Light Stretching Wins

Over the last week I've been doing light stretching every day and not really pushing a deep stretch (or at least not being concerned about doing a deep stretch). Last night I tested my flex in side splits and half front splits and it seems that light stretching has helped make gains in my splits progress.

I use, pretty much, the light stretch routine from PZ's book and a few extra spinal twists. I use the leg mobility swings and I do joint mobility exercises too. Joint mobility training around the hips is key, I think, to improving your splits. i.e. you could be stretching and stretching but you won't improve your splits unless you have better hip mobility.

It's all good. (said in a cheesey way)

James.

And we're back

I did some light stretches then had a good session with a tennis ball, my back and my right glute and hip. The tennis ball massage is wonderful, I feel great afterwards and it really irons out little cramps and tension.

Then I had a good front splits session on both sides and certainly made some progress on the left side, the right side is still a little tight at the moment.

I am not pushing stretching hard anymore, I am going for the little and often approach and have been seeing better gains. I still have a deep stretch a couple of times a week but I'm careful not to overdo that anymore, otherwise I can't train the following day.

Stretching Silly

I did my first big stretch in a while last night. I have definitely lost some mobility but that should come back pretty quite, I hope. I have to say though that damn injury I got in January in my right hip has only recently subsided, my hips are feeling good enough to go at it proper again. 

I remember one of PZ's lines of advice to me earlier in this thread, about November I think: he basically said, don't push this final bit too hard or you'll get injured and have to start back near the beginning after a lengthy period out of stretching. Well, Paul, I did push it and I did get hurt and I am now only able to get back to it. 

Training tonight

Tonight I trained at home happily working on Gravity Advantage by Paul Zaichik (but I am still interested to know the score with him, so if anyone has any history or opinions of his methods then please let me know) - plus I add in lower body stuff too.

(all exercises are bodyweight unless stated)

joint rotation warmup

general warmup

Trisets as per:

1a) 8 x weaving press ups
1b) 8 x bulgarian split squats with Power Bands
1c) 8 x Horizontal rows
rest and do 3 times round

2a) 8 x diverbombers
2b) 10 x single leg half bridge elevated hip raise things
2c) 8 x Narrow horizontal rows
rest and do 3 times round

3a) 8 x Hammer Press
3b) 8 x pistol squat to bench each leg (legs where gone by this time so I only did one round of these)
3c) 8 x bridge and curl (my grip and forearms give out before anything else)

All good and still very much looking forward to receiving my kettlebells.

James.

Training Tonight

After a great day with the children and after we had managed to get them in to bed and before I cooked dinner for us both I fitted in some training. Continuing along the Gravity Advantage route but, generally, I need to add in lower body stuff so that all over is getting trained in one session, so I did this:

Joint warmup + a few squats and press ups

1a) 10 x step ups + power bands
1b) 10 x weaving pressups
3 times round

2a) 8 x pistol squats to bench each leg
2b) 8 x wide horizontal rows
3 times round

3a) 8 x diver bombers
3b) 8 x bulgarian split squats each leg
3c) 8 x narrow horizontal rows
3 times round

4a) 8 x bridge and curl
4b) 8 x hammer press
3 times round

Wine and chicken

I am going to try to speed this up by doing tri-sets all round for this month. See what happens.

James.

The Gravity Advantage

Last night I got back in to training after a week off. I needed a break after all the training time I put in building up to my 3rd Degree TKD grading - the break has benefited me and my family of course meaning that I have been able to spend more time with them.

Anyway, I am a bodyweight exercise fanatic but I do understand that extra load is needed sometimes even just for variety. I’m always mega interested in different bodyweight exercises that might tax the body in new ways - for example, normal press ups and elevated spiderman press ups (you now which one is harder, yeh)

So I did a short routine made up of exercises from Paul Zaichik’s Gravity Advantage manual.

1a 8 x weaving pressups
1b 8 x horizontal rows
repeat

2a 8 x dive bomber pressups
2b 8 x narrow horizontal rows
repeat

3a 8 x bridge and curl
3b 8 x diamond hand pressups
3c 8 x hammer press
repeat

stretch

rest

all good

Feeling Good

So I have been training hard recently in preparation for my 3rd Degree test in TKD. However, I have neglected the stretching mainly because I hurt my hip earlier this year, January sometime I think, but tonight I did do some stretching. It went like this:

15 x squats and overhead push (using bar only)
10 x horizontal pulls
8 x 1-leg bent deadlift each leg
10 x press ups on rings (suspension press ups)
8 x assisted pistol squats (like this YT vid)
8 x pull ups (4 real then 4 negatives)
rest for 1 min then repeat

That took 15 mins, then I did:

40 x side leg swings each leg
20 x side leg raises each leg
15 x knee cirlcles turning kick position each leg
10 x side kick extensions using PowerBands as resistance* each leg then repeat
10 x front kicks pulling against the bands and releasing slowly each leg
10 x turning kicks pulling against the bands and releasing slowly each leg
10 x side kick pull backs against the bands and releasing slowly each leg
70 x turning kick extensions fast motion each leg
Front Splits routine**

*I am finding that resistance in the plane I want to kick really helps keep the training kicks on line and works the extension well. I have noticed immediate improvements. Perhaps psychological?

**I have definitely lost some flexibility all round. The old saying is true: "If you don't use it you lose it."

All in all I feel good if a bit tired. My TKD session this morning was good, my patterns felt sharp and my side kicks felt awesome.

Keep on keeping on.

James.

Snow Time

DSC_0005, originally uploaded by james1973.

This is a test post to MSC from Flickr with a pic. Getting ready for my trip away in the summer where I'll be doing splits all over Disney World. ;o)

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Tired now. looking forward to a long lie in tomorrow.

In a pub. Feels strange. Kids at grandmas. Having fun.

RArE site

Me in 2 rUb. Rare.

Stretching training

Well, maybe later.

Telling it how it is from mobile ping.

How to destroy your abs in 21 mins.

Ha ha. Not a good idea to do this too often.

Frustration Release by Push and Pull

This is not stretching related but interesting...

I felt so wound up today, maybe it was last nights wine and chocolate and then coffee this morning followed by a day of rubbish food and not much water and almost ZERO productivity - mmm, possibly.

So I got home from work and had fun with the kids and when they went up for bath I decided to mash myself up a bit with this:

Pyramid from 10 to 1 alternating press ups then horizontal pull ups, with variations. So, I started with 10 standard press ups then 10 standard horizontal pull ups, went on to diamond grip press ups, etc, etc, etc, you get the idea. After I got to 1 rep I rested for about 30 seconds then when from 1 up to 10 alternating again.

So that's 110 presses and pulls. 

Then I did a 5 x 5: 5 dive bomber press ups and 5 pull up negatives. Then I tried to do a chin up and found that my arms had stopped working.

I would have carried on with the press ups and Horizontal pulls but I got called upstairs by my lovely daughter to read her a wonderful bedtime story.

About the pulls: I am generally weak in this area so I had to reduce resistance pretty quickly. Basically on about number 7 down the pyramid I had to pull in my  legs, then on the way back up I had to change the angle of my stance (I use flex staps hanging from my bar).

So, I didn't destroy myself to the level I wanted but I might throw in a few max reps later tonight.

Training is a great way to work out some troubles - I might arrange a sparring only session over the weekend.

Having Fun now.

James.

Tired tonight

Had strange sleep last night, children waking up etc, etc. Strange day at the office. Taught TKD at a school which was pretty good, quite technical today. Got home had some dinner then managed to squeeze in some training but I felt so tired today, perhaps I haven't been eating right or not getting enough rest or trying to train too much, I don't know. My right hip is still sore so I will lay off hips for a few more days.

Tonight I did this in 21 mins after a warmup:

1. 12 x High step ups each leg
2. 10 x spiderman press ups
3. 12 x bulgarian split squats each leg
4. 12 x horizontal rows
5. 12 x 1 leg deadlift each leg
6. 8 x negative pull ups (Chinups I am getting better at, but pullups man I am bad)
7. 10 x deep pressups on flex straps (threw these in for fun because they just make me feel so good)

REPEAT

I still feel tired

No stretching tonight but I did do a fair few leg swings and kicks today.

James.

Night Off

Had a night off tonight from training. I had been training quite hard over the last week and stretching hard too. I hurt my right hip a little on Thursday during a good deep stretch and I am still feeling it a bit - so a night off I think was a good idea.

I didn't waste time though, I did:

1. Some accounts for my business. I use an online accounts programme that has basically save my life. It's called Kashflow. Check it out here
   
2. Created a flyer to letterbox local people about coming to my new TKD classes, as you can see here.

So no time wasted.

Teaching TKD tomorrow at a local school, I probably print the flyers tomorrow and letterbox them tomorrow night.

It's all good.

James.

Splits Pics from last week

Last Tuesday I had a good stretch session and here are the pics:

=> Side split work toes forward

=> Side split work toes up

The toes forward position highlights an issue that I hate to see in people stretching. Basically you can see that my hips are the limiting factor because the lower part of my legs seem to bend out further than the upper part. I hate seeing this because it shows that undue stress in on the inner part of the knees. I could have not posted it but it shows people what not to aim for.

The toes up position is better, there is progress here, so that's cool.

I'll have another stretch today.

James.

Working them hips

After last weekend my muscles seem to have remembered what it is like to exercise and have come back in line with what I expect. I have been working leg conditioning quite hard since coming back to training this month.

TKD on Sunday morning was OK, mildly tiring but I went through all the patterns afterwards. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Steven Elliot putting Darren Walsh through a totally gruelling session in preparation for his 2nd MMA in Cage Rage - rather him than me, hats off to anyone competing in these types of events.

TKD on Monday evening was again much the same and I video'd my patterns at the end. When I watched it back I was horrified by how poor my technique is.

Tuesday night I had a good training session at home (details in next post) pushed my fitness and realised I am not in top condition by any means. But had a gooooooooooooood stretch after and worked all round my hips for side split position and did some kick specific stuff.

Wednesday I taught TKD at a local school and did the same circuits I did the night before, which was probably not such a good idea because I had not recovered fully and I struggled a little.

Thursday TKD session was much better and got some good guidance from my instructor about my technique. Sparring was a little better. I had a good stretch straight afterwards for side splits and worked the hips hard again - I got lower and wider and today I am feeling it so will just do a light stretch tonight after some circuits.

I will get there for sure.

Was use will full splits be to me? You answer that question by commenting.

Cheers,

James.

SORE

Yep, sore tonight as well. 

Last night I pushed deep stretching on my right side front splits. My right hams are hammered. Left hams are still sore from the other night. Might do a massage after TKD session tomorrow.

We'll see.

James.

Kick Specific

The kick specific tonight didn't take that long:

1. About 80 low relaxed warmup kicks (various types) slowly getting faster
   
2. 10 x Strict side line Leg Raises, i.e. keeping upright. Both legs; repeat.
3. 10 x knee circles each direction both legs. Turning kick knee position and circle, strict and keeping upright.
4. Chill

Then light stretch routine then right leg forward front splits routine.

looking good but better start bringing in some TKD technique to my home sessions or I'll be a wash out.

James.

Tonights Training

Not much time to allow:

24 x step ups alternating legs

12 x offset press ups both sides

24 x forward lunges with hands up above head

12 x horizontal pull ups

12 x one leg bent deadlift both legs

8 x pullups (struggled here a lot)

repeat

then went kick specific  - more later

Updated Benchmarks

CANT UPLOAD PICS:
---------------------------
For some reason blogger wont upload pics so here they are instead here:
True: http://twitpic.com/10l6v
SideFront: http://twitpic.com/10l7d
Side: http://twitpic.com/10l7o
-------------------------



So I must have had about a 6 week lay off from stretching at all and I got back in to training last week so tonight was a good time to start again.

small warmup then...
series of light stretches
splits specific exercises (mainly long lunges with hip rotations)*
Front Splits deep stretching routine
Then Pics ;o)

*This is:
8 x long walking lunges (LWL)
8 x LWL with hip turn out
8 x LWL with hip turn in
8 x LWL with hip turn out, retreat, then forward, then hip turn in

Quite pleased with it all seeing as I haven't been at it for a long time.

Getting There,

James.

I'm all wobbly...

Getting back in to it after the flu thing. I did this tonight in 30 mins:

1. 12 x bulgarian split squats each leg
2. 12 x evelated spiderman press ups
3. 12 x step ups each leg
4. 12 x horizontal rows (I use FlexStaps)
5. 12 x elevated single leg bridge each leg
6. 10 x bodyweight dips
7. 8 x half pistol squats with chair
8. 10 x deep press ups between chairs
   Repeated twice through
9. Finished with 5 minute abs (almost)

It took 30 mins and I am shattered and still suffering a little, flu has been rough.

Stretching later.

Finally back to training

So anyway for at least three weeks now, maybe close to four, I have been ill and have not been able to train at all. I had flu, then a chest infection which seems like it has come to an end now but I have a lingering cough - very annoying. 

However, last night I finally felt able to do a little training so I went at a bodyweight circuit and just did it once (and now I am glad I did):

warm up

12 x step ups each leg

12 x elevated press ups

24 x front lunges

12 x horizontal rows

24 x reverse lunges

8 x pullups (felt so weak at these I stopped at four and managed to make the 8 in another go)

Kick Specific

20 x side leg swings each leg

20 x front / rear leg swings each leg

repeat

10 x placed side kicks each leg

10 x placed turning kicks each leg

20 x fast side kicks each leg

20 x fast turning kicks each leg

5 min abs:

10 x knee ups

1 min front plank

1 min side plank each side

20 cross over mountain climb things

After only once round I was shattered, looks like this flu really took it out of me. I actually feel a little sore today which is a little depressing at four weeks ago I could bang out that circuit 3 times and feel great. 

Still, you've gotta start somewhere again.

Feeling Good

James.

Happy New Year 2009

Hey All, I wish each and everyone of you a really Happy New Year for 2009. Stay active, get really conditioned and stretch hard and you will reach your splits goals. 

I will have my full splits before end of March 2009 - what about you?

Best Regards, 

James.

www.MySplitsChallenge.com