Sorry for the long post. I hope someone can give me a hand with this.
Hi all, I am new to the forum, but over the past few years I have tried off and on to use the techniques in Thomas Kurz book Stretching Scientifically, 3rd ed. I had just about given up on it, then I stumbled on this forum by mistake. So, I am trying to see what I might try at least one more time....
Short story: whenever I have tried to use isometric stretching (others seem to call it PNF, but the book calls it isometric) I get these little "micro injuries" which I have been able to identify as trigger points. Sure, I can massage them out, which sometimes takes several days, but the trigger points themselves reduce flexibility. What the isometric flexibility training boiled down to was train -> injure -> treat -> try again. My hamstrings have always been less flexible, and they seem most susceptible to this type of injury, perhaps because my work and commute already require that I sit a good portion of the day, I don't think that sitting helps anything much. Of course, I am trying to increase the flexibility in my legs. I have valiantly tried different levels of flexing power to see if that makes a difference -- it does, the stronger it is, the worse the trigger point injuries. Bottom line, I never got an increase in flexibility in my legs. Certainly not that "cold muscle flexibility".
As for the rest of my training, it does not cause me much injury at all. So, when I do not do any of the isometric stretching in my routine, I normally do not overtire or injure my muscles, unless I am trying a brand new exercise or purposefully pushing myself.
- I do thorough static stretching and warmup. In the past, I have tried adding dynamic stretching in the morning. It did nothing to increase my flexibility that I could notice.
- My legs are strong, I have been working out for a few years now, mixing in different exercises to work the different muscle groups. I do varied kicking exercises and squat exercises at least 3x a week, and they never injure me as long as I don't kick above waist high, or overdo the exercise.
- I do not do machine or weight lifting exercises, except for some maintenance with dumbbells for my arms and shoulders. I do not belong to a gym, and travel too much to have the time to do so. I do calisthenics and shadowboxing, on non-endurance days I do various martial arts drills.
It has now been a while since I last tried the flexibility exercises. So, if someone can put me in the right direction on this, I would add it to my current routine and see if I can make it work.
Many thanks
HELP - injuries but no increased flexibility
Re: HELP - injuries but no increased flexibility
If you have the book Stretching Scientifically, I suggest taking a thorough read through it. You can't read it enough. Better yet, get the video Secrets of Stretching and follow its advice on strength training for your flexibility.
If you have been training isometrics and continue getting injured by them, yet continue again once the pain is gone, then you are really not following Kurz' method at all. You are just too anxious to use this method of stretching. Each time you injure yourself you are damaging your muscles.
What Kurz' method says about pain is that if you experience pain from doing an exercise it means you are not ready for it and should drop it from your routine until you strengthen the muscles worked in said exercise, including the supporters of those muscles. That usually means starting from the core and strengthening out to large muscle groups onto isolated muscles.
You say your legs are strong. But they are not strong enough for isometrics- being sore or "injured" after every application of the same exercise indicates it (assuming you are doing them correctly).
Make sure you are reading carefully, since you seem to have missed the warnings about not being ready for isometrics. I'm sure with a more thorough study you'll find your daily dynamic stretches will improve as well.
Don't be too anxious. Just make sure you are well-read. It is better to wait while educating yourself before starting, than it is to jump in and continually injure yourself and learn the hard way, injure yourself for good, or just give up.
Good luck with your training!
If you have been training isometrics and continue getting injured by them, yet continue again once the pain is gone, then you are really not following Kurz' method at all. You are just too anxious to use this method of stretching. Each time you injure yourself you are damaging your muscles.
What Kurz' method says about pain is that if you experience pain from doing an exercise it means you are not ready for it and should drop it from your routine until you strengthen the muscles worked in said exercise, including the supporters of those muscles. That usually means starting from the core and strengthening out to large muscle groups onto isolated muscles.
You say your legs are strong. But they are not strong enough for isometrics- being sore or "injured" after every application of the same exercise indicates it (assuming you are doing them correctly).
Make sure you are reading carefully, since you seem to have missed the warnings about not being ready for isometrics. I'm sure with a more thorough study you'll find your daily dynamic stretches will improve as well.
Don't be too anxious. Just make sure you are well-read. It is better to wait while educating yourself before starting, than it is to jump in and continually injure yourself and learn the hard way, injure yourself for good, or just give up.
Good luck with your training!
Re: HELP - injuries but no increased flexibility
So, I have decided to restart everything over.
Yes -- I am strong, I have noted the increased strength since I started working out in earnest a couple of years ago. But, obviously, there is a certain amount and kind of strength that muscles need in order to withstand either the isometrics or the large-repetition exercises associated with martial arts workouts.
So, while I wait for my body to heal up before proceeding, I am planning my new workout routine. I will keep it simple and start off with a general mix of practicing technique, followed by calesthenics training.
warm up -> dynamic stretches -> technique -> calesthenics (squats, push ups, pull ups, crunches, leg lifts, + specific exercises to strengthen the muscles for splits) -> cool down
As I get stronger, I may break the workouts into two general groups, an endurance-strength day, and a technique day with light exercises... don't know for sure, I am not there yet. But, it is clear to me that my body cannot withstand endurance or isometric workouts too well until I get my muscular strength to the point where it can take those particular kinds of stresses.
So, I swallow my pride as I "start over".
Yes -- I am strong, I have noted the increased strength since I started working out in earnest a couple of years ago. But, obviously, there is a certain amount and kind of strength that muscles need in order to withstand either the isometrics or the large-repetition exercises associated with martial arts workouts.
So, while I wait for my body to heal up before proceeding, I am planning my new workout routine. I will keep it simple and start off with a general mix of practicing technique, followed by calesthenics training.
warm up -> dynamic stretches -> technique -> calesthenics (squats, push ups, pull ups, crunches, leg lifts, + specific exercises to strengthen the muscles for splits) -> cool down
As I get stronger, I may break the workouts into two general groups, an endurance-strength day, and a technique day with light exercises... don't know for sure, I am not there yet. But, it is clear to me that my body cannot withstand endurance or isometric workouts too well until I get my muscular strength to the point where it can take those particular kinds of stresses.
So, I swallow my pride as I "start over".