BJ Penn's level of dexterity

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ringwerm

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I watched BJ Penn's 90 days last weekend and I was shocked when they showed him touching his ear with his foot. He did this with no assistance from his hands! He was sitting Indian-style, and he simply raised his foot up to his ear... it looked effortless.

I consider my level of flexibility to be above average. After I get warm I can comfortably place both feet behind my head, but I have to use my hands to do this. There is no way I could even come close to doing it with no hands. I'm wondering if this is only possible with the proper genetics.

Does anyone know what muscle I would have to specifically develop to do this? I'm thinking it has to be in the hips. Anyone have any idea what exercises I could do to strengthen the muscle that would allow me to place my foot behind my head with no assistance?

I'm sure mikey triangles could give me some advice.
 
I'm almost 100% sure it's genetics and natural flexability.
Streatching will help a lot but you still have natural resistance...people like BJ don't have that same resistance. Same deal with contortionists (sp?)
I did TKD for years and could do splits but only with the assistance of gravity...I couldn't just grab my foot and do a standing split (with my foot straight up by my head, whilst standing).
 
3453957160_92fb42858f_o.gif


thread needs a GIF TS heheheh
 
^ thats amazing... Imagine the possibilities....

You could probably even defend gi chokes from the back with your feet leaving your hands free.
 
he has got some big ass feet for a smaller dude aswell
 
It's dexterity rather than strength or flexibility. I'm interested in hearing on how people have gone about improving it
 
ringwerm said:
I watched BJ Penn's 90 days last weekend and I was shocked when they showed him touching his ear with his foot. He did this with no assistance from his hands! He was sitting Indian-style, and he simply raised his foot up to his ear... it looked effortless.

I consider my level of flexibility to be above average. After I get warm I can comfortably place both feet behind my head, but I have to use my hands to do this. There is no way I could even come close to doing it with no hands. I'm wondering if this is only possible with the proper genetics.

Does anyone know what muscle I would have to specifically develop to do this? I'm thinking it has to be in the hips. Anyone have any idea what exercises I could do to strengthen the muscle that would allow me to place my foot behind my head with no assistance?

I'm sure mikey triangles could give me some advice.
Click to expand...


Actually my girlfriend is giving me advice. She's to the point where she can poke herself in the eye with her big toe. Yesterday someone that has seen BJ put his legs behind his head without touching them explained the way he does it to us and she almost got it on the first try.

The muscle control is definitely the hard part, but before that being overly flexible is definitely important. I usually practice hip flexibility by putting my legs behind my head one at a time and looking up at the ceiling using my neck and shoulders to push them back further; then I do both at the same time and lock like a guard and again use my neck to kind of add to the stretch. I still don't have anywhere near the dexterity, or muscle control BJ has yet, but at least I can slap myself in a pretty wicked triangle choke.
 
Andre00 said:
I'm almost 100% sure it's genetics and natural flexability.
Streatching will help a lot but you still have natural resistance...people like BJ don't have that same resistance. Same deal with contortionists (sp?)
I did TKD for years and could do splits but only with the assistance of gravity...I couldn't just grab my foot and do a standing split (with my foot straight up by my head, whilst standing).
Click to expand...

I used to think the same thing, but a few weeks ago my girlfriend and I had about the same level of flexibility in the hips and leg dexterity when she got it into her head that she wants to be able to pick her nose with her toe if she wants, and now she can damn near do it. By the end of the year I have no doubt she'll have Penn level dexterity if she keeps it up.

ofcourse she's not a great example to counter your argument because she pretty much is a contortionist, but this does show that you can improve dexsterity and muscle control along with flexibility with good work ethic.
 
Awesome, thanks for the info mike!

I'm going to start doing the stretch you recommended.
 
Mikey Triangles said:
I used to think the same thing, but a few weeks ago my girlfriend and I had about the same level of flexibility in the hips and leg dexterity when she got it into her head that she wants to be able to pick her nose with her toe if she wants, and now she can damn near do it. By the end of the year I have no doubt she'll have Penn level dexterity if she keeps it up.

ofcourse she's not a great example to counter your argument because she pretty much is a contortionist, but this does show that you can improve dexsterity and muscle control along with flexibility with good work ethic.
Click to expand...

Thinly veiled brag...
 
Mikey Triangles said:
I used to think the same thing, but a few weeks ago my girlfriend and I had about the same level of flexibility in the hips and leg dexterity when she got it into her head that she wants to be able to pick her nose with her toe if she wants, and now she can damn near do it. By the end of the year I have no doubt she'll have Penn level dexterity if she keeps it up.

ofcourse she's not a great example to counter your argument because she pretty much is a contortionist, but this does show that you can improve dexsterity and muscle control along with flexibility with good work ethic.
Click to expand...

is this her?

Hot Chick Peels Banana With Her Feet
 
It looks like he's tripping balls and he thinks his foot is a phone ringing.
 
There are alot of variables to consider.

Genetics
Body Shape
Amount of muscle
Amount of Stretching you do

Some people are blessed with the gift to gain muscle easily. Some people stay ripped in seems no matter what they eat. Some people are genetically more flexible than others.

But, with some hard work everyone can put on muscle, burn fat, and get more flexible. You may never become as flexible as BJ Penn, as big as Arnold, but you can push YOUR BODY'S LIMIT with hard work and practise.

I will tell you right now that I would never be able to get my feet behind my head. My body structure and amount of muscle are a limiting factor.
 
Bathwater said:
It looks like he's tripping balls and he thinks his foot is a phone ringing.
Click to expand...
Hahaha agreed

I would say it's got to be a good amount genetics, but to maybe improve it I would try every time you stretch, go as far as you can without your hands first, then use your hands a little bit, take your hands away and try to keep it there. It seems like it would take a long time, but so does developing the flexibility it takes to put both feet behind your head or to do a split, things that pretty much every single person can do if they work at it.
 
I had a friend who worked for Cirque du Soleil when they traveled to boston, and I met one of the coach's? and asked about the contortionist's, they said you can't teach what they can do. He said they have scouts travel the world looking for people who can perform for them.

Certainly Cirque du Soleil performers are 10x what BJ is and 100x what most people are.

Not knowing anything about BJJ at the time, i'd certainly have more educated question's i'd like to ask if i ever get the chance again.
 
I think of it as being double jointed...you can't teach or stretch your way to it...either you are or your not.
Sure you can stretch and become flexible and do things you could never do before...but throwing your foot behind your head without using your hands (my instructor said he saw BJ do this) isn't something you can stretch your way into doing. I'm sure BJ works with his natural flexiblility and makes himself better...but i'm guessing he was born with 90% of what he has --flexibilitywise
 
LocalNmass said:
I had a friend who worked for Cirque du Soleil when they traveled to boston, and I met one of the coach's? and asked about the contortionist's, they said you can't teach what they can do. He said they have scouts travel the world looking for people who can perform for them.

Certainly Cirque du Soleil performers are 10x what BJ is and 100x what most people are.

Not knowing anything about BJJ at the time, i'd certainly have more educated question's i'd like to ask if i ever get the chance again.
Click to expand...

like...what are they like in the sack kinda questions?
 
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