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Any advice for the super uber unflexible?
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I've gone in and out of running and triathlon for 20 years. I've done various long courses and, when I'm in shape, I consider myself fairly fast, strong, and with good endurance. I'm fairly certain that I have decent form.

However, even when I work at it, I'm as flexible as a telephone pole...

I'm the guy who's never been able to touch his toes in his entire life...

I did Yoga for 3 weeks, and the cool hippie chick couldn't stop asking me if I was OK as I'd grimace through each hour of heated Vinyasa... so I had to quit out of embarrassment.

I have constant injuries that I am absolutely certain are due to the fact that my body just can't go through a running motion without stretching tendons beyond their max 180 times per minute. Primarily related to tendinitis from Soleus, Achilles, Posterior Tibial Tendon, and Peroneal Tendon. Occasionally I get IT band problems, but that seems better after learning better form (and stretching the f%*^ out of it)

At times, I practically sleep with a TP Grid foam roller. I even take one to work. I do active isolated isolated stretching with a rope; and take that to work too. Before workouts, I do dynamic stretches as a workout. And then after a workout, I do more rolling and stretching with a rope.

Surely, I'm not the only person dealt this poor genetic hand. Anyone care to offer any advice?
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [DrGerm] [ In reply to ]
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I'm incredibly inflexible as well. I'm fairly fast, too, I just ran a 2:44 marathon last week :). I've been pretty lucky, though, as I've never really had any serious injuries. Although I don't put in huge volume, that has to help with that. Just take it easy and always do a light stretch after a workout
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [DrGerm] [ In reply to ]
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This is advice I got from PT who doing a talk about running injuries. Her "magic bullet" recommendation was after every run to walk backwards for 15 minutes and preferably 30 minutes. I know 30 minutes is a lot to add. She says she has all her athletes do this. She also said swim the day after your long runs. But she said walking backwards will do wonders including helping stretch your hamstrings. I've only done it for the first time on Sunday. But I'm going to try it for a couple months. I'm terribly inflexible as well.
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [DrGerm] [ In reply to ]
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Disclaimer: I do Functional Movement Screenings.

With that said, I'd recommend looking into doing a Functional Movement Screening (http://www.functionalmovement.com). The reason I say this is because FMS is all about understanding what your deficiencies are, and then determining which corrective exercises are most appropriate for you.

For example, you might do the test and find you score poorly on the Active Straight Leg Raise and we decide that is where we'll start. If I were working with you, the first thing we would focus on is trying a few things to see if they work. Measure, exercise, and re-measure. If we don't see an improvement, we try something different until we find something that seems to get a reaction. If we find something, we try that at home for a week or two and revisit.

I've had some uberstiffies where we just couldn't find anything that worked (umm... that didn't come out right...) - usually the first objective is to mobilize - foam roll, stretch, etc. Sometimes, we have to focus on improving stabilization. It's a process, and no two people are alike.

Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [Travis R] [ In reply to ]
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I'm in the same boat as the OP. I have poor hamstring flexibility. However, I do have good hip mobility so I don't spend to much time worrying about it. I just ride with a lower saddle height.
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [svennn] [ In reply to ]
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Hi All, I am no expert, I do not play one on TV, and I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. However, I am getting real close to my 50th birthday and started experiencing lower back pain, sciatic nerve pain back in January. I recently started getting physical therapy from a therapist who is also an athlete, and what I can tell you is, I have never been real flexible and it has finally caught up to me. My hamstrings are tight, hip flexors are tight etc.... I am a typical AG'er who completed my first full IM last October in Maryland, but for the most part I do 70.3 and Olympic distance. I have been doing triathlons since 1982. My advice, find a therapist, a doctor, or someone who you are comfortable with and learn to stretch properly and engage your core now. As you age, your weaknesses, that you may or may not know you have, may magnify to the point of stopping what you love doing. Take care of yourself. Hope you all have a great summer of training and racing and be safe out on the road.....

Start slow and taper off....
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [DrGerm] [ In reply to ]
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Having chronic lower leg tendon issues and ITB sound like they could be related to glute weakness or your glutes not firing properly. Obviously, there are other problems that could lead to those, but that is where I would start.
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [DrGerm] [ In reply to ]
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You sound a lot like me :P

I did Yoga for a couple of years and still do. Tons of rolling etc. too.

But if there is a major underlying issue with muscle tissues you are going to be hooped unless that is taken care of.
A whole chain of muscles from my lower left leg, hip, back right up through to my neck were so traumatized that no rolling, stretching or whatever would make any substantial change.

The muscles had turned into more like braided rope than supple rubber bands.

So enter IMS or needling. I've taken about 100+ needles over ~ 5 sessions. And I expect I will need to continue this for quite a while, then for maintenance thereafter.

The needles are inserted deep into the muscle tissue, they wiggle them (yeow!) and then the muscle starts to back off and relax over the next few weeks. The therapist knows which are muscles knackered by feel/touch and your complaints.

Training Tweets: https://twitter.com/Jagersport_com
FM Sports: http://fluidmotionsports.com
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [DrGerm] [ In reply to ]
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Great, thanks for the replies, many newer things to think about :)

TriTamp wrote:
This is advice I got from PT who doing a talk about running injuries. Her "magic bullet" recommendation was after every run to walk backwards for 15 minutes and preferably 30 minutes.

Wow, that's an odd recommendation, but it strikes me as something that my body might like. And can't hurt. I'll add this to my warmdown!

Travis R wrote:
I'd recommend looking into doing a Functional Movement Screening (http://www.functionalmovement.com).

That's an excellent idea. I've seen this advertised at a local sports medicine clinic. I like the idea that one quantifies and isolates individual problems; I can imagine that the athlete may "think" they know what are the weak areas, but often objective data reveals a different story. Thank you!

Tronk wrote:
My advice, find a therapist, a doctor, or someone who you are comfortable with

For what it's worth, I am a doctor. Albeit, sports medicine isn't my specialty... But along with the above rec to do FMS and following up with an objective therapist sounds like it may be the next step.


ohio_tri_guy wrote:
ITB sound like they could be related to glute weakness or your glutes not firing properly.

Exactly, but I usually can get the ITB stable; as you mention, by focusing on gluten and stretching/rolling that ITB; but dude do I have to spend a LOT of time on that :(

SharkFM wrote:
... enter IMS or needling.

I've never heard of that. I assume this isn't exactly acupuncture. I'm very familiar with the scientific research on acupuncture (specifically the lack of any proof of efficacy, but different topic...), but I'm a little desperate, I'll at least Google this and research more. Thanks :)
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [DrGerm] [ In reply to ]
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I am in the same boat. I am trying to upload a picture that sums me up. But I am technologically challenged at times.

John Snyder @URNotAsCoolAsMe
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [DrGerm] [ In reply to ]
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Try a different yoga class. Flexibility may or may not be the root cause of the issues you describe but if you want to gain flexibility then forcing yourself to dedicate an hour or two per week to stretching is the best way to do it. But pick the right class. Some yoga classes these days are more like workouts than stretching sessions--vinyassa is a perfect example of this. Do a little research on the classes. The one I like is called Yin. You just sit in pose for 5 minutes, then onto another and that's the whole class. You'll get more flexible.
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [DrGerm] [ In reply to ]
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sounds familiar. my first yoga instructor described me as 'certified concrete', and that was 30 years ago. It is worse now. I will be 62 next week, started running around age 25, started triathlons around age 43. I did some stretching, some yoga, some massage therapy, but I could mostly get away with being inflexible until perhaps my early 50's. Nowadays, it limits my run speed more and more. It has always limited my swim, but I don't really care about the swim (or the bike) all that much. I am really just a runner who does triathlons once in a while.

Things that seem to help me:
- Dynamic stretching seems to help a lot more than static stretching. I don't do much static any more.
- Strengthening the smaller muscles also seems to help compensate for the inflexibility. Clamshell leg-lifts, lunges, etc.
- Practising technique drills and focusing on form and technique, especially at the end of runs when I am getting tired. (Yes, this is something we should all do all the time anyway :-)
- running trails and track. Trails for agility. Track for technique.

run well, run happy
george
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [DrGerm] [ In reply to ]
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OK, so I just wanted to post an update, hoping that suggestions here may help someone else.

It is always hard to say what influences what when you make multiple changes at once, but here is a list of things that I'm doing differently than when I have gone from the couch to the road in the past.

Although I am still "out of shape", I noticeably feel much more limber and comfortable at this point than I have in the past (it's about 8 weeks into restarting training).

  1. I am only running. No cycling. Always hated swimming anyway.. As, running is my goal at this point, and always liked running best anyway. In the past I would also cycle to 'crosstrain'. I don't know if this is making a difference, i.e. gives me more time to focus on my body for running, more time to read and research, more time to stretch, less time in a crouched cycling position on a low profile Tri bike? Idunno, but it's a major change from times in the past.
  2. Absolutely NO static stretching. Maybe a brief stretch or two after a workout, but essentially none at all.
  3. So, subtracting static stretching, Warmup is 10-15 minutes of rolling and dynamic stretching. Warmdown is 10-15 minutes of walking followed by active isolated stretching and rolling.
  4. I record these workouts for #3 above. I've heard a saying before, to the effect that the only way to improve something, is to measure it. Recording these keeps me honest that I'm actually doing an organized warmup and warmdown every run.
  5. I've included backwards running as part of the dynamic stretching ;)
  6. I am running 7 days a week (previously only 3, see #7). Albeit I am still doing an embarrassingly low volume (time x intensity)
  7. I've ditched what I've studied in Triathlon books (Joe Friel) for running training. In his books, he always says not to follow "Running" training programs, don't run 'every day', there is no such thing as 'recovery running', etc. Well, I'm doing programs out of a running book (Jack Daniels) and all I know is that I'm feeling much better than I have since I was probably 20 years old (22 years ago). At the beginning of training, you should always be able to improve easily, so that's no difference, but it's the feel that is working out better.
  8. Relatedly, I've ditched all the Triathlon specific strength training programs I've read about. Again, Joe Friel's bible books, but also some other Tri specific strength books. Those always seem to be heavy on weight training on major muscle groups. Instead, I'm doing those weird programs you read about in places like the Running magazines. Focusing even more on core, but also on balance exercises and smaller muscles in the legs and feet. I've found that when you REALLY focus on form and controlling your body; these things can be hard as hell!
  9. These are probably placebo, but I always feel better when I wear 2XU calf compression sleeves. Not a change, but just wearing them consistently every run.
  10. Lastly, I've switched from 4 mm drop shoes (Newton, Sir Isaac, Terra Momentum, Kismet, etc.) [again, swayed by Triathlon advertising] that I've used for 4 years, and am now using an 8 mm drop shoes (Inov-8 RoadClaw 275). I was still tightening up in the calves, Achilles, and shins and this almost magically improved considerably after changing shoes last week. I am convinced it's the combination of more drop (I'm just too tight to go with a low drop no matter how much I stretch...), more flexible shoe, and without that lug thing that forces you to run more forefoot (or at least it makes me do that) and also seems to force me to dorsiflex more.

I still want to follow the advice above and do a functional movement screen. Just haven't gotten around to it. I expect it should help no matter what.


Everybody is different, but I hope something in that helps someone :)
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Re: Any advice for the super uber unflexible? [DrGerm] [ In reply to ]
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A few suggestions I'd add. Learn to stretch your hips and hip flexor. Ready to Run by Kelly Starrett is a great book for improving form, flexibility, and tips of self massage/therapy. As a doctor I think you would really enjoy it. You can also YouTube hip opener stretch and Kelly Starrett and get some good stretches. I use to get the same type of lower leg injuries as you and am also really inflexable. Once I learned how to stretch my hips the injuries went away.
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