can't sit in seiza

[Nihonto]

It's like any other flexibility thing .. Work it enough and you will be able to do it. Unless of course you have an injury that prevents it.

As someone said, start sitting up on your heels. If that's no problem try crossing one foot over the other - not a proper seiza but it will lift you up a bit making it easier. When that is no problem start proper seiza.

In Aikido and Judo, we were always sitting in seiza. I could sit for several minutes without much discomfort. Now that I only do BJJ I can't do it at all, although other areas of flexibility have improved.

[TheRuss]

To the OP: When you reach a "dead stop", is it because your hamstrings are pressed firmly against your calves, or is it something else?

[JohnnyCache]

I still have never got the hang of real seiza with the toes curled, but if I point my toes straight back my ass touches my heels. It just came time and stretching, it was one thing I did daily for a few weeks.

[Urban Achiever]

I agree it is difficult. I takes awhile to get used to. I wouldn't worry too much. What helped me is to sit in seiza during commercials. Try and see if you can sit for one commerical and try to add another one when you feel ready. You can also try for a minute or two before work.

[Mas]

You can also ask if you can sit anza (agura) as opposed to seiza. Some places may not have a problem with this.

[Teh El Macho]

Glutes, quads, lower back and, believe it or not, shin/ankle flexibility. Work on those until you get into the seiza position.

[HappyOldGuy]

I hear ya. I can get there, but I cramp almost immediately. And it's not just sitting seiza, the lack of flexibility screws up my guard top game something awful. I'm working on it, but it's going very slowly.

[Vorpal]

I'm a little bigger than the OP and had trouble with that as well. I can do it now but I certainly wouldn't classify the experience as comfortable. Try doing it when your watching TV at home (start with the commercial breaks, 2 minutes at a time). If you realax a little bit you may find yourself settling down into it. Ultimately I'm not sure it's that important, there are asskickers all over the world who don't have know what the hell seiza is.

[TheBCM]

What I think I'll do (and just tried with great success) is put 2 pillows in between my feet and butt. I'll then see if I can gradually remove one and then the other. If this doesn't work after a month or so, and I see no improvement, I'll know that it's not my flexibility, and I'll probably post about this again in the Health and fitness section and see what kind of answers I can get.

[jspeedy]

quote:I'm 18, about 6'2, 215-220lbs, and very out of shape. Now, it could be that plus me being really inflexible, and if that's the case, let me know. I've never had some major injury or was in gymnastics or something. But I did have Osgood Schlatter's when I was younger from growing too quickly. My knees bugged me throughout middle school and most of high school, but were never diagnosed with anything more severe.


Your flexibility probably has a lot to do with it. If you can improve your flexibility(hams & calves) your seiza will probably improve.

Osgood Schlatter's is a reault of your large patellar tendon causing your tibial tuberosity to detach from the tibia=kneecap tendon pulls a small peice of the upper shin bone away from the rest of the bone(painful). I've only heard of this occuring in younger very active (mostly) boys(10-15yrs.) as a result from being active and having younger softer bones- not growing too fast. Were you pretty active as a child? If not, are you sure you had osgood schlatter's disease and not something else congenital(inherited)? If it's osgood schlatter's you should be fine by now and ok to stretch. If it was something else stretching may not be a good idea w/o seeing a doctor.