to get started on feeling a bit more physically competent and probably a bit more alert too and this in turn encourages you to do more and take on more aspects of fitness.

One reason people don't get more fit is that it is all made too complicated in the first place. Sometimes fitness, losing weight, being more active, being more flexible, however you look at it, is presented rather like a drastic conversion to a religion which involves selling all your worldly goods, moving to a desert island, becoming the 35th spouse of your guru and chanting and banging a gong for several hours a day.

Any 'activity' is better than no activity, even just wriggling your toes and rotating your ankles is better than just sitting still. Activity is also a habit and any small start you make is much better than the big plan which doesn't come off because it is too complicated, or too unpleasant, or requires too much time or can't be made to fit in with the rest of your life or the demands of those around you.

Personally I'd suggest that rather than buying a DVD, and especially for a woman, it would be worth looking at the Rosemary Conley website

https://www.rosemaryconley.com/library/exercise

there are a variety of short free videos on there which you can follow, right from exercises you can do at your desk to much more vigorous and targeted workouts. Get started and then maybe later you'll want to read some of the other stuff on her site or other sites. I'd say that trying out following a variety of short videos and seeing how you find them is better than buying one DVD and finding it is not suited to your situation or too difficult or not difficult enough.

redsturgeon
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Re: Flexibility

#51134

Postby redsturgeon » May 4th, 2017, 8:47 am

"Improving flexibility" is a vague term and it would be usual to know from what sort of baseline and for what purpose.

eg. I have two sons who do sport, they are looking to improve their flexibility in order to improve their game.

If you are really sedentary and are finding yourself too stiff to do things like reach down to pick things up etc then that is a very different situation.

I would second the advice from the "nightcat" though there are many resources online to get you started.

John

granretire
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Re: Flexibility

#51240

Postby granretire » May 4th, 2017, 3:30 pm

It is not for me. It is a birthday request. The female concerned has a fitbit and walks at least 15000 steps a day. It is her requirement for a dvd to improve her flexibility. Personally I don't understand why - that's why I asking for help!

Raptor
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Re: Flexibility

#51252

Postby Raptor » May 4th, 2017, 4:29 pm

granretire wrote:It is not for me. It is a birthday request. The female concerned has a fitbit and walks at least 15000 steps a day. It is her requirement for a dvd to improve her flexibility. Personally I don't understand why - that's why I asking for help!


I have been going to the Gym for 17 years, now doing 6 classes over 5 days, but my "flexibility" has deteriorated so I do a Bikram yoga class every 4 weeks (should be more but need to fit it in with other things) and that has certainly helped my flexibility no end. So maybe look at Yoga DVD's?

Raptor.

midnightcatprowl
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Re: Flexibility

#51257

Postby midnightcatprowl » May 4th, 2017, 4:56 pm

The female concerned has a fitbit and walks at least 15000 steps a day. It is her requirement for a dvd to improve her flexibility.


This does actually make sense. Walking 15000 steps a day should help keep you well in heart terms but wouldn't necessarily help you to be flexible except presumably in the legs. You could be walking that much but have a stiffly held inflexible neck or shoulders or have difficulty in getting your arms behind your back or be inflexible in the waist.

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Re: Flexibility

#51657

Postby mischka » May 6th, 2017, 3:08 pm

I would recommend a yoga DVD, but be sure to get a decent one which explains the poses properly.
I have no experience of beginners DVDs as I originally took up yoga at classes, but my favourite DVD instructor is Rodney Yee and I see on amazon that he has a beginners DVD.
I am a 47 year old woman who walks and cycles and I definitely feel that yoga helps my flexibility, and I really notice it when I don't do any for a bit.
Hope you find something for her,
mischka


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