how much can you really improve your flexibility

I got injured and couldn't train... so I stretched for a month every day. First time in my life I could hold my legs behind my head. I didn't do any crazy shit like ripping hard on the muscless.... I just did a good warmup and stretched a muscle only to the point where I could feel it.
 
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I stretch everyday before I go to bed for about ten minutes, my flexibility has increased but not tremendously. I believe you have to invest much more time than I have, depsite being everyday, you have to go for more than ten minutes.
 
insomniacl said:
Maybe thats where you don't get it? Breaking down your opponents posture with a high guard IS mechanically sound and leverages your bottom position to "hang off" your opponent. An opponent with broken posture cannot punch you as easily, and gives you offensive options, so it provides a defensive/offensive benefit.

Furthermore, it isn't abnormal flexibility at all. Anyone can become flexible if they stretch; the same way that anyone can build muscle if they lift weights. It also has little to do with joint flexibility; your joints only function in one direction like a door hinge. Its your hip and groin muscles that you are stretching that offer flexibility. Your knees open and close in one direction, just like your elbows. Its not suppose to twist, and it doesn't. That job is for the hip muscles.
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I'm sorry to tell you but you're the one who doesn't get it. What Shemhazai said is 100% correct. The rubber guard is about substituting flexibility for hip movement. Completely unnecessary and potentially dangerous.
 
kingwilly said:
I'm sorry to tell you but you're the one who doesn't get it. What Shemhazai said is 100% correct. The rubber guard is about substituting flexibility for hip movement. Completely unnecessary and potentially dangerous.
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Rubber guard is only one form of high guard. Also, with regard to Shemhazai said was that flexibility moves are not mechanically sound. I don't think that's a fair assessment. There are plenty of highly technical, pure leverage maneuvers that require flexibility and you can see these with guys like Cobrinha. The fact that SOME people rely too much on flexibility (at the expense of mechanically sound technique/leverage) does not mean that flexibility-based movements are inherently unsound.
 
being flexible in a static stuation and being flexible in a dynamic situation where your opponent is moving/resisting and putting pressure on your joint's/tendonds are two different things.
 
Well, flexibility isn't the only issue with high kicks. You needs to have very good core strength, and that comes from kicking bags over & over & over & over & over, and gradually working your way up. Also, technique is very important with high kicks; if you really want to throw head kicks, just train muay thai nonstop.

Do a comprehensive dynamic stretching routine & warmup before you work out, and then do static stretching after your workout/ any time that isn't slightly before you train.
 
I'm sorry to tell you but you're the one who doesn't get it. What Shemhazai said is 100% correct. The rubber guard is about substituting flexibility for hip movement. Completely unnecessary and potentially dangerous.
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That's 100% false; I'm not even blue belt level, and I can easily survive/ escape/ counter someone's rubber guard if they're stalling/ not moving their hips. By it's very nature, the RG is only a viable offensive system if you using dynamic hip movements to roll for omo's/ gogo's/ triangles/ sweeps. It sounds like you don't know what the hell you're talking about.
 
insomniacl said:
Suit yourself, if you choose not to learn rubber guard and high guards because you feel like its wrong, then thats your loss.
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I never dismissed high guards in general. A regular high guard doesn't require much flexibility anyway.

As for the rubber guard, I choose not to utilize it because it is being consistently shut down by everyone at higher levels of competition.
 
Shemhazai said:
I never dismissed high guards in general. A regular high guard doesn't require much flexibility anyway.

As for the rubber guard, I choose not to utilize it because it is being consistently shut down by everyone at higher levels of competition.
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Royler didn't shut it down.

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kidding!

Honestly though, I think stretching is valuable if nothing else but for injury prevention. If I can roll onto my shoulders and comfortably put my knees on the mat by my ears, I'm less likely to get hurt if I get stacked by someone 250+ lbs. If I can comfortably clasp my hands behind my back (one arm over, one arm under) I'm less likely to get injured if someone cranks a kimura. If I can put my heels by my hips while laying on my back, I'm less likely to blow out a knee if I get rolled back at a bad angle. Etc.
 
I think that just from rolling for a few years your body becomes more flexable...
 
stretch after a shower, or even in a shower when your muscles are nice and warm. Think about what motions you are trying to accomplish on the mat and stretch specific to them first than do a general stretch to hit everything. Hip and groin flexibility are parmount in grappling flexibility.

As for your high kicks, your technique could be suffering. Alot of people just dont throw high kicks correctly and assume its flexibility.

All i know is 1 year ago I couldnt even touch my toes but now I can put my palms flat on the floor in front of me and put both my feet over my head ala crackhead control just from showering and stretching everytime I watch tv or listening to music etc.
 
HomerPlata said:
Seriously, who has time to do that?
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I mean...this whole forum is basically about fighting and talking about fighting for recreation. That's like asking people in a video game forum who has the time to beat Final Fantasy.

If anyone has the time for it then wouldn't it be enthusiasts like us?

edit: or (obviously) people who fight for a living?
 
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Extreme flexibilty is genetic although you can work at it and get decent results.
 
Shemhazai said:
I never dismissed high guards in general. A regular high guard doesn't require much flexibility anyway.

As for the rubber guard, I choose not to utilize it because it is being consistently shut down by everyone at higher levels of competition.
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I never understand this logic. People think that the rubber guard needs to be used in 80% of the matches in the adcc or mundials or w/e to prove that it is indeed a worthy guard. you should just try it man. with the foot on the hip you are probably flexible enough to hold mission control. Believe me when I say you don't need to be flexible for mission control or new york posistions.

I think everyone should atleast be able to do the armbar/triangle choke combo from rubber guard. it is really hard to stop when they have absolutely no posture. call it what you want "unnatural posistions", I'm just holding my ankle and forcing a locked shoulder.
 
Rod1 said:
False you can get as much flexibility as you want through training, only a few select extreme yoga positions actually require tendon and ligament flexibility, outside of that everyone can train to numb his stretch reflex as much as he wants if he has the time and will.

Again, anyone, even the most tight man in the world can bend like Mr Fantastic under anesthesia, its mainly because flexibility its a neural issue, its a reflex, like blinking when we see movement near our eyes.
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noooooo.jpg
 
Shemhazai said:
I'm not saying not to stretch. I'm saying that moves that require an abnormal amount of flexibility are moves that aren't mechanically sound. Good Jiu jitsu is about using superior leverage and mechanical efficiency at all times - a joint pushed to the limits of its flexibility has neither. Needless to say, it is also much more prone to injury.
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Clearly you know 0 about how muscles work...the more flexible you are the less likely you are to injure yourself in situations like jiu jitsu. Dont post if u dont know what you are talking about. flexiblity is the number one thing i think for sports in general especially jiu jitsu...Eddie bravo....George Sot....bj pennn etcc
 
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