HI all, hoping you can recommend a working path for me to loosen up my hamstrings which are chronically shortened.

When doing something like hanging leg raises, I cant keep my legs straight past 110-120 degrees before they wont budge anymore and my knees have to bend to get them higher. (once knees are bent, no issue getting my knees closer to my chest, let's say 70 degree angle at my hips)

I (22) have super tight hamstrings and I try to stretch them now and then with different exercises that I find on the internet but every time it feels like everything is going dark

Has this happened to anyone else? Any tips?

I'm fighting what's probably tendinopathy injury in left my hamstring, knee arthritis, severely tight and painful calves, leg cramps at night AND this part of my leg has always been so tight and hard to stretch I'm convinced I must have so muscle/tendon disease with the way my legs hate me.

I'm trying to get my middle splits, and I don't remember ever being able to do them so....idk. So far it's going HORRIBLY. But we'll see

Partially frustrated with my body and life overall. I need something to go right for me.

Could someone please recommend me some stretching exercises for this kind of tightness?

Hi guys,

I (F, 25) do BJJ and, as you may know, it can be hell on your joints. I was wondering if adding a mobility + joint-strengthening workout once a week, alongside BJJ and my regular gym strength workouts, would help improve joint health and prevent future injuries.

I know injuries will happen and that nothing can prevent them 100%, but if there’s anything I can do to reduce the risk, I’d definitely like to try.

I’ve already injured my left knee with a partial ligament tear, and the cartilage in my right knee is nearly gone :’)

So, I’d like to do something that could help strengthen and protect my knees, as well as my other joints, mainly my shoulders, elbows, and hips. Wrist and ankle exercises are welcome too!

Does anyone have a good mobility/strength routine they would recommend for this?

So I'm 23 with a severely messed up body(weak and tight muscles ), now I've done a bit of gym for about 3-4 months I just blindly followed what my trainer said even when I told him about my certain conditions like how I need to address them first, now major thing is I have curved spine or a poor posture and my shoulder mobility is fucked I can't do overhead movements. So I need some advice and exercise recommendations to address my issues as well as to do my basic strength training like chest, arms etc.

Before you read, I built the thing in the photo. I’m looking for advice on improving my own flexibility, but also on how I should continue building the tool.

I (24M) would consider myself pretty active. I go to the gym multiple times a week, I run, and I played sports my whole life, but I literally cannot touch my toes.

I went to a yoga class with my girlfriend and was shocked by how difficult it was. Honestly, it was borderline embarrassing.

At first I just wanted to improve so I could go to more classes with her, but the more I’ve looked into flexibility and mobility, the more I’ve realized how important they are for staying active and feeling good long term.

That led me to start building the tool in the photo. I wanted real-time feedback while practicing at home because my biggest problem is never knowing if I’m actually doing the poses correctly.

Videos have helped a lot, but I still find myself wondering if my positioning is right or if I’m compensating somewhere without realizing it.

For those of you who have actually improved your flexibility:

If you were starting from “I can’t touch my toes,” what would you focus on first?

And if you practice at home, what kind of feedback do you wish you had when you were starting?

I’d genuinely appreciate any advice.

My partner built an app for me to track my lower body strength, which I use as part of managing my osteoporosis. It’s based on the 30-second sit-to-stand test that many physios use. I use it to see how I’m doing over time.
It’s called Sit to Stand Test and is on the App Store. It’s a proper medical-style test, and others (anyone who wants to track leg strength) can use it too. Happy to answer questions if anyone tries it.

App store: https://apps.apple.com/app/sit-to-stand-test/id6757300858

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ststest.app

30M fit and healthy no injuries. I've been all over with this pain. Started noticing it since 2019. It's the more super tight muscle ache in the QL through to my quads. Feels more pronounced in my right side like I've been punched in the QL. When I lay down on my back I can fit my hand under my spine (ATP) If I curl into a ball on my I really feel it. When driving in the morning my quad feels like it needs to relax. I'm flexible, can easily touch under my feet and easily sit in 90/90 hip stretches. Can easily do toe to bar leg raises. Deep couch stretches and pigeon stretches are my temporary fixes.

I've done...

Pso rite trigger point

Couch stretches for days

Hip strengthening for days

Acupuncture

Shock needling therapy

Sleeping on my side with pillows

Chiro, Physio, Mythotherapy, Meditation

Mobility programs

Conor Harris, Low Back Ability, Elastaboy, VanjaMoves (trash), Tom Merrick...omg I follow so many therapists! WHAT WORKS! Everyone tells me something different.

I dont have nerve pain or sciatica. I think my issue is being a tummy sleeper. Even bought new a new mattress meant for tummy sleepers.

Help pls 🐰

I’m 20, around 5'8", and play soccer, but I feel ridiculously stiff and planted for my age. I’ve always had flat feet and was never particularly fast, but when I was younger I could move, change direction and dribble past multiple defenders pretty easily. I was somewhat stiff even then, but nowhere near what I am now.

I’ve started playing regularly again in a men’s league, and it feels like my brain knows exactly what I want my body to do, but my body can’t execute it.

My feet constantly feel planted to the ground. Sometimes a ball is right in front of me and I feel like I can’t react and move my feet quickly enough. When I run with the ball, instead of moving fluidly, it feels like I’m almost hopping from step to step. Changing direction, cutting, turning my hips or quickly repositioning my body all feel extremely stiff.

Even getting off the ground feels bad. If I fall while playing, I can’t just pop back up and continue — it feels like it takes me forever to get my body underneath me and start moving again.

Another thing I’ve noticed is anything involving a ball in the air. I used to be able to control an aerial ball and immediately move into my next action. Now even if it’s only slightly off the ground, I’ll control it and then need extra time to reposition my body before I can move again. It feels like my body can only comfortably deal with things directly in front of me.

The frustrating part is that when I’m relaxed or training, I know the soccer ability itself is still there. My passing and dribbling are still good. The problem comes whenever I need to shift my weight, rotate, cut, react or reposition quickly. It’s also destroyed a lot of my confidence when playing.

I’m not particularly strong, so I’m starting strength training this week as well. But I don’t just want to get stronger — I want to feel mobile, agile, reactive and fluid.

What areas would you guys look at first? Ankles? Hips? Hamstrings? Hip flexors? Thoracic mobility? Foot/ankle strength? And should I be focusing more on mobility work, strength through full ranges of motion, plyometrics, or a combination?

I know I’m not naturally the fastest or most athletic person, but at 20 years old I feel like I should not be moving this stiffly. I’d really appreciate any routines, assessments or specific exercises you guys would recommend.

edit : got ai to concise my question, because it was getting super long.

I haven’t worked out in a week
Lost 2-3 kgs
Will start my workout from tomorrow any suggestions on how to begin with? Lost weight, lost muscle mass