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Pure Splits: stretching for flexibility when you’re sore from stretching for flexibility
I know there are a couple threads about stretching sore muscles, but I thought this might be specific enough to get its own thread…
I've been doing Alethea's Pure Splits almost every day for about a week. The only reason I haven't been stretching every day is that after going through the dvd, my hamstrings feel really sore and tight the next day! The one day that I did try to do the full-on stretches with sore hamstrings, I made sure to work them with my foam roller and ease into the routine, but it was terrible! I know that Alethea incorporates active and ballistic stretches into her routine and that's probably why I'm sore, but there's so much streching going on in between that I don't even know how to keep from being sore, since the stretching itself isn't doing much for the soreness. Granted, my sore legs did feel less tight after going through the routine, but I couldn't have made any progress with my splits – which is frustrating because I'm trying to do the dvd every day. If I skip a day, I'm less motivated to do it the next day.
Is anybody else dealing with this? Do you still stretch for flexibility when your muscles are aching, or is it not worth it?
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17 Replies
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Listen to your body and the signs it is giving you. Sounds like at this time the daily flexibility training of the same area may be a little much.
I know that I am doing too much flexibility training in one area when I have soreness that does not ease up after a few minutes of light stretching and when the area is actually less flexibile than the time before. When that happens to me I back off.
What worked for me with Alethea's DVDs is the Pure Splits every other day. I was doing the stretching for pole on the other day. Stretching about 6 times a week. The most I will do pure splits is two days in a row.
Adjust your routine for now and see how you feel. You don't want it to be a bad, painful experience.
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Be careful that you aren't over stretching. I agree with Jehanne that Pure Splits is a lot to do everyday.
I don't know how often prior to this you stretched but if you weren't a daily stretcher before then an hour of stretching is an awful lot. I think it's good to pick a few stretches and work them and stretch for less time and work your way up to being able to do an hour a day. It took me a long time to get to where I could stretch everyday. Also try using that foam roller before you warm up – if you aren't already doing that and use it as soon as you are done stretching.
No matter how great of shape or used to stretching we are we all get sore – I think it's good to continue on doing very light stretching after getting really warm to keep your body from locking up and rebelling.
Also consider grabbing some protein – protein after a workout aids in recovery. I also take advil when I'm tight because it's a mild anti inflammatory drug.
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wow thanks for posting! My left leg is a nightmare. I pulled a hamstring last July and now my left butt cheek hurts all the time… And last night I screwed up my knee (falling onto a chair in the un-bendy direction).
With the exception of the knee, I think maybe I have been stretching a bit too much… well maybe too hard! I think I need to do some light stretches on "off" days. I do my Valentino Brothers (about 60 min) of stretching 3 x a week.
I am also going to try foam roller before and after.
I am giong to call the GP tomorrow for an appointment to get my knee seen. I doubt that it will be useful. 🙁 When I pulled my hamstring, she didn't even look at it or tell me to do anything about it. She basically told me to get on with my life. Nevermind that I couldn't walk for like 2 weeks. GRRRR!
xxx
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Great suggestions Charley! So true how we need to work within our current fitness situation and build from there.
LopsiJulie… holy smokes! I hope you are okay. Get a new GP… they are getting paid to do more than ignore your medical needs. That 'walk it off' mentality is nonsense when one is need of medical care. Wishing you the best for recovery.
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I never work on flexibility training daily, that is too much in my opinion. Our bodies need time to recover. For those taking the lessons here is the Getting Started Lesson explaining how to use the stretching section. There is also a lot of good info in the description of this video. It also covers the difference between stretching and flexiblity training. https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/4dd66731-eab0-4b4a-aa13-41ad0ac37250
Foam rolling can be your best friend when you are sore, I foam roll each muscle group before I train that particular area for flexibility.
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I would not do an intensive flexibilty sesh everyday…I don't think Alethea recommends that either! I mix up the Pure Splits with the Sttretching for Pole myself, but even then I'd say I don't do ut more than 4-5 times a week total ( and that's not even doing the entire DVD since I don't often end up stretching in the same room as my pole). You should be pushing yourself if you want to increase your flexibility but if you are hurting or unmotivated you will not be doing yourself any favours 😮
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Alethea does recommend using her videos 5 times a week, yo increase and 3 times a weekl to mantain (her recommendation)
I found that to be a lot- also I need to be really warm before doing her DVD since she goes into the splits soo fast- you dont really get properly stretched out before hand.
Although I use hers and really like them, I make sure I am really warmed up ahead and ready to go into full out streching!0 and like other stated use the foam roller!
I also dont do hers 5 times a week, but alternate w others that I love- including Veena's.
find variety works a lot better as well as giving my muscles time to rest inbetween. I like how the VB DVD's strecth different parts, so I can do front splits one day, but work on back bends the next and give my legs time to recover. 🙂
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Yup the DVD's do say to use them daily – which I think is fine for some people and not for others. Alethea recommends 5-6 days a week of stretching and 1 rest day to get to the splits.
I think stretching everyday is fine so long as you are not pushing yourself everyday. Flexibility training is similar to strength training – you should do something everyday but you cannot keep up the intensity every day.
I switch up my stretch routines frequently and I try not to intensly stretch the same muscle groups – like if my hamstrings are sore – I do some light stretches but I'll focus on upperbody…I will also do a day of yoga and a day of resistance stretching so that I'm mixing my body up. Doing different types of stretching is a good way to keep you from over stretching and straining.
I only do PNF stretching and intense full body stretches 1x/week the rest of the week I switch it up.
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Yup the DVD's do say to use them daily – which I think is fine for some people and not for others. Alethea recommends 5-6 days a week of stretching and 1 rest day to get to the splits.
I think stretching everyday is fine so long as you are not pushing yourself everyday. Flexibility training is similar to strength training – you should do something everyday but you cannot keep up the intensity every day.
I switch up my stretch routines frequently and I try not to intensly stretch the same muscle groups – like if my hamstrings are sore – I do some light stretches but I'll focus on upperbody…I will also do a day of yoga and a day of resistance stretching so that I'm mixing my body up. Doing different types of stretching is a good way to keep you from over stretching and straining.
I only do PNF stretching and intense full body stretches 1x/week the rest of the week I switch it up.
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You might consider alternating muscle stretching days (what it sounds like you're doing now) with joint mobility days. That's what I've been doing lately. It tends to not be so hard on the muscles, so it's a good way to keep working on flexibility every day without wearing yourself out.
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Can you suggest some joint mobility exercises!? This puzzles me! other than the ones on the VB dvd (which is basically killing your toes!), I have no clue how to do this!
xx
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@lopsiJulie Me too! I have the stiffest joints (not muscles). My ballet teacher said my hips will never change and I will never get a beautiful turnout. I'm so sad about this; but I'm still hoping that she's wrong.
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If you google "Joint Mobility Drills" you should find enough to get you started, there are also some books & dvd's on Amazon (I have Pavel's). Basically it's things like shoulder circles and back arches and stuff you're probably doing in your warm-ups anyways, but you can make a whole long routine of them to do on alternating days instead of the hardcore muscle stretching you've been doing!
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When I was trying really hard to get into the splits at the beginning, I found that I was super sore and tight in the muscles the next day, and my flexibility would actually be worse – I'm pretty sure I was injuring my muscles by overstretching and the pain was the resulting inflammation and damage. Now I concentrate on relaxing into stretches instead of pushing myself down into them, and that helps a LOT. I haven't been sore the day after stretching for about a year now. Focusing on breathing yoga-style helps a lot with relaxing.
Also, PNF helped me finally get my front splits, and ballistic has never done much for me. I think I'm too enthusiastic in ballistic and end up injured instead https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif
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I found my soreness from stretching has also dimished with a long standing stretch/flexibility practice. I stopped doing ballistic stretches because they felt too forceful and choppy on my body. That's just me… am sure they exist because some find them helpful.
Breathing deeply into any stretch and taking my time to get in, hold and out of it helps me.
For flexibility training where I am really hitting an area hard, I take time to recover. I have taken up to 72 hours before if I feel my body needs it. If I feel a lot of 'sore' coming on will use a hot soak with epson/bath salts that night.
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