Are You Using Flexibility Machines Or Equipment?

[Alan Armstrong]

Are you using flexibility machines or equipment or do you not need any of these devices for improving your flexibility for kicks?

If you have used flexibility machines would you recommend using them to other martial artists?

[Bulltahr]

I have a mechanical leg stretcher, one that you sit in and turn a wheel and control how far your legs open. I had good progress with it, but with my arthritis in my hips I have been careful not to aggravate it by pushing my stretching....

[Alan Armstrong]

Hello Bulltahr, just for those that are not familiar with the wheel and chair stretcher here is a link to one being used.

[Bulltahr]

Hello Bulltahr, just for those that are not familiar with the wheel and chair stretcher here is a link to one being used.

That is my exact machine, you can pull the wheel/shaft off and I pull myself forward and down by grabbing onto the leg thingys and pulling down.

[Bulltahr]

My progress was from thigh smash mawashis to just about waist high ones in 3 months. Not sure how much of that was me bending more at the waist as well....... But it definitely works, a younger person would see good progress if they used it daily. I was using mine twice daily and had a good routine of 2 minutes at stretch, then back off for 30 secs, then out to another 2 min stretch, then back off for 30 secs, etc. My stretch would increase each time until I would reach absolute max, after about 4 "reps" which I would hold for 2 minutes then back off SLOWLY. I figured that if I could not hold it for 2 minutes I.E. too painful then it was too much. Discomfort is one thing, pain is another.

[Alan Armstrong]

Are you feeling significant gains using this machine Bulltahr?

As they had the same chair and wheel stretching machine in the TKD club and I used back some 20 years ago, I found it to be a bit intimidating at the time, as I might break in two LOL

Here is a link to three machines I use on a regular basis but with alot of variety than shown. What I like about the first two machines is that they have a gauge built in to them, so as to give some reference to aim higher/wider than previously.

https://youtu.be/aFhXL9iy3YI

[Fat Cobra]

I have both a mechanical machine, which I love, and a portable stretch device (2 metal legs that you pull in the middle to stretch out your legs). I believe both are good supplements to regular stretching.

[Bulltahr]

Are you feeling significant gains using this machine Bulltahr?

Here is a link to three machines I use on a regular basis but with alot of variety than shown. What I like about the first two machines is that they have a gauge built in to them, so as to give some reference to aim higher/wider than previously.

https://youtu.be/aFhXL9iy3YI

Yes there are good gains with the machine, one good thing is you can sit there in a light stretch and hold it with little effort, watch TV or whatever.

I had a log book to measure my progress, got my daughter to measure between the 2 leg thingys each time at my max stretch. I notice gains almost immediately. Not using it at the moment for some unrelated mobility issues.

[Alan Armstrong]

As much as gains can be made by using machines, co operative partner stretching is ultimately the best, due to the many various types of stretching exercises that can be performed in a short period of time.

Not forgetting to mention that mixing massage and foam roller intermittently, helps with increasing flexibility and range of motion with any type of stretching session, with or without machines.

@ Fat Cobra, this is the device you are referring to?

Something different, a pilates reformer, they have one at the gym, of course I used it and broke it, nothing new for me as also broke the ankle straps on the cross over machine, we martial artists might be a little too brutish for braking things LOL

[Alan Armstrong]

Highly recommend this Adductor machine (pully and weights) for gaining flexibility in the middle straddle split.

Of course it has its limitations but with a little added padding between the knees and machine, you can take your stretching to another level.

(I set it at the highest level first and start off from there)

The bonus of using this machine is that incorporating PNF to your stretching is very comfortable and compatible, also another important factor is giving you strength.

I really hope you can get to try this machine, it's very much worth the effort to find one, perhaps your local gym has one.