Stretching and Flexibility

[Foreigner]

Just a disclaimer, I'm asking for help with something unnatural.

I want to become hyperflexible. Specifically I want to be able to do the splits and be able to put my foot up to my head. There are natural limitations in my hips, which are narrow, but I should be able to the splits in at least one direction. The problem is that my tendons and ligaments are not responding. I've been doing consistent body work, strength building and stretching exercises for over two years but I still cannot do a split. It's frustrating.

I'm a dancer and this limitation is affecting my career goals.

So I'm wondering if anyone here can share any tips, tricks, or even unnatural things to get my body more flexible? I'm naturally very lanky and tall, so I don't get what the problem is.

I have tried the following: turmeric, MSM, chondritin, magnesium injections and various other vitamin injections, stretching rollers and bands; I've sat for literally hours in a stretch position and it does no good. I feel like the tissue adherence within the tendons, fascia and joints is just too stiff.

I almost feel like if I could do acupuncture or IMS in a stretch position, it would make the muscle release even more, but I don't have the skills for that. Stretching after a hot shower and applying magnesium oil helps, but I still can't reach my goal. It's annoying!

Any input is appreciated.

 

[BehindtheShadow]

The only reason that I could do the splits was because when I did gymnastics as a child I was literally pushed down into the split and it felt like I had torn something in my hip joints. To this day I still suffer with hip pain.

IMO its either you can or you cant, its how your body is built.

Good luck I hope you come right

 

[Foreigner]

You're probably right. I won't get to find out for a long time anyway, since I am still pretty much stuck in bed. I just noticed that when I was stretching yesterday, I was still hitting the same wall. I had this thought that because my muscles and tendons are atrophied right now, I should be able to stretch even further, or that I could start at this foundation with a deeper stretch.

 

[Achten]

Since you're a professional dancer you probably know more about the body than me,but here's my 2cents.

"Hyper"flexibility is something you're born with. Most people who are hyperflexible don't have the muscle strength to protect their body whilst doing it. This will not be good in later life.

I practice yoga (for all sorts of reasons but let's focus on the flexibility part for now) and there is a yang (energetic-stimulating) variant and a yin (calming-relaxing) variant. Both are equally important, although in our fastpaced society the yang variant gets all the credit. Yin yoga definetly helped me in achieving front splits (one side i'm on the floor, the other not quite yet). Search "yin yoga dragon pose" if you're interested. But here's the thing, beside stretching you need to train the muscles so they can hold the stretch *themselves*. Forcing yourself in a certain position and just "laying there" (trust me i know how intense stretching can be) is a sure way to make your body compensate, which is sth you actually don't want. Basically this is the difference between an active (yang) and a passive (yin) stretch. Your muscles need to be trained actively before your progress during passive stretching can get "saved". This is my understanding anyway.

Now, there's a difference between doing yoga for health reasons and wanting to be flexible for a professional purpose, i get that. All I can say is thehealthy version takes time AND has limits. Not every body is similar.

You mentioned accupuncture. Have you considered stretching on LSD or another psychedelic? It can show you where you mind is stuck... . Start low dose because you can definetly get in a more extrele stretch (passive) than without LSD, promise. Problem is, will you be able to get out of it (active) ?

 

[JahSEEuS]

you can definitely expand on stretches over time.

it is something that can also be forced as bts mentioned, but it will not be beneficial in the long run.

When I would stretch every morning and night it took at least two weeks to notice any small difference.

 

[DayDreamBeliever]

Are you stretching on a daily basis.

 

[DayDreamBeliever]

I feel like it takes a long time, in your mind, but anything you do repetitively you notice a change or improvement.

 

[DayDreamBeliever]

And I think it?s somethjng like after 22 days of doing something regularily, it becomes a habit. Good or bad.