Deadlift instead of Squats

[kick]

El Macho,

I just read your flexibility threads, didn't know if I should post there or here but, I have a few questions.

Does doing the stretches in a particular order make a difference. also my flexibility is pretty good except for my hamstrings where my flexibility sucks totally. I can do all the stretches comfortably including the 3 Yoga stretches, (not the last one) but my hamstrings are majorly inflexible.

It doesn't affect my running at all, I can run fast, but it majorly affects my kicking above the waist.

How do you improve that, does it make sense what I am saying?

[Teh El Macho]

El Macho,

I just read your flexibility threads, didn't know if I should post there or here but, I have a few questions.

Does doing the stretches in a particular order make a difference.

I strongly believe so, in particular with stretching the glutes first before trying to stretch the hamstrings. It is something I observed when I was doing Yoga.

Consider this. Imagine you are trying to touch your toes with your fingers, leg straight, to stretch your hamstring. If your glutes, hips or lower back are stiff, either you will not be able to reach your toes (and thus stretch the hamstrings)... or you are going to pull something, either your hamstring or your lower back.

Stretching your hamstrings safely depends on pliable glutes and hips, but not the other way around. You can easely stretch the glutes and hips by themselves. This is why they get stretched first.

Once you stretch your hips, glutes and hamstrings, it is easier and safer to get into position to stretch your lower/upper back and obliques.

also my flexibility is pretty good except for my hamstrings where my flexibility sucks totally.

You should still do a minimum stretch on the glutes and hips just in case. The only thing you can do with the hamstrings is to keep trying, little by little and every day. Be diligent. Stretchting the glutes and hips can also provide a light warm up prior to stretching your hamstrings, which brings me to this:

Do not stop breathing during a stretch. Breath in and out as deeply and strongly as possible. This type of breathing done with stretching will actually warm you up and get you ready for the hamstrings.

Be diligent and do them daily, twice a day if possible - just make sure you do not force yourself beyond your current abilities. Hold your hamstring stretch as far as possible for a period of 10 seconds, relax and go again, this time for 20 secs, and then one more time for 30 seconds. Keep breathing.

Eventually the flexibility will come as fast as your body can adapt SAFELY. There are no shortcuts unfortunately.

I can do all the stretches comfortably including the 3 Yoga stretches, (not the last one) but my hamstrings are majorly inflexible.

Same with the hamstrings, the last yoga pose should be taken step by step - it is a good stretch for the lower back, so you should keep trying. It's pretty uncomfortable no matter what.

It doesn't affect my running at all, I can run fast, but it majorly affects my kicking above the waist.

How do you improve that, does it make sense what I am saying?

Just keep doing the hamstring stretch. If you cannot reach your toes, then see where you can reach (say, the middle of your shin). It is important to stretch the glutes and hips - do not skip that part.

Note how far you can reach in the hamstring today, and make a note of it. As you do your stretch, you try to reach a bit farther little by little, holding the stretch for the periods mentioned above. As the body adapt, your ligaments will become more pliable, and your hamstrings begin to relax and resist the stretch.

If you do this diligently, dakly, you should see improvements in a few weeks, provided you don't have some sort of injury.

[kick]

Thats brilliant, I really appreciate you taking the time to type all that out, that answers a lot of my questions.

I have been trying to stretch my hamstrings for a while now, but I think that just as I finished stretching, I was only warmed up and stretched everywhere else, lower back glutes etc. and hadn't actually started to hit the hamstrings.

I am going to do it. I will let you know how it goes.