Active flexibility

[LongQuan]

haha, thanks for the great answer ido!!!
so, for getting that cake, you say that the traditional way of just holding the leg as high as possible and trying to increase the height or just practicing slow kicks is a good way?

[portaldo]

Spending time in the extreme ROM, as often and as much as you can, while alternating stress/recovery througout your training cycles.
Ido.

[Iyaites]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmHRhgq6 ... re=related

nice demo of active split. I tried that and I cant even rotate my leg out like that

[portaldo]

Amazing display. Talented and lucky girl. Choosing the right parents is very important for this kind of thing, of course.

[Iyaites]

Ido, what exactly do you mean by "choosing the right parents is very important"?

do you mean that such range of motion is only possible with natural inborn ability?

[portaldo]

Very good results can be achieved with the correct and diligent training, but yes, I do believe the flexibility she demonstrates is genetic and would not be achieved by 99% of the people.
Ido.

[eppersoj]

I'm trying to distill the principles into an actual plan.
So if I'm trying to increase my pike, for example, I might do the following "in the extreme ROM, as often and as much as you can" which implies multiple times a day:
dynamic mobility (for example, ostrich walk, hanging leg lifts)
active stretching (for example, v-sit/pike compression)
and then add on the icing to this cake by doing isometric/pnf type stretches and soft tissue work multiple times a week but not daily. And where possible I would do these in a separate workout 4-6 h after a strength session and "chase down your passive ROM with your active ROM" when doing iso stretches?
Is that a fair summary?

[portaldo]

You got it.

[Will]

So Ido if I want to get more flexible do you recommend to do active stretching instead of passive stretching?

I think I understand what it is now but what kind of exercises can I use for a daily routine?

[FunkySimon(Italy)]

has already been written in this post how to do and also the example.
however first NO and second please study some general rules about stretching and try..at least try to do yourself..if you have some specific design problem or questions that have not already been written..just answer.

I will be glad to help.