[danricc1]

Hey all. Just found this site and it's given me hope. I have always been a "tighty" and had accepted it as just the way i am. Over the last year I have become dedicated to disciplined training and nutrition and have lost 40 lb fat gained 12 lb LBM. I have also taken up BJJ and have become fanatical about my game. It has become obvious that without significantly increasing my flexibilty my game will always be limited. I am super excited to have found this site because it gives me hope to get better.
My question is: can a tight 41 yo guy get really flexible? Is there a genetic limit that people bump up against that limits them or in your opinion is it entirely related to practice and dedication?
Great website by the way and I plan on ordering the grapplers DVD>

[CSta]

Hey Dan,

Great job on getting in shape. If your flexibility is limited only by your muscles, then the answer is yes, you can dramatically increase your flexibility. If, however, your flexibility is limited by ligaments (the things that connect bones to bones) or by bone structure, then you're out of luck.

As an enthusiastic beginner, there's a few things you should keep in mind. (1) Flexibility requires great strength, and great strength takes time to develop. So, it is in your best interest to be very patient. (2) Along those lines, you can't "cheat," such as by starting with an advanced stage of training without first mastering earlier stages. You'll either injure yourself, or worse, you'll hit an early plateau from which you cannot advance. Perform the exercises and the progression as instructed. Progress gradually. (3) Finally, your body is going to be the best source of information as far as whether you're doing things properly or not. You should feel good before, during, and after your workouts. Pain, soreness, discomfort, instability are warning signs. Don't ignore them.

Good luck on your journey.

[makings]

Originally Posted by CSta

As an enthusiastic beginner, there's a few things you should keep in mind. (1) Flexibility requires great strength, and great strength takes time to develop. So, it is in your best interest to be very patient. (2) Along those lines, you can't "cheat," such as by starting with an advanced stage of training without first mastering earlier stages. You'll either injure yourself, or worse, you'll hit an early plateau from which you cannot advance. Perform the exercises and the progression as instructed. Progress gradually.

Man, CSta is so right on his numbered points, 1 and 2 specifically. I was pushing my ES flexibility training too hard, and did not focus on strength building / conditioning first. As a result, I seriously buggered up my legs - apparently, stretching a weak muscle is very bad ;-)

A few weeks ago, I stopped all training (as my legs were killing me on a daily basis) and will "reboot" in the new year, with much more emphasis on conditioning.

Good luck Dan, take it easy and as CSta said, be patient - small gains...

Incidentally, I'm 38, never been anywhere near full splits but have made improvements in flexibility following the ES method.

Mike K.

PS. CSta is also bang on about how much your physiology affects flexibility, but you can make everything else aorund the joint / ligaments / etc. work to the best of its ability...

[danricc1]

Thanks for the advice/ encouragement guys. I have been working the ES book for about a week and already I see some improvement.

[~Crystal~]

You may be right, but for my case, I haven't done many strenghtening exercices, and have achieved one of my splits. Perhaps my muscles are naturally thicker.

I would say however, even if it has to be a progression, that you must still remember that you have to push your limits and be sure that there will be tearing in your muscles. Not a strain, but microtears. You may be sore the day after and feel you've done something bad (which may be the case if you didn't pay attention to your resistance), but just take a hot shower, massage your muscles, do light stretching, and after one or two days you'll find yourself more flexible. That's how I did progress. But as said before, if you have weak muscles, then because your muscles are thin, they tear more easily (which is not a good thing !).

[CSta]

Originally Posted by ~Crystal~

You may be right, but for my case, I haven't done many strenghtening exercices, and have achieved one of my splits. Perhaps my muscles are naturally thicker.

The thickness of one's muscles has no relation to flexibility. Flexibility is limited by bone structure, ligaments, muscle length, and the nervous system.

Crystal, be careful. Increasing your flexibility without strength training can lead to a whole host of problems. You're enjoying your increased flexibility now, but in 20 years you might be enjoying something entirely different--your new hip or knee.

[Proteinnerd]

Goodluck with it, I hope old guys can get flexible...I'm trying too

[Paul Zaichik]

Originally Posted by CSta

Crystal, be careful. Increasing your flexibility without strength training can lead to a whole host of problems. You're enjoying your increased flexibility now, but in 20 years you might be enjoying something entirely different--your new hip or knee.

Over the years, I met a number of people who wished they would have went back those 20 years, with the knowledge they gotten later in life.

Paul

[steve7680768]

That sounds awkard to me...

[Dave tkd]

Originally Posted by Paul Zaichik

Over the years, I met a number of people who wished they would have went back those 20 years, with the knowledge they gotten later in life.

Paul

Dave Tkd being one of them... Lol