Touching my Toes!!

Posted by: fraser_tkd

Touching my Toes!! - 02/03/06 10:58 AM

i cant touch my toes in an upright position! any advice on how to reach my Goal?
Posted by: jabber

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 02/03/06 05:04 PM

Hi Fraser,

I found if I stretched up, then out, then down 3 times I could see visable improvement...remember never to overstretch! It can set you back months.

Jabber

Jabber
Posted by: Tezza

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 02/07/06 03:25 PM

I used to be the same when I first started martial arts. I used to not be able to touch my toes so I used to hold on to my ankles or where ever I could reach to and slowly pull myself down further and further.
Good luck trying and remember that some days you will find that you can go further than other days so dont get annoyed just keep it up.
Posted by: Supremor

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 02/08/06 12:28 PM

Quote:


I used to be the same when I first started martial arts. I used to not be able to touch my toes so I used to hold on to my ankles or where ever I could reach to and slowly pull myself down further and further.
Good luck trying and remember that some days you will find that you can go further than other days so dont get annoyed just keep it up.




Yep, just a case of keep working on your flexibility. You can try and touch your toes while standing or while sitting with legs in front. Isometric stretching is not a good idea, since you would be isometrically stretching the back, not a very safe thing to do.

Keep practicing, don't give up and you'll be there in no time!
Posted by: UKfightfreak

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 02/09/06 11:40 AM

Quote:

i cant touch my toes in an upright position! any advice on how to reach my Goal?




Do you weight train? If not, start - get a good instructor to show you how to do Squats, straight-leg deadlifts & bench press with good form.

8 weeks of straight leg deadlifts and I will be suprised if you can't get your hands on the floor.
Posted by: kyokushinkai

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 02/14/06 08:00 PM

Um I have no clue really if this is true or not but I read somewhere.. ( I think a poster in my gym class ) that standing and trying to touch your toes can compress spinal discs in the lower back. I still do them but it would be nice to know if there is any truth to that poster.
Posted by: Paranormalma

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 02/14/06 09:18 PM

I agree that the best path on that one is to simply keep stretching.

And when touching the floor becomes too easy for you (it may, eventually), you can cross your right leg over your left, then stretch towards it. Repeat on the opposite side. Works very well for me.
Posted by: UKfightfreak

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 02/15/06 09:28 AM

Quote:

Um I have no clue really if this is true or not but I read somewhere.. ( I think a poster in my gym class ) that standing and trying to touch your toes can compress spinal discs in the lower back. I still do them but it would be nice to know if there is any truth to that poster.




Sounds like one of the many exercise myths to me, the best thing to do if anyone tells you anything, is ask about the research for it. Is there any? Are they making it up?

Mechanically a true hamstring strech uses your hamstringe i.e. your back should be straight, if you are curving your back you are doing a back stretch too - I can not see how this could possibly compress your spine.
Posted by: boxing_kid

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 02/15/06 10:28 PM





8 weeks of straight leg deadlifts and I will be suprised if you can't get your hands on the floor.




i have done straight legged deadlifts for a really long tme now and i am nowheres near to beable to touch my toes
Posted by: Tezza

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 02/16/06 11:05 AM

Like I said before the best thing to do is keep on doing the stretch gradually going further and further.
I wouldnt worry about weights just keep doing the stretch.
Posted by: UKfightfreak

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 03/08/06 10:17 AM

Quote:





8 weeks of straight leg deadlifts and I will be suprised if you can't get your hands on the floor.




i have done straight legged deadlifts for a really long tme now and i am nowheres near to beable to touch my toes




You obviusly are not going through the full range of motion. You should preferably be on a box with the bar touching your feet as you deadlift - this will make it possible to touch your toes.

All in all touching your toes has no practical application for Martial Arts anyway - if your goal is to touch your toes, strenth is the best way - just practicing touching your toes doesn't really do anything for you whatsoever. It will only give you static passive stretching ability, so is pointless for doing anything other than touching your toes.
Posted by: Diabolic

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 03/10/06 12:22 AM

I could palm the floor before doing any MA's/working out. Keep in mind that everyones body is different. He could do deadlifts your way for months and still maybe never touch the floor.
Posted by: boxing_kid

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 03/14/06 08:05 AM

i have found holding a dumbell while trying to touch my toes really helps, i can almost do it now, i never liked straight legged deadlifts, i used to do them a lot and all i found is that they put way to much strain on my back, i know do a normal deadlift
Posted by: wynnema

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 03/15/06 09:24 AM

Quote:

i have found holding a dumbell while trying to touch my toes really helps, i can almost do it now, i never liked straight legged deadlifts, i used to do them a lot and all i found is that they put way to much strain on my back, i know do a normal deadlift




thats quite funny. you think the stiff legged deadlift strains your lower back yet you try touching your toes, which is notorious for over stressing the back.

you were doing the deadlift wrong, probably not keeping your back straight because of poor hamstring flexilbity.

you are still risking your back with the toe touch. you need to stretch the hamstrings in isolation. that way your hamstring flexbility will not hold you back and your lumbar will be in the correct postion.
Posted by: Stylus

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 03/24/06 08:33 AM

YOu can't touch your toes with both legs in front of you or one leg? If it's what I am thinking and you talking about forward hand reach, like they do in H.S. Look at one of the sponsor ad on the right "Hottest Stretch" they have a neat trick on the web page, also one article there is about touching toes.
Posted by: Derik

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 03/26/06 05:46 PM

work your way up. Heres probally my favrite stretch i do everyday before class. Have a partner take a knee and you grab his hand. Put you leg up on his shoulder and he stands up till you cant go any further. hold it 10 seconds go up a little more 10 more seconds then repeat on the other leg
Posted by: wynnema

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 03/29/06 07:49 AM

Quote:

work your way up. Heres probally my favrite stretch i do everyday before class. Have a partner take a knee and you grab his hand. Put you leg up on his shoulder and he stands up till you cant go any further. hold it 10 seconds go up a little more 10 more seconds then repeat on the other leg




yeah great advice, static stretches before class that will help
Posted by: Stylus

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 03/29/06 12:39 PM

Quote:

Quote:

work your way up. Heres probally my favrite stretch i do everyday before class. Have a partner take a knee and you grab his hand. Put you leg up on his shoulder and he stands up till you cant go any further. hold it 10 seconds go up a little more 10 more seconds then repeat on the other leg




yeah great advice, static stretches before class that will help




Old ideas are very deep. lol
Posted by: Derik

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 03/29/06 10:21 PM

get a partner and you both sit down on the floor. spread your legs and have your partner put his feet on your ankles have your partner grab your hands and pull you fowards as much as you can handle hold for 10 seconds then repeat
Posted by: Landus

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 05/04/06 04:09 PM

I can at the minute, with pain. I need to properly warm up to touch my toes comfortably.

I couldn't touch my toes a few months ago but now I can and I'm very glad my next goal is to put my chest near my thighs.

I find that just practicing it several times, generally just when your stretching it will gradually improve.

Hey Derik, I recently had to do that exercise (ouch ) but it seems really effective and no pain no game.
Posted by: Foundation

Re: Touching my Toes!! - 05/04/06 05:13 PM

Quote:

pull you fowards as much as you can handle hold for 10 seconds



Ouch, a clear example of how you shouldn't stretch. It's so strange most instructors are so ignorant of new stretching techniques.