OK, I lied

Hi Guys,

Thanks for reading. I know I wrote yesterday that I was going to have a rest week this week ......looks like I lied. My toe didn't bother me too much and my niggling pull at the back of my knee vanished overnight so I decided to hit the Gym today.

I felt I had an OK stretch, although not as good as Saturdays. The Gym where I stretch on Saturdays has a better floor for it (slightly slippery, but not too much).

Anyway, I took some photos today. Looking at them, I'm pretty sure there has been a definite (but small) improvement. Its hard to compare them to the last set I took due to the different angle of the camera. Anyway considering I only started back with light isometrics a month ago, its not too bad.

Still a long way to go but as long as it is improving I'm happy.

Ahh the joys of training

Hi Guys,

Thanks for reading.

I was really looking forward to posting some new splits photos this week but unfortunately some minor niggling injuries are telling me to take it easy this week.

Despite breaking my toe at jujitsu, I did have a great stretch on Saturday and wish I could have taken some photos then, I'm sure I've made some progress since the last set of photos.

Instead, you get a photo of my broken toe. Enjoy......

The good thing about broken toes is there isn't much you can do for them. Just tape it to another toe and away you go....and hope you don't kick it on anything!!

That along with a small pull at the back of my knee I got while chasing my cats up the corridor (gotta love getting older!!)  have convinced me its probably for the best to have an active rest week (I'm over due for one actually).

Instead of strength training I will do some massage and maybe some light relaxed stretches. Despite these minor inconveniences I'm actually feeling really positive about my stretching. It feels like I'm making some progress particularly on my open front split, will need to sort out some photos asap to get an objective view on it.

I've also decided I need to add some harder resistance training for my Hip Flexor into my leg strengthening routine. There aren't a lot of options but I have a few exercises I plan to try out, I will keep you updated on how they go.

Finally photos

Hi Guys,

Thanks for reading. I took some photos today during my workout of my splits progression (...or lack of it ) . They show I'm pretty much back to where I started before my injury.

Left Side open front.

Right side open front.

Side.

While I'm not happy about it, at least its documented and I can compare it in a few months when hopefully I'll have made some good progress.

I also did a quick video today of some light kicking on B.O.B just to see analyze how my kicks are after laying off them for a bit. I'll finish editing and post it in a few days.

iPhone let me down again

Crap...just had a long session, did the Extended Leg Conditioning exercises, added more resistance and 2 sets as per the program, then hit my stretches pretty hard and the photos are crap!

I had a damn personal trainer training someone right behind me (you can see him in the side split photo) so I was rushing trying to get the photos done when they weren't directly behind me.

Open front Splits

vs

Not sure if it was exercise induced delirium but I would have sworn I had made some progress in the gym, but looking at these I cant really see it. The other photo Left side open front  didn't come out at all, have no idea what happened there.

Side Split

vs

Maybe a little improvement but nothing to get excited about. Well... I guess I know it is going to take a while. Its just harder to measure progress than strength training or weight gain/loss, so its harder to see if you are improving.

New deep stretches photos

I know its not long since the last photos but I didnt like the way my rear leg was bending in the open front split, so tried again with a bit more emphasis on keeping it straight.

Left Open Front.








27th Jan 31st Jan





Right Open Front








27th Jan 31st Jan

So no improvement, I wouldn't really expect any after only a few days, but a better quality stretch I think with back legs a bit straighter.

Side Split.









27th Jan 31st Jan

Again no improvement but this just shows, this is my starting point.

Splits starting point

Here are my starting photos..WOW I have a long way to go!!!


Right Front Open Split.
Look at the bend in that back leg!! Terrible!

















Left Front Open Split.
Rear Leg is a little better than the other side at least.











Looking at my Front open splits makes me realize how little stretching of the Hip Flexors I have done over the last 20 years.



Side Split.

Long way to go













Was it always his bad? Well not quite, last year I suffered a grade 2 tear in my right Medial Ligament in my jujitsu class (at least I know the technique is effective right? ;D )which took around 4 months to heal properly. My first training session back I was stupid and went full on as I had missed training so much and wouldn't you know it, the knee was fine but my back was stuffed. All the muscles in my lower back had weakened significantly from not being able to move much for 4 months and my Erector Spinae became inflamed and aggravated my sciatic nerve from my lower back into my hip which screwed me for training for another 3-4 months.

But don't get the idea I was only a few inches off the splits and this is going to be a breeze, it was only marginally better than this before.