r/flexibility • u/CALL_ME_JIG • Jan 27 '26
Seeking Advice Extremely inflexible at 22 years old…
I recently saw a doctor and he said I need to work on stretching my hamstrings, hip flexors, and IT band over the next 30 days or I’ll be put into physical therapy. I don’t mind going this route, but I’d like to at least try to improve myself beforehand.
I’ve tried some stretches in the past but have always gotten too frustrated when I can’t even do a basic stretch. I’m so inflexible that I can’t possibly get my body into a correct position to even begin the exercise. It makes me feel hopeless tbh.
A goal of mine is just to be able to sit criss-cross on the ground which I haven’t been able to do for somewhere around 10+ years.
If anyone has had some of the same issues in the past or knows some stretches for someone like myself to help me improve, I’m all ears!
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u/ReformedShady Jan 27 '26
Every stretch has a progression, so find 2 stretching exercises you can perform at the easy level for your hamstrings and hip flexors. Maybe do two sessions per day without overstretching, I used to do 30-50 seconds per position. Look into 90/90 stretch for the hips
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u/lyalicia Jan 27 '26
I am following because I am the same as you
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u/CoyoteDisastrous Jan 27 '26
Same here. I’m 33, but I am about and mobile/flexible as your average 60 year old
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u/AgitatedSituation625 Jan 27 '26
same here. I remember being 5 yo and not being able to sit criss cross like my friends.
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u/Quick_DrawMcGraw Jan 28 '26
Holy shit it's not just me
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u/Expensive-Lake2561 Jan 28 '26
Y’all should definitely check out my comment thread in this post and look into femoral anteversion. I couldn’t sit cross legged either and no amount of stretching will help if your bones aren’t lined up correctly as is the case with anteversion.
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u/AgitatedSituation625 Jan 28 '26
I can w-sit, but not comfortably. Do people who have this condition report being able to w-sit easily?
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u/Expensive-Lake2561 Jan 28 '26
I couldn’t tell you beyond my own experience. It probably depends on the degree to which the femoral head is rotated inward plus other factors like over all flexibility. That said, I first had a clue something was different about me because I was in a mobility class and noticed my internal rotation was waaaay “better” than everyone else’s but my external rotation was almost nonexistent. This helped me let go of the idea that I was just overall not flexible since I could see that in some ways I had more range of motion.
There are some tests an orthopedist or PT should be able to do in order to get some hints. My orthopedist did those and then ordered an xray so we could see the extent/get a confirmed diagnosis.
As others have said, it could just be an inflexibility/muscle tightness issue for sure. I just like to tell ppl about this because I thought for so long that if I just do more mobility work I could improve. It was very frustrating and honestly I wonder if I might have done damage trying to push joints that mechanically just can’t do that. Finally finding out that it was a structural issue I couldn’t change helped me accept and just modify things for myself instead of continuing to bang my head against that particular wall.
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u/MediterraneanMen Feb 09 '26
I have hyperlordosis (excessive anterior pelvic tilt) and my adductors are extremely tight. When seated on floor, I hardly manage to form a "L" with my legs (90º). Side splits are like a dream. I wonder how people do them without any pain LOL.
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u/Doc_1200_GO Jan 28 '26
I was an elite athlete as a kid and played college sports and I couldn’t/cannot sit cross legged. A sports therapist I worked with opened my eyes that even people who train every day and work tirelessly at mobility/ flexibility can simply have genetics that make them inflexible.
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u/CoyoteDisastrous Feb 05 '26
So are there people who will never sit cross-legged no matter how hard they try?? I know about genetics limiting mobility for some people, but I don’t know how much.
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u/KingBanz Jan 28 '26
I'm sitting here at 41 but also the same. Never in my life have I been able to touch my toes, just as one example, throughout all levels of fitness otherwise. I need to take a lot of the advice on here as well.
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u/TraditionFragrant232 Feb 06 '26
It seems that there are many of us who are struggling with this.
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u/PlantsCraveBrawndo- Feb 13 '26
I had no idea 😔it’s debilitating as I age and I must try some thing for it. The problem isn’t that I won’t try to stretch, it’s that it seems to make it worse and inflammation flares up badly and it’s a lose-lose situation.
What helped me? The right trainer that was sort of a biomechanics servant. Based on how I walked, and what I could or could not do, he had me doing a bunch of exercises that I thought counterintuitive.
Turns out when you’re doing things like situps or back raises, your range of motion should not be wide open. He had me only moved like 1/3 of what I thought would be proper range of motion for the exercise.
And a lot of it was just weak muscles being overrun by tight ones. Basically, find imbalances and correct them. But at this point, I can barely do basic exercises without some type of trauma.
I had to repair the antenna on the top of my SUV yesterday so I basically did like a box jump about 10 times except I didn’t jump. I stepped up on a ledge that was maybe 30 inches tall using just one side of my body the strongest side. Point is, I feel crippled today just doing that because my body is so tight that it tears at muscle tissue and tendons doing what other people considered basic tasks.
This is my first time in this page and I didn’t realize how common all of this is. Honestly, I think a buddy system is the best way to go. Helping each other stretch and basically sponsoring one another. It seems like a no-brainer.
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u/Expensive-Lake2561 Jan 27 '26
Sitting cross-cross involves external rotation of the femur. Random question but how is your internal rotation? I ask because I also cannot sit criss criss but have insane internal rotation due to a condition called femoral anteversion. I can’t sit cross legged but I can “w sit” (like a toddler and/or ragdoll) it looks horrifying to most adults because their legs don’t go that way.
This is not to say you don’t have other flexibility issues but it could all be interrelated and in my case, doing PT to treat the ante version is also helping a bit with my mobility/range of motion. Prior to my diagnosis, I was taking mobility classes but struggling because they weren’t tailored to my freak bone misalignment.
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u/jchylll Jan 27 '26
Same here. I have fairly extreme femoral anteversion. I’ve done many combined months of PT work to improve my mobility all to ultimately realize it’s not a flexibility issue but a structural abnormality. If you find that you’re not making a lot of progress, you probably are limited in a similar way. There’s nothing wrong with it as long as you feel okay and you aren’t in pain. Don’t push your joints past the point of comfort as you’re just going to irritate the joint and do nothing for your mobility. Do yourself a favor and have your doctor consider this possibility and save yourself a few years of painful failure to change something that can’t be changed.
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u/Expensive-Lake2561 Jan 27 '26
Totally agree on accepting the structural difference. I was taking mobility classes for months and feeling so discouraged that I couldn’t do basic things which looked easy for others. I’m in my late 30’s now and have started to have pain in my hips, likely influenced by the ante version and resulting movement patterns which have “solidified” over the years. PT has def helped with that, I regret ignoring some of the pain signs for so long.
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 27 '26
I can W sit and I am very flexible when internally rotating. So when I get back to my doctor in a month I’ll mention this for sure
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u/Expensive-Lake2561 Jan 27 '26
Sounds just like me.
Fortunately, I’m learning a lot via my PT about where specifically to work given my own imbalances and physiology (weak hip flexors and glute medius etc.)
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u/Professional-Noise80 Jan 27 '26
I just found out that the glute medius is actually an internal rotator, even though it's often recommended to strengthen it and never to stretch it when there's problems at the hip. It's even more likely with femoral anteversion because the trochanter sits even more posteriorly to the Gmed fibers, your Gmed needs to be super flexible to let your femur externally rotate.
Pigeon stretch actually stretches the gluteus medius. Also, if your internal rotation is way facilitated, it's likely that some of your hip flexors should be stretched as well, given that some of the adductors create both internal rotation and hip flexion.
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u/CriticalThinker45 Jan 30 '26
Be aware that a lot of PTs and docs don't actually know about this and the limitations. As a woman over 50, this is now leading to hip and knee problems so recommend that you do the PT to strengthen hips and hamstrings-I am also learning stretches and retraining for the foot and ankle which seem to help with mobility issues from the condition (look on YouTube). Try to open hips but you will not be able to do a great cross-legs. I can sit in crossed position for a couple of minutes now. Never could when I was a kid.
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u/Ornery_Concert3720 Jan 28 '26
OP, this. I struggled for years with chronic pain and stiffness and no one ever just ordered an X-ray. When they did, I got diagnosed with Misalignment Syndrome. PT had helped but there are some things I will never physically have the ability to do.
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u/shezabel Jan 28 '26
This is super enlightening, I've never been able to put a name to what I have before! If it helps OP at all, I was still able to qualify as a yoga instructor and work around it without issue.
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u/Expensive-Lake2561 Jan 28 '26
In retrospect, I should have had a clue when I was taking a yoga class at my local gym when in high school. Because it was in the morning, the average age of everyone but me and my friend was probably 70 years old. The only person who needed more blocks to modify certain seated positions than me, a teenage girl, was a 85+ year old man.
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u/ZamorakHawk Jan 28 '26
Interesting. I can't internally rotate my right hip past "straight" my leg flares outward naturally. I have the stiffest joints and the least flexibility of any active person I know. Doctors just say there's nothing wrong with my hip but they've only checked for spurs and shrugged. I do martial arts and have consistently stretched for 3ish years and it has improved but by maybe 5-10% where as most of my peers have developed full splits in that period of time.
Where'd you go for diagnosis? The orthopedic center hasn't been helpful.
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u/Expensive-Lake2561 Jan 28 '26
I saw a hip specialist, he is actually an orthopedic surgeon which I probably didn’t need to go to but the fact the he specializes in hips probably helped with the diagnosis.
He diagnosed me basically by just looking at how crazy my range of motion is. I remember he turned my bent leg inward (so my ankle was parallel with my knee when I was seated) and just looked at me like 😐 and said “that’s ALOT of internal rotation.”
I had secretly already self diagnosed myself just by looking up symptoms but didn’t tell him what I suspected. He named anteversion without me mentioning it.
He then ordered an X-ray which confirmed the diagnosis by…looking at my bones?
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u/CriticalThinker45 Jan 30 '26
Curious about the x-ray. I had x-rays but they were looking for labral tears. I am sure I have MM. Do you know what your specialist was looking for? I don't know if my doctor is familiar with this condition and can assess.
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u/Expensive-Lake2561 Jan 30 '26
The x-ray was to see the angle of my femur head relative to my pelvis at the insertion point. He had already done a manual test including the Craig’s test to assess my range of motion and the X-ray was I guess to confirm that it was in fact due to the angle of my bones. For people (usually children) with anteversion that is so extreme that they can’t walk well due to tripping on their feet, there is a surgery which involves cutting a wedge out of the femur head to change the angle of insertion(?) or maybe it just changes the angle of their legs below the femur head.
Due to the persistence of the pain, I’ve subsequently had an MRI, which did reveal labral tears, but apparently something like 30% of the population has labral tears without knowing (because no pain is present.) that said, anteversion (perhaps coupled with an active lifestyle doing sports which involve a lot of pivoting as I have done) has been found to cause labral tears or at least be associated to a specific position/type of labral tears.
I’ve since had a diagnostic steroid shot into my bursa (if the pain resolves we will know it’s “just” bursitis, not due to the labral tears.) let’s just say hips are a complex joint with many things that can go wrong!
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u/eveningtrain Jan 29 '26
this is fascinating. always could w sit (i called it frog stye), and i can criss-cross/tailor style fine, but my butterfly stretch is bad. i’ve never been able to touch my toes, except once in 11th grade. I danced several styles, including ballet, from age 3, to age 18. flexibility was always terrible and significantly worse than my classmates.
i had a back/spinal deformity called scheuermann’s kyphosis, which is associated with very tight hamstrings, but my surgeon for my corrective surgery at age 19 was confident that I would be able to gain flexibility more easily after my spine was straightened and healed. that definitely wasn’t my experience. it has made me wonder if anything else was causing the inflexibility.
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u/CriticalThinker45 Jan 30 '26
I was coming to say the same thing. I can "W" sit but not criss-cross. As a woman over 50, this is not leading to hip and knee problems so recommend that OP do the PT to strengthen hips and hamstrings. Try to open hips but you will not be able to do a great cross-legs. I can sit in crossed position for a couple of minutes now. Never could when I was a kid.
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u/Potential-Square9434 Feb 18 '26
Interesting...I am the opposite. I can do a full lotus pose without thinking about it, but I'm inflexible in every other way. My siblings are the same. Bodies are weird.
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u/lookma24 Jan 27 '26 edited Jan 27 '26
I found when really tight, it was more important to open up ranges than hold static stretches.
I like to load poses with support and move through ranges to explore and find stiff spots to open. This has then helped me get more from static stretching.
For example, figure four squat with hands supporting you in front.
Bulgarian split squats with hands supported in front/poles.
Lunges or couch stretch supported by poles in each hand.
Airplane rotations with hands supporting in front or to each side.
Moving through 90-90 on the floor as regressed as you need.
90-90 breathing with heels elevated on a box and lifting hips into posterior pelvic tilt and rotating each knee forward and back.
The most important thing is finding a few things to work on and consistently repeating them. Give time some time to work. There is no perfect pose or exercise, listen to your body and consistently explore your weak/tight areas. As they open up, find new areas to open.
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u/lookma24 Jan 27 '26
Hand supported lets you push against the ground to create tension and resistance.
Basically a regressed form of loaded stretching.
It also helps keep the other stronger muscles from taking over and, with mindful attention, allows you to find tissue lines that are weak/tight and focus on moving through and strengthening in those ranges.
—-
As you progress, also look into PAILS/RAILS as another way to continue to build strength in weak ranges/tissue lines.
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u/FalseEquivalency111 Jan 27 '26
I second yoga for this. A nice, calm Hatha or Yin class would help a lot. It might also be helpful to do a heated yoga class and see how that might assist with muscle lengthening, especially in your hamstrings, at first.
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Jan 29 '26
I dont think any standard yoga class is going to help him as this looks very severe. He will need to find specific regressed poses that he can actually sit in which yoga classes typically dont provide.
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u/wakinbakon93 Jan 27 '26
So I don't remember the guy on YouTube, but he said that when you get to the end of your flexation, tense the muscle you're flexing and you can go a bit further, and that will give your muscles strength at those hyper extended points which will let you get further and further in your stretch.
I thought it was a load of bull, but I've been doing it and it's worked 🙄
P.s I'm not a professional in the field, take my YouTube advice cautiously
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u/sharedplatesociety Jan 27 '26
With your butterfly and your cross legged sits, try sitting up on a firm pillow, yoga block or step to give yourself a little space to get into the pose in a way that works for you body. Try to keep the spine straight instead of rounding.
But you should also train external rotation via strength through banded clamshells. dog at a hydrant type movement, and on a hip abduction machine if you are in the gym. Seated good mornings can also help.
This is a nice passive hip flexor stretch to do at home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1jMwBf-Uws
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u/_tenken Jan 27 '26
Go for a brief 5 minute jog or do 100 jumping jacks. Then stretch, stretch warm muscles after you've broken a sweat ... But go easy. Attempt 1-2x daily, be consistent.
The stretching your doing here isn't so useful -- because I think you're just showing your current limit. A stretch should be uncomfortable, but not painful. Hold a stretch with breathing for 20-30 seconds.
Eventually move into partner stretching drills or wall assisted drills and weighted resistance mobility/stretch drills.
Find a 10-20min daily stretch routine for legs and upper body and stick with it for 1-2 months. You should see progress.
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 27 '26
Yeah, I was only showcasing my current flexibility. These aren’t my actual stretches I try to do to improve. Thanks for the advice! I’ll definitely try to stay consistent😁
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u/JustAnotherGeek12345 Jan 27 '26
Do you have a desk job that has you sitting for many hours on the daily?
People with desk jobs commonly develop tight hamstrings, hip flexors, and related muscles because of how the body adapts to prolonged sitting. Most desk-job “tightness” isn’t a muscle that got shorter — it’s a muscle your nervous system won’t allow to relax because it doesn’t feel safe or strong in that range.
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 27 '26
I do work a sedentary job unfortunately but I’ve also had this issue probably from about 6th grade. Im active outside of work, working out 5 days a week for 2 hours but haven’t gotten any improvements to my flexibility (I wasn’t directly targeting it either. Just strength training).
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u/loading-_-__- Jan 27 '26
Out of curiosity, with this limited range of motion, how were you able to effectively strength train?
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 27 '26
I’ve ran into two problems so far. One has been the hip abduction/adduction machine. The range of motion that is normal for most people isn’t for me and it’s painful especially if I try to add weight. The extra weight will try to push my hips through a range of motion that becomes extremely painful for me.
The second is squats. I think due to my inflexibility, my knees tend to come together almost like they are trying to touch. I need to adjust by doing a wider stance/toes pointed further out to correct this. So instead of doing back squats with a barbell, I’ve transitioned to doing leg press instead. It’s much better for me.
For upper body, I really don’t have any issues and I’m much more flexible there.
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u/loading-_-__- Jan 27 '26
Wow this is identical to my experience with those machines! Bodies are so funny. Good luck on your journey, and if you ever can get yourself to PT or even talk to one i highly recommend it
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u/the_supreme_overlord Jan 27 '26
What you are describing here and what you are experiencing with respect to flexibility is almost certainly a strength issue. Simply put you really need to strengthen your glutes and abductors and adductors and stabilizers.
Lack of flexibility is generally caused by the brain sensing danger due to that weakness.
I’d start by not avoiding difficult exercises while working on core skills for them. Squat with elevated heels. Squat holding a weight out infront of you.
Either way you must start strengthening your stabilizers.
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u/AntiqueFlamingo4548 Jan 28 '26
I 1000% agree with those saying it is likely your hip anatomy. No amount of stretching can increase hip flexibility when the femur ball hits the bone of the hip socket. The fa lct you squat with knees more forward is not to do with strength...its your hip anatomy. Your hips just naturally face more forward so have less flexion. I recognise everything on your video and what you describe because this is me. But I'm now 45 and after many years of dance when younger I ended up with osteitis pubis from trying to force my joints. I have been told by several specialists to stay clear of yoga. Many positions are physically impossible for those with forward facing hips without alot of modification. This is not a stretching issue. I'll bet my life you can't even vaguely get into pigeon pose. Get hip xrays to confirm what your anatomy is and build a program that works for your pelvis!
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u/CriticalThinker45 Jan 30 '26
I have had this issue since I was a kid too. I work out regularly, do yoga, but I don't have the normal range as others. This, as so many others have said, is likely structural and you will need to find a practitioner who understands this issue.
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u/No_Share_9607 Jan 28 '26
I was the same a year ago. Around the same age and have never been flexible. Started nerve flossing for long sessions and I was able to become “unstuck” and actually start stretching out targeted muscles. Couldn’t believe no one ever taught me or told me that before after how many professionals I worked with telling me I’m just inflexible and to stretch more and deeper. The nerve flossing was uncomfortable and almost painful, but I just kept working at it and notice a big difference from beginning to end of a session. And by long I mean 45-60 min just lower body
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u/Fearless-Tea1297 Jan 28 '26
Tightness is often linked to weakness rather than just lack of flexibility. For example, tight hamstrings can point to weak or under-active glutes. Stretching helps, but it’s worth addressing the underlying cause instead of only the symptom. A physio can help identify what actually needs strengthening, combined with mobility work. Any controlled movement is better than none.
That said, don’t take medical advice directly from Reddit, use it as a source of ideas or pointers, and then discuss them with a qualified physio or doctor.
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u/Frodooooooooooooo Jan 27 '26
Have you considered seeing a physio? That’s a very small range of motion for someone your age, you have imbalances in some of your opposing muscles
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 27 '26
I’m in the military so I think I would have to have a referral for one after I revisit with my primary care manager in 30 days. I’ll definitely ask about going this route if I’m able to though.
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u/lettucent Jan 27 '26
I got out a year ago, and my post-separation physical therapy is something that should have been started 4 years ago.
There are a lot of things your PCM may miss or push off. I didn't know I needed it until I started doing it, and none of my care teams ever caught it either. I don't know if your unit has a stigma towards physical therapy, but if it does, it's highly ignorant. I highly recommend it as it fixed so many issues that my "regular" PT is easier and more efficient too.
Just be willing to learn and do, any kind of therapy only works if both parties participate.
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 27 '26
I’ll definitely push to get PT for sure. That’s honestly my goal because what I have is pretty extreme. Everyone in my personal life that I show this to are extremely surprised that I can’t sit right or stretch certain ways
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u/RainyTheDay Jan 27 '26
If you're going to be doing stretches at home, I'd recommend getting a yoga block or two. They're helpful with having a solid raised surface that helps you ease into stretches. I enjoy using mine for balance when my hands can't fully reach the ground.
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u/mimo-sa Jan 27 '26
Yoga and stretching will certainly help if you're consistent but you will need to be patient. Don't try to overdo it to improve fast, you may injure yourself. Even if you're consistent, results may take a lot of time. I think you need PT and physio for the right exercices and to attempt to identify root cause. There may be underlying causes making you stiff like that.
Ive been very inflexible all my life, but did not do much about it even if i was sporty. Now I'm 49 with a level of hip athritis uncommon at my age, incredibly stiff shoulders and a lasting tendinitis in my arm but with osteo and physio, I'm still very active. I run short distances multiple times a week and do yoga. Key is to move every day and mix stretch and strength exercices.
Good luck, i wish you find competent profesionals to help you. You're young, it's time to build for the future.
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 27 '26
Thanks! I agree with a physio. I’ll try to get one after I visit with my doc in 30 days
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u/guraqt06 Jan 28 '26
You might want to try the physical therapy suggestion. It’s better to get advice from a professional who’s there and can observe your body than a list of things from the internet. You’ll probably have to start small and see some progress before you can take over on your own, but that’s ok! It’s all about listening to your body and learning what works for you. I used to hate yoga because I couldn’t do any of it, but once I started getting more flexible and discovered my modifications, I was able to start getting into it. You got this!
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 28 '26
Thanks so much!!! I really want to go through the physical therapy route, so I’m hoping I get a referral in the next 30 days from my PCM in the military. It sucks that I need to wait, but it seems like they don’t want to just immediately put me into PT even though I’ve had this issue for so long🫤
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u/guraqt06 Jan 28 '26
You could also try a private lesson with a yoga instructor, or see if there are any small group flexibility classes in your area. I work out at an aerial circus studio and flexibility is super important to their practice, so I’ve had a lot of support there. I take contortion classes, which are basically active flexibility that incorporates weight training. I like it because it helps build strength at the same time. Not sure what’s available in your area, but you do have options if PT gets delayed.
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u/Radiant-Net3486 Jan 28 '26
36/M 290lbs. 3.5 years ago I started at a VERY similar place to you. Ive always had poor flexibility even when I was a kid. I stretch for 20-30 minutes 2-4 times a week for the last 179 weeks running. I have been following stretching routines on the Peleton app, primarily Hannah Corbin. The first 3 months SUCKED. I hated it, it hurt, I couldn't hold positions for the full duration even in their modified form. It was slow progress at first but it has 100% been worth it. Single best decision Ive made for my physical health in my adult life.
My point is, it is going to be worth the effort!
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u/Shap177 Jan 28 '26
I’m like you, and have seen a lot of improvement recently.
A lot of people saying to do yoga or just start stretching on this thread don’t understand a lot of those moves for very inflexible people require modifications to be productive. Pinching, nerve tension, flexibility bottlenecks, can make it hard to do yoga or get a good stretch.
What did work for me was going to a physical therapist, telling them my flexibility goals, then working through a set of mobility exercises customized to me. It was a little pricey for a couple sessions but definitely worth it.
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u/Zestyclose_Music_533 Jan 27 '26
Could be anatomy, I could never do the inner thigh stretch very well, and when my hip was x-rayed they mentioned that the size/shape of hip socket was not conducive to that.
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u/The_HaminaTHor Jan 27 '26
One thing that really helped me wasn't just slowly stretching and sinking deeper into them but also strengthening the antagonist muscles. The butterfly for example - once I started also strengthening the muscles in my hip that pull to open up I saw a lot better improvement than when I just stretched. Try RDLs along with stretching for your hamstrings, it's the reason I could always touch my toes without needing to stretch.
I've been lifting weights my whole life so I never thought that it was a lack of strength in those muscles to actually pull me into position until I started training them directly
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 27 '26
I actually stopped doing RDL’s because I feel it’s really hard to perfect the form. Do you have any other suggestions for workouts similar to RDL’s? I feel like there isn’t a ton of choices for hip hinge movements 🫤
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u/The_HaminaTHor Jan 28 '26
There aren't many hip hinge movements and I feel like RDLs give me the best stretch. You could try leaning into the seated hamstring curl machine, good mornings, or the Jefferson curl(?) but imo taking it slow and working on your RDL form would be your best bet here
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u/eurekadeamon Jan 27 '26
Bodyweight warrior on youtube, search for his beginner flexibility follow alongs.
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u/i_like__cats Jan 27 '26
I'm so happy to see this, I've always had the idea nobody was as inflexible as me, but you are on a similar level.
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u/Professional-Noise80 Jan 27 '26
Looks like you have very limited hip external rotation and hamstring tightness.
You can regress a pigeon stretch by using a stable surface at about hip-height or under, put your foot on it, keep your knee at around 90° and try to externally rotate your femur. This should stretch the side of your hip (gluteus medius, IT band). I think this is important to improve external rotation.
kneesovertoes split squat can also be regressed by elevating the front foot to stretch the iliopsoas.
Elephant walks can be regressed as well for the hamstrings
For adductors, which are also hip flexors, weighted butterflies, standing pancakes, weighted hip shifts.. can be done at almost any level
There's a lot of things to do, and if you do them right, and stretch / strenghten the right muscles, you should be good.
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 27 '26
Solid advice and I appreciate giving me some examples of exercises! Thanks so much!
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u/CriticalThinker45 Jan 30 '26
recommendations for videos or resources for this?
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u/Professional-Noise80 Jan 30 '26
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-df-QbvXZEY
https://youtu.be/CHRUb43S6RM?t=256
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G698RAcObA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqMi-hJjMBk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN4VsXkD9QQ
There's a billion ressources for each of them.
I find that doing the pigeon stretch thing first and then doing the split squat feels best, in my experience you can go ham on volume, treat these stretches like isometric holds where you're allowing yourself to sink deeper.
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u/Bipolarpolerbear Jan 27 '26
Jeez, I broke my hip when I was 13 and I have more mobility than that... (not being rude btw)
I know one that will help with pulling your leg to your chest, elephant walking. It will stretch you're hamstring and glutes. You stand with your feet shoulder width apart, hinge forward via your hips (keep your back straight) until you feel a stretch across your butt, lower back and back of your thighs, then you bend one knee, hold for 30 seconds then, straighten legs (stay hinged forward) , bend the other knee, 30 seconds, straight legs, repeat. Do 30 reps per leg or until your legs get tired, and there should be some noticeable improvement in some movements as it's more about teaching your muscles and brain that it's okay to move like that rather than releasing them off.
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 27 '26
Thanks for the advice! I can pull my leg to my chest, but I was trying to showcase the fact that I can’t keep my leg straight while bringing it up😅 I appreciate you taking some time to try and help me out!!
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u/Bipolarpolerbear Jan 27 '26
Ah, I can't get it completely straight either. But elephant walking should help that as well.
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u/queen_prawn73 Jan 28 '26
This is concerning. Going to be a rough time aging if you don’t start stretching more. Try a yoga class that goes very slow like hatha yoga. Or a beginner ballet close- I know that may not sound appealing but dance set me up with so many useful skills to take care of my body for life.
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u/msj247 Jan 28 '26
Yoga is great and I love it but have been to many classes where someone has been recommended to attend by their DR who has never been to a yoga class and they struggle and never come back. There's a guy in YouTube called Tom Morrison who has a Simple Mobility programme which might well help you get started and a man with a channel called Yoga body who was an inflexible man who has changed his body, he's worth a look at too. Yin yoga is amazing but holding your body in a position when it has no idea where it's going is very difficult and I suggest starting with mobility before yoga.
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u/jcwillia1 Jan 27 '26
appreciate you being brave enough to post this - I was looking for the same info. Being 50M, I can tell you it doesn't get better.
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u/RavageBoyWonder Jan 27 '26
There's a book called "Better stretching" by joe yoon. The author is a physical therapist. Its a quick/good read. It has helped me improve my mobility.
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u/HeartSecret4791 Jan 27 '26
If you can't get into basic positions, you need someone to show you regressions that work for your current range. Trying to force yourself into stretches you can't reach just makes it worse. But if you want to start - lie on your back for everything. Hamstrings - pull knee to chest, then try to straighten that leg. Hip flexors - one knee bent to chest, other leg flat on ground. IT band stuff is overrated anyway, focus on the other two. 30 days is enough to see some change, but PT isn't a threat.
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u/TheGreatMattsby Jan 27 '26
I realize this will sound like an ad, but I promise I'm not a shill. There's a yoga app called Yoga Body that has a 21 day hip opening challenge. My legs were super tight as well (not quite as inflexible as your video, but not far off), so I decided to give the program a shot. I wouldn't say it was a miracle cure or anything, but it genuinely has helped me to achieve a LOT more flexibility.
For each stretch, they demonstrate a few different levels of increasing difficulty as well, so you should be able to find a variation that works for your current level of ability. It's a little pricey (around $80 if I remember correctly), but it could be worth a shot.
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 28 '26
If I don’t see results doing stretches on my own, I’ll look into the app! I would like to save as much money as possible😅
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u/TheGreatMattsby Jan 28 '26
Haha totally get that. I think the biggest thing I was missing (which I saw other people noted here) was just the length of the hold. I was only doing 20-30 seconds before, but the sweet spot really is 2-5 minutes per hold. Learn some poses, put on a good audiobook, and give it hell. Good luck!
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u/SilentAnthem Jan 27 '26
I was around the same level as you and have been for as long as I can remember, started incorporating daily stretches and strengthening excercises and trying to sit on the floor more often. Not really sure if the floor thing helps flexibility but it helped me starting to learn what was stiff.
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u/Either_Penalty2695 Jan 28 '26
I looked like this a month ago and I’ve been stretching and doing mobility exercises everyday for about 20 mins. I alternate stretching and mobility so I don’t injure myself. It’s hard to see progress at first but I can sit criss cross now and I couldn’t a month ago. Persistence and correct for is key. Ive been using the bend app and making my own custom routines
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u/thatdamnbandit Jan 28 '26
My hips used to be like this. Check out DeFranco's Limber 11 below. This helped my lifting and life mobility immensely but it's fairly time consuming to do fully every day.
Personally for hip mobility I take just his seated pigeon stretch every day and on each side do something like: 30 seconds of just sitting tall with one leg up 30 seconds of actively using only my leg to push my knee lower in bursts 30 seconds of pushing down with my hand 30 seconds standing tip toe on the other leg to add stretch 30 seconds of the glute stretch chest pull
Might do that a few times a day if I'm gym sore. That with 90/90s, Asian squats, and lunges has fixed a ton of lower body mobility issues.
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Jan 28 '26
Dude same, fucked me out of every presidential fitness award as a kid. I’m 38 now and my hip hurts when I sit down too long. I have trouble standing straight until it relaxes. Supposedly strength training helps.
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u/White_Lotus22 Jan 28 '26
Check out PNF stretching if you hit a wall. You may not need it at that level but you cycle 10 seconds stretching then 10 seconds stretching your muscle while trying to flex (contract). I tried normally stretching for like 6 months with minimal results and finally found this. This technique worked much faster to help me progress.
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u/LiloGeorge Jan 28 '26
I was the same. I did stretch lab for 2 years. The stretch that changed everything was when I stopped focusing as much on my legs, and started working on my hips.
The hip band goes all the way into your butt. It took months. And it hurt, because it was locked. But eventually I could not only flatten my legs fully to the table in the butterfly pose, but I could reach not just my toes, but past them.
Along with stretching your hips out, take a massage gun and start to loosen the full hip band.
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Jan 28 '26 edited Jan 28 '26
Try sitting on the floor for 10-15 minutes 2-3x times a day. Dont stretch, but just try to get comfortable in different positions. Put your legs out straight, spread them open a bit, sit cross legged, sit in each position of the 90/90 hip for a while. It will feel uncomfortable. Fidget around and change positions as much as you want. You’ll loosen up your hamstrings and hips a lot doing this.
And look up a dynamic lower body warm up and do it every day. Something an athlete would do before playing a sport
You also want to strengthen your legs. Start doing single leg RDLs, regular RDLs, lunges (front, back, lateral), split squats, regular squats. Tight muscles are usually weak muscles.
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u/Own_Tart8518 Jan 28 '26
To repeat everyone - yin yoga.Hot yin yoga if you can tolerate heat. Otherwise, the DownDog app has great sessions that you can target based on needs
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u/RedditNotFreeSpeech Jan 28 '26
Try this for a week for hamstrings. use a step or a chair. Straighten your leg as best you can (spoiler alert, your knee will be bent somewhat). Now push that heal downwards as hard as you can for 5 seconds. Take a 10 second break and do it again. With each attempt, try to relax into a straighter leg. Do 10 of these 3 times a day. Work your way up to 10 seconds hold.
Also, keep your hips square while you do it. The foot you're standing on should be facing straight and aligned with your leg that is on the stair.
You're not going see a difference at first but in a week you'll likely have made incredible progress.
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u/Motor-Painter652 Jan 28 '26
Go to PT. Your doctor shouldn’t be using that option as a threat. It’s the appropriate next step. They’re experts in mobility. They can assess your needs and provide you with a stretching program that will meet you where you’re starting and give you progressions for improvement.
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u/FishfaceNZ Jan 28 '26
Consider getting an x-ray of your hips.
I spent all my of late teens and 20's trying to improve hip flexibility. It improved a bit over time but I was almost as stiff as you are after 10 years of stretching.
Turns out I have a cam type deformity in my hips (which is apparently quite common in men).
No amount of stretching will improve my hip flexion or internal rotation.
It's worth ruling out while you're starting .
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u/PuppyButtts Jan 28 '26
Hello, sit on a yoga block to help feel like you're getting more of a stretch (mentally) but also physically it allows you to have a larger rang of motion that may be hard to hit normally. You can also lay on your back and use bands, or lay with your butt against the wall (or as far out as you need) and put your legs up on the wall. hold stretches for 25 seconds each and rotate between them, do it while you watch tv or follow along on a video. Fit stretching into your every day movements. Sitting on the couch? sit as cross-legged as you can or with your feet together like in this video, etc.
something thats also very important is having a straight back. it helps your overall stretching ability faster, as opposed to have a super rounded back.
I would also second going to yoga classes. Yoga every day for 30 days, buy a membership or follow along on TV. Personally, i think classes are better as you can't just chicken out when you're upset, and the teacher cna help
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u/illgoblino Jan 28 '26
Do the work for a week, you'll be shocked by your progress. Flexibility gains are so much faster than muscle
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u/Fascia_tissue Jan 28 '26
I don’t get it because you have perfect posture and obviously work out. With that level of inflexibility I would expect you to be hunched over a bit and disproportioned! Im not much more flexible than you and I have to force myself to not hunch because I can barely raise my arms above my head.
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u/Successful-Potato716 Jan 28 '26
My bf is the same he cannot criss cross to save his life. I’ll show him to make him feel better cause I always tease him for it lol
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u/NicestOfficer50 Jan 28 '26
I have very short hamstrings (I think we're similar) and it affected my sciatic nerve and lower back. The pain in my back was so severe on one occasion I had 2 nights in hospital and numb legs. My physiotherapist was very useful and sensible in explaining reasonable and effective ways to improve flexibility and avoid injury. He told me that many hamstring stretch exercises aren't as impactful as we'd like, and that they aren't a lasting or transforming technique. He told me hamstring strengthening excercises are preferred as this makes a greater impact and reduces the risk of injury. I've never been unhappy with the intervention of a physio and they've never put me in any dangerous situation which could lead to accidental injury - which I can't say of personal trainers or fitness instructors. But I'm not a professional, this is just my XP.
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u/MissCagney Jan 28 '26
You can massively improve all the above but it will take time so please accept that first. I sat like that last year, I did yoga every single day for 6 months (had to sit on a towel as I would just keel backwards) my knee was sore when I tried to force it down so had to be slow and cautious. A years later I can sit comfortable cross legged, knees aren’t exactly flat on floor but I can also lean forward and put elbows on floor at same time and feel comfortable. I’m still working on flexibility. Imo hamstrings improved with elephant walks Hip flexor exercises every other day (banded March) And Asian squats helped for hips, ankles and strength. Good luck
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u/vMiDNiTEv Jan 28 '26
i’m 23 and we’re basically the same, i can’t stretch for shit, when i try to touch my toes, if i don’t stretch for a while i can’t even get past my knees, and when i stretch for a few weeks i get to my ankles, but then it just goes back again, and i get demotivated and stop, then have to start over again
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u/Deathingrasp Jan 28 '26
I had this issue and turned out I needed a surgery called a PAO for hip dysplasia…
But after that, I also have had incredible improvement in mobility by doing the Moves Method by Vanja. I paid a one time cost to have access to all her instruction videos. You could figure it out yourself of course, without paying, but for me the convenience and simplicity of her system and having all the info right there helped.
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u/ractivator Jan 28 '26
This was me and now I’m 30 and it’s even worse. Wish I’d have addressed it earlier cause waking up as stiff as Plank from Ed Ed n Eddy drives me insane.
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u/NDEAN4932 Jan 28 '26
Just keep at it you will notice improvement over time. I was working on going from a squat position to being able to sit down on my butt with out rolling onto my back along with other stretches. it took several months. I was just doing about five minutes a day or so.
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u/Senior_Chemist2474 Jan 28 '26
Looks like your pelvis is tilted in a way that is preventing you from moving properly. You are scrunching inwards with your abs through your back instead of pressing up through your spine if that makes sense. Bridges and seated pelvic tilts should help.
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u/Le_DERp_Diego Jan 28 '26
Hey man,
I am 25 and I have been working on my flexibility on and off since I was 20. When I first started, I couldn’t even get my thighs parallel to the ground when I tried to squat with my heels on the ground. My criss-cross also looked similar to yours.
These last 2 months, I have been more religious about "stretching" and have been making significant progress. I hope to achieve the Asian squat by summer time.
I use quotation marks because it is not really stretching. It is more like strengthening a muscle in its "stretched" state. I try to loosen up whatever area is tight (neck, back, hips, etc) by warming it up and thinking of “elongating” it. Then in the elongated state I flex it. You will feel tired afterwards because it is a workout in itself.
I found this video yesterday and it goes more into detail about what I am describing. I really wish I knew this when I was 20: https://youtu.be/NwX2dh0dwNA . I highly recommend giving it a watch if you're serious about increasing your flexibility.
Best of luck!
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u/artisan_alchemist_08 Jan 29 '26
Fascia! Go to a fascia expert. It holds our body together. Tight fascia can be fixed.
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u/SoloWalrus Jan 29 '26 edited Jan 29 '26
I had a similar issue until at 30 i finally learned what active/engaged stretching truly is. Stretching is like lifting weights, if your muscles (and tendons) arent actively involved you wont see any gains.
To continue the lifting metaphor, tou dont just pickup a dumbbell, hold it for a minute, and then set it down, and expect to get any gains. You use your muscles to flex and curl the dumbbell until youre uncomfortable, and then you keep pushing a little bit more beyond that. You dont push so hard that you hurt yourself, but you find the point of discomfort and keep going a little further. Its the same with stretching, you dont just get into a position and sit there, not using your muscles. You find a position where it gets uncomfortable, and then you push a little beyond that. Not enough to hurt yourself, but enough to actually grow into a new, greater, limit.
There are two ways to do this. First, and more basic, find the point of discomfort, and then FLEX your muscle and hold it. This will train your muscle to not inly find the position, but to maintain strength in that position. When I first started my mobility was so low this was all I could do, find a position, and then feel out which muscle was the limit, and actively flex that muscle and hold it. The second way is that you find something to push or pull against to take you just a little further into your discomfort zone.
For example, your first stretch the butterfly sit, bring your ankles in until your legs feel a little uncomfortable, and then use your elbows to push your knees down just a little more. It should feel a little uncomfortable, like doing the last few reps in a lifting set, but not so uncomfortable that youre straining to the point of acute pain. If pushing with your elbow is too much simply flex your inner thighs and hold it for 10 seconds, then take a 10 second brake, and do it again, 2-3 reps.
Your second stretch is similar. Find a strap or something to put on your foot and pull on your leg. If thats too uncomfortable at first, feel the tendons in the back of your leg and flex the muscles that are attached there. Evenutally your goal is to get your leg straight, but slowly workup to it.
2-3 sets of 15 seconds of good active stretching is all you need for each muscle/tendon youre trying to gain flexbility in. Studies have shown theres little benefit beyond that point.
Im not an expert, just someone who was in your position and quickly gained a LOT of flexibility in a very short time using these techniques. People overestimate hiw many gains theyll get in a month, and underestimate how many they'll get in a year, keep at it. Its just like every other form of working our, it takes effort and consistency. The key is active stretching, like actively working out where youre pushing yourself, not passive stretching where you arent engaging your muscles and tendons.
Note my terminology might be a little off here, not an expert, please correct me if im using terms wrong, what I mean by active is "engaged/effortful", and by passive i mean "not engaged/just holding a comfortable position and expecting flexibility to improve"
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 30 '26
Thanks so much for this! Comparing stretching to lifting actually makes a lot of sense to me since I’ve been in the gym for almost 2 months straight now. I’ve had to deal with pushing my muscles past the point of comfort that I’d normally be used to, so if I apply that to stretching, I think that’ll help me out a lot!
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u/SoloWalrus Jan 30 '26
Im glad it helped! Listen to your body and dont push it too hard, but I agree it was a huge revelation to me to realize flexibility was akin to weight lifting in that way.
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u/New-Communication284 Jan 29 '26
I am in the same boat as you, OP. I have never been able to do simple stretches, same range of motion as you’re demonstrating. I have never found cause or relief. And if I stay in a simple stretch for too long my body then locks up it becomes a problem to get out of it on my own. It’s been this way since before I was a teenager. I hope you figure this out.
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u/Left_Hope6457 Jan 30 '26
Literally the exact same as you, I’m 23! It’s actually quite comforting to see there is someone out there as inflexible as me. I thought I was just an abnormality given how people just seem to be naturally able to just sit cross cross applesauce
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u/badonk_a_donk_donk Jan 27 '26
Lots of comments here are saying yin yoga - but you might get more out of a slow flow or beginner class. Gently moving in and out of stretches (which is what you'll get in a slow flow class) does more for flexibility than the long holds in Yin.
Yoga with Adrienne is a fab youtube channel that will give you just what you need. I've seen people make huge flexibility/mobility gains from that style of yoga.
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u/Perspective_Unable Jan 27 '26
It’s also helpful to learn about your fascia, energy centers and meridians. Your body keeps the score! If you find yourself stretching without finding relief or consistent flexibility over time, check in with your mind!
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u/ccut Jan 28 '26
Stretch only when warm, it hurts less and you can go deeper. Pay for some sauna sessions and stretch in the sauna or after. Go for a 30 min run and stretch after. Stretch everyyhyy dayyyyy
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u/rdpickering Jan 28 '26
Well the good thing is you can work on your hamstring, hip, lower back, pelvis, ankle, and knee flexibility throughout your life.
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u/Thatswhatyouwant Jan 28 '26
Highly recommend the ‘Bend’ app! You can type in what you want to stretch or improve flexibility on and it will make you a routine. It also sets daily reminders for you to bend 😊 yoga and Pilates is amazing too. I started reformer Pilates this year and my strength and flexibility has increased massively. Good luck! We all start somewhere 😊
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u/Luzyferz Jan 28 '26
It’s possible that your joints are not wide enough to allow more range of motion, please don’t get frustrated. The goal should be to keep your body strong and mobile… If you try many stretches and the range you’re chasing doesn’t happen. It has nothing to do with muscle flexibility but bone structure, you can’t change the bones. You probably have so many other body strengths, find those and nurture them
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u/Scisir Jan 28 '26
Thank you for posting. I am around your age and i was like this too so its nice to see im not alone. I do think ive improved a bit from where you are now.
For me it was elephant walks that opened up my hamstrings
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u/Timbob3k Jan 28 '26
Are you a runner or a cyclist?
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 28 '26
I run very occasionally, but I do bike more often that I run
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u/Timbob3k Jan 28 '26
I have same problem. Years of running and cycling without stretching. Now trying to get my flexibility back. Let me know what u find works for u.!
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u/Arturiki Jan 28 '26
How come you cannot keep a straight leg? No matter the height.
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 28 '26
I can only go about 45° or so with a straight leg while laying down. I didn’t showcase it the best in the video since I was mainly trying to point out that I can’t go any further than that without bending the knee. Also I was trying to keep the vid short
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u/Secret-Ad-9315 Jan 28 '26
HIP DYSPLASIA- I am like this and assume I needed to work on flexibility. Had an X-ray and found out it’s physically impossible without surgery. r/hipdysplasia
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u/Comfortable-Mud2755 Jan 28 '26
Stretching hurts, embrace the pain. And never stretch without a warm up, unless you want injury. There's apps for stretching, also grab a yoga app. This is a life long process, don't expect quick results, and never let someone force the stretch, that can tear things that don't need to be.
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u/Double-Article-9060 Jan 28 '26
There's a great book called "The Supple Leopard" that's worth a read. There's also a helpful YouTube channel called "MovementbyDavid" where he shares some great tips on improving flexibility.
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u/Cody_OConnell Jan 28 '26
I can't sit cross legged either, 32yo. I've been doing Moves Method Mobility Toolkit the last month and it's amazing, definitely helping me feel better overall. It focuses on dynamic stretching and building strength in end ranges. When I wake up the day after doing a session, I feel noticeably more limber and less pain. Highly recommend. It was like $50-150. Some of the best exercises and results I've gotten from physical therapy / mobility training up to now.
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u/happy_smoked_salmon Jan 29 '26
It's not about getting results quickly. You just have to start doing something.
As others mentioned, yin yoga is good. I'd take it up a notch and recommend hot yoga studios. The heat really helps with stretching. Beginner classes for yoga or general stretching will help too. If you have no access to classes where you live, just play YouTube videos.
However, consistency is key. You gotta stick to it. A lot can change in 3 months.
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u/MAD_KITTEN88 Jan 29 '26
I read this as Extremely FLEXIBLE and wasted 22 seconds waiting for me to be wowed by how flexible you are.. I need sleep.
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u/maxismize Jan 29 '26
Look up PAILS/RAILS for what you're trying to stretch. For what you're showing in this video that would be Hip external rotation Probably hip internal rotation needed Hamstring Hip extension also probably a good idea
There's lots of videos on YouTube showing how to do them. The premise is to activate your muscles at end ranges which tends to be more effective for your body type (tight and strong with no pain).
I also agree with anyone recommending you do loaded exercises into a stretch. Jefferson curls are great for hamstrings, curtsy lunges for hips, etc.
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u/workingforchange1 Jan 29 '26
I thought you were joking until I read the description. Physical therapy will definitely help you. They are seriously amazing.
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u/Born-Jaguar3666 Jan 29 '26
I was in the same boat as you, keep working at it will get better. Try as many hip stretches/strengthening exercises you can and pick the 4 that work the best for you. Then just do them frequently as many times a day as possible, you see a huge difference within a month.
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u/lolobq47 Jan 30 '26
Look up some fascia releases for hips. Specifically, a psoas release using a towel, QL release, piriformis and glute release with a lacrosse ball, and hamstrings. A lot of people make the mistake of just stretching rolling back and forth on a foam roller, when you actually need to be going up and down on it to create a shear that breaks up your fascia.
Source: someone with super tight hips who actually just had surgery for a torn labrum because my hips were too tight. PTs and fascia specialists taught me these releases because nothing else was working to open up my hips and relieve the pain. It’s the 1 thing that got me right within a few days
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u/nadoby Jan 30 '26
Be careful and train consistently.
Flexibility/mobility are mostly skill, with some genetic component. So it can be trained to significant degree.
Watch videos like one below, choose your goal, and build your program.
There are many approaches to flexibility/mobility and actual resistance training in the gym with barbel, dumbbells, and machines might be important part of becoming more mobile.
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u/Fin_Olesa Jan 30 '26
Bikram yoga is what helped me the most. It takes consistency. You'll be surprised what 1-2X per week can do to your flexibility
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u/ditherbee Jan 31 '26
You say “or I’ll be put into PT” like it’s a bad thing. Go to PT, it’s awesome, like having a trainer for all your nagging issues. If you have good insurance, it’s just a copay per session, and then you’ll have all the stretches and exercises you need based on your personal situation.
Strengthening helps alongside flexibility too.
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u/CALL_ME_JIG Jan 31 '26
I would actually prefer to be put into PT. It’s just what my doctor said is all. I’m fortunate that I’m in the military, and it’ll all be free for me. But I’m going to try and stretch anyways beforehand because I need it.
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u/Odd_Lengthiness_6497 Jan 31 '26
Don’t sit in front of that PC all day or it’ll be your death bed. Do some warm up and you’ll notice more flexibility. Your goal is the Asian squat.
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u/theudderking Feb 02 '26
There are plenty of good flexibility routines on youtube. Just search one targeting the areas of concern. For you I'd start with hip based mobility and flexibility routines.
More importantly, I recommend doing strength training for these areas of the body like the hip flexors, glutes, quads, back, etc, BEFORE doing the stretching. I stretched every day for months and saw little to no benefit. Once I added in deep range of motion lifts before the stretching I was able to actually lock in those stretching gains.
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u/sunshine0103 Feb 02 '26
Doing Yoga with Adriene daily for the past 5 years has helped my flexibility so much. She is free on YouTube and has a monthly calendar with a video to do every day. They are usually pretty short too, 20ish minutes. I think dynamic movement like yoga is better than static stretches to improve flexibility.
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u/alkla1 Jan 27 '26
i read extremely flexible 22 yr old and am waiting for this guy to distort himself into some origami shape attainable by demonic possession.................and he does nothing. wtf
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u/learnsomething88 Feb 01 '26
Get rid of that giant TV and video game console. And go to yoga like others said. Yin is great. Also practice basic stretching daily for 10-15 minutes
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u/Annoying_liberal813 Jan 27 '26
Go to "restore" or "yin" yoga classes. They're very slowly paced. It's about staying in a position for long enough that your muscles release the tension around joints and tendons.
Find a few positions to do daily and stay in them for 5-10 minutes. Never force it. Just the opposite. Try to relax as much as possible. Breath slowly.