Post: #1

I've tried to use the search function to find things but I am notoriously bad at it. I've run into some shoulder problems in the last month and after getting a friend who is a physiotherapist to look at it we have discussed some helpful things.

I already knew I had Anterior Pelvic Tilt (excess curve in your lower back, or "Donald Duck butt" which is discussed here:

/thread-22465...elvic+tilt

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread...=130876763

This prevented me from squatting for a while and I am no longer interested in lifting very heavy because it never gave me the body I wanted (think stronglifts and starting strength) and the injury potential.

But it has also created my current shoulder problem of a winged scapula which is discussed here:

/thread-56585...t=shoulder

I think my right shoulder suffered an injury in 2007 which I never really fixed but progressively got worse by me going to the gym and not taking perfect care of it. I did some stretches and things but I also played a lot of competitive frisbee which caused more issues. I was never able to get strength doing wide grip pull ups, or throwing in an overhand motion (think a football or baseball).

These threads offered a lot of great information for me and I am incorporating them into a morning routine now.

My question to all of you is do you have a yoga or stretching routine that you do daily in 10 minutes every morning? I am trying to make it a habit and prevent this from getting worse. I will probably pick up yoga in the near future but I want to build a morning routine and make this a habit with meditation.

Post: #2

I work in an office during the evenings and during the day I'm usually in my home studio working on music so I spend a lot of time sitting down.

After a year or so I started to notice some pain in my neck coupled a slight pelvic tilt (due to bad posture when sitting in the chairs I use)

Since I started to notice these things occurring I started doing a combination of the two videos posted below every morning and night (for around 15-30 minutes depending) coupled with better posture when sitting and breaks every hour for 5 minutes to do a few small stretches.








I've experienced no real pain since and my posture has improved greatly.

Post: #3

Firstly stretching doesnt have to be Yoga, but I am not going to go into rant vs yoga again.

I also suffer from APT, over the last 2 years I worked to try and fix it, and while stretching will give you the flexibility needed to correct it (I have extremely good mobility now, had to learn it for gymnastics and handstands) you need to actually look at yourself in the mirror and find the position that gives you proper posture, learn it, and apply it, always.

Thats the hard part, play with your shoulder position, make sure they are up right and rolled back with your chest sticking out, that helps place your hips more forward.

Do your research, plenty of hip related stretches to choose from, just make sure you cover your hip flexors, hamstrings and shoulders.

Post: #4

Going to try this.
Now / 2017 is my time to get more fit.

Post: #5

This is a good thread that many people overlook. Stretching should be essential for everyone, get out of bed and stretch your body, extend your arms, bend down, etc; you need to loosen up your limbs after sleeping and it helps you with better posture, etc;

Think of your body in terms of a car, you usually warm up your car for a bit before you drive off.

Post: #6

Following the suggestion in this thread that you could get an app to teach you yoga, I downloaded one - called down dog - which seems pretty good. I've been doing it a few days now and I am a believer. I always thought yoga was pretty faggy. I'm the kind of idiot that for most of his life never stretched or did any kind of mobility. I'd rock up, train/compete, then walk off. I probably went 10 years without doing a single stretch.

Consequently, as yoga has shown me, I am actually incredibly weak in all kinds of positions, and do not have the mobility or range of motion I should have to perform even basic stretches. I did a 25 minute session last night and it was excruciating. I was shocked at how hard it was just to hold some basic beginner poses. Every time the chick calling the shots said relax etc I was basically pulling a face like I was performing a max effort deadlift. I felt fantastic afterwards though. It's going to be a long and humbling process becoming flexible.

Post: #7

(12-02-2016 04:14 AM)H1N1 Wrote:  Following the suggestion in this thread that you could get an app to teach you yoga, I downloaded one - called down dog - which seems pretty good. I've been doing it a few days now and I am a believer. I always thought yoga was pretty faggy. I'm the kind of idiot that for most of his life never stretched or did any kind of mobility. I'd rock up, train/compete, then walk off. I probably went 10 years without doing a single stretch.

Consequently, as yoga has shown me, I am actually incredibly weak in all kinds of positions, and do not have the mobility or range of motion I should have to perform even basic stretches. I did a 25 minute session last night and it was excruciating. I was shocked at how hard it was just to hold some basic beginner poses. Every time the chick calling the shots said relax etc I was basically pulling a face like I was performing a max effort deadlift. I felt fantastic afterwards though. It's going to be a long and humbling process becoming flexible.

I second that app. It's a great app. I'm the same way as you. I have done up to an hour at the beginner level. Yoga helps if you have someone there to help you get that extra push to get into a position. My girl did one with me and was able to just give me a slight push to get in certain positions I couldn't quite do on my own(fuck that happy baby).

Post: #8

An hour is inconceivable to me at the moment. I was shaking with effort at holding some of the poses for 20 seconds, and it felt like every muscle in my spine and legs was being stretched to breaking point. I think I'd need an Eastern European female shot putter to contort me into some of those positions.

Post: #9

10 days into yoga now.

1. I feel amazing, physically. My body just feels really good. It wasn't like I was conscious of feeling bad previously - indeed I had no aches and pains to speak of - but I had no idea how much better I could feel.

2. I seem to need less sleep. The past 4 days I have been wide awake one hour earlier than usual and have not suffered any drop in energy during the day as a result. I still sleep like a log at night.

3. My appetite has decreased slightly, and though I already eat very healthily for the most part, I have been preferring a slightly greater quantity of vegetables in my diet, at the expense of carbs, and my meat intake has probably dipped very slightly, though not much.

It'll be interesting to see if this sticks - it does feel like my body is transformed from all the stretching, even though I'm still hugely inflexible.

Post: #10

(12-07-2016 04:49 AM)H1N1 Wrote:  10 days into yoga now.

1. I feel amazing, physically. My body just feels really good. It wasn't like I was conscious of feeling bad previously - indeed I had no aches and pains to speak of - but I had no idea how much better I could feel.

2. I seem to need less sleep. The past 4 days I have been wide awake one hour earlier than usual and have not suffered any drop in energy during the day as a result. I still sleep like a log at night.

3. My appetite has decreased slightly, and though I already eat very healthily for the most part, I have been preferring a slightly greater quantity of vegetables in my diet, at the expense of carbs, and my meat intake has probably dipped very slightly, though not much.

It'll be interesting to see if this sticks - it does feel like my body is transformed from all the stretching, even though I'm still hugely inflexible.

Yeah, that's how I felt in the beginning. After about 3 months the extreme highs of this honeymoon wears off (for me at least), but you still get the effects of increasing limberness, energy, and better mood.

Wait, do you just use the app or do you do the classes? The classes are generally 75 min and are easier in many respects because you have the group enthusiasm compared to doing it by yourself. Plus, hard to get hot yoga at home!

Post: #11

I do the app, by my fire, and I tend to have a hot shower before I do it. Not Bikram yoga by any stretch, but it seems to be working. If those are the benefits then I'd take them in a heartbeat.

Post: #12

Yoga has a "feminine" reputation these days. Back in the days of origin it was for men only. I have some basic stretches but with the age I feel like I have to do more.

Post: #13

The bretzel stretch. It does thoracic rotation, shoulder mobility, piriformis stretch and a quad stretch.





This does your lower back really nicely. Kind of rough on the head though.

Post: #14

The "trifecta" stretches from Convict Conditioning 2 are really great daily stretches.

Will take a while to work up to, but the twist hold in particular makes you feel like a million bucks. Especially if your daily work is sedentary.

Post: #15

Hey so this is just my findings. But yoga has changed my life completely. How I feel as well as my fucked up digestive system issues and my fucked up posture

There's some science indicating it activates nerves that make you calmer and improve blood flow to certain parts of the brain

But its a pain for me to hit the yoga studio constantly. I have been doing yoga thrice a week for 3 years now. I lift thrice a week too. I found that by lifting less and replacing some days with yoga I actually make much better gains

I used to lift 5 times a week. I cut back to 3 times a wekk full body. I used to have serious SERIOUS postural issues. working a desk job doesn't help. Yoga has cured that completely

I use the app "yoga studio" for the iphone. Its $3 or something and I have used it daily for years. Highly suggest it

MWF full body compound
yoga on any day I don't lift

Post: #16

(12-17-2016 06:54 PM)sparkythedawg Wrote:  Hey so this is just my findings. But yoga has changed my life completely. How I feel as well as my fucked up digestive system issues and my fucked up posture

There's some science indicating it activates nerves that make you calmer and improve blood flow to certain parts of the brain

But its a pain for me to hit the yoga studio constantly. I have been doing yoga thrice a week for 3 years now. I lift thrice a week too. I found that by lifting less and replacing some days with yoga I actually make much better gains

I used to lift 5 times a week. I cut back to 3 times a wekk full body. I used to have serious SERIOUS postural issues. working a desk job doesn't help. Yoga has cured that completely

I use the app "yoga studio" for the iphone. Its $3 or something and I have used it daily for years. Highly suggest it

MWF full body compound
yoga on any day I don't lift

There's definitely a point in training - be it weightlifting, martial arts, whatever - where your gains and ability to break through plateaus have more and more to do with what you're doing outside the gym than inside.

Post: #17

Do yoga twice a week with free classes included in my gym membership. Can't beat the deep sleep and peaceful calm that comes from yoga with deep breathing and stretching. No matter what your routine, I think some yoga or stretching should be paired up with weight lifting. Yoga or stretching can certainly increase flexibility, which is a net gain in fighting off potential injuries.

Post: #18

Also check out MobilityWOD. It's a bit Crossfit-centric, but it has some good stuff.