first of all thanks for sharing your knowledge on flexibility, Mr. Kurz. I both read the Book stretching scientifically and watched the DVD flexibility express.
I´m 22 years old and a highly motivated martial artist and acrobat, (Englisch is not my native language but I hope everyone will get me right). And I have a huge problem: The Splits do not work, however I want them really bad ! I´m trying anything and all mentioned in the book and DVD, but it seems that I´m not coming closer to my goal
Here´s my problem more precise: Before I knew nothing about isometric stretching, I only used static streching and my flexibility was ok and got better and better and before I came to isometrics, I was only a few inches away from front split and a bit more from side split. Then I heard about isometrics from Pavel Tatsouline (here comes my first mistake ) -> I tried and played different things with it, although I really didn´t have the complete knowledge about it, that would be required to do it properly. Then I started to feel some strange sharp pain in my right groin area after I used isometrics a bit, every time I did the side split and got out of it, the right adductors cramped up painfully and I noticed that I loosed some flexibility over time... the cramps and pain were sometimes less and sometimes really painfull !!! I reduced training systematically and went to a doctor, after about 6 months having this problem. He figured out that it was just overtraining and the wrong use of isometrics (what else, huh?
), too much stress for my groin. He sent me to a massage therapist who helped to relax and heal my groin, I also bought your Book and DVD, studied them and applied the techniques.The massage therapist allowed me to apply isometrics although the pain was still there, because this pain was just the result of cramping of the Iliopsoas muscle. And here I have to mention something: When I applied isometrics with the horse riding stance although I had this pain, I found it kinda pain relieving, because every time I did it, the next day the pain got fewer and fewer, so I just kept doing them. After the massage therapy was over, my groin got really better, although some tiny indications for this sharp pain were still there... I kept applying isometrics and made some progress I think, but I can´t estimate it exactly, so my hips sank easily below my knee level in a 7 step horse stance. Then it happenend, during acrobatics, I tossed some acrobatic kicks (540 Kicks) and next day my groin was really sore and the sharp pain was huge
moreover I got lower back pain too...I have the impression, that every time I do something that involves high endurance (martial arts class) this problem is getting worse, even though I´m paying really attention all the time to my groin!
Here are some more important questions:
- Can I apply isometrics although I have this pain? ( Like I said, sometimes it was really pain relieving to do isometrics)
- Is it ok to do isometrics of 3 sets for the side split
together with 6 sets for the front split (3 sets each side) or is it too much?- Is it also too much, when I first do leg strengthening with horse riding stance overhead presses and after that isometrics for the same muscles?
- One thing was strange, when I did an isometric side split starting with straight legs and upper body (like shown in your video stretching scientifically) I got this pain every time I relaxed the contracting muscles, but when I did isometric from a horse riding stance, I didin´t got this pain.
- Is it possible for me to reach the splits together with this pain?
- should I only apply isometrics, when I´m able to touch the ground with my elbows in a side split straddle position? I can´t do that and I would like to know what´s preventing me to do that...so which exact muscle or body part and what I can do to make it possible
- I have a lot more questions, but for my first post it´s enough
I want the splits really bad, they´re my biggest aspiration !! I would be really glad for help, especially from Mr. Kurz
Thank you very much in advance !!!!!
