Does anyone else feel like your flexibilty is working against you?
 

So I have been boarding for a while now and have accumulated a small bag of tricks along the way. One thing that has always driven me nut is how unflexible I am. I am a pretty athletic guy and grew up playing sports and such, but I've just never been flexible. I can't even stand and touch my toes. The reason it bothers me so much is because it seems to making grabbing my board extremely difficult while throwing tricks. I just feel like it take so much just to reach down and do a freakin w2w indy grab. Its like my legs are working against me. I'm 5'8" and around 168 pounds so I'm not morbidly obese or anything... I just hate the fact that it's so difficult for me to add some additional style to my riding. Anyone else feel the same? What can I do?

This will sound trite, but I suggest you work on flexibility. A nice hot shower, bath or jacuz followed by a round of stretching will go a long way. I am 47, 6'2" and about 190 and stretch daily. I have no problem (from a flexibility perspective - talent is another issue) making stalefish, roastbeef, nuclear and other more challenging grabs.

The stretching for me also carries over into a pre-riding routine I do to help with both flexability and injury prevention.

start going to a yoga class....odds are you'll be vastly outnumbered and youll get in a solid routine of stretching so win win....

Gotta agree with Kyle Here. I had the same issues with flexibility. It was becoming harder to get some of my Gnar grabs and even more impossible to establish any Gnar Gnar grab n pokes. Been doing yoga now for over a month and in full honesty my grabs are getting easier to grab and those Gnar Gnar grabs n pokes are becoming a reality. Some may think that yoga is a chic thing, but in the end its something that guys can truly benefit from as well. Oh for the record I'm 5'7 and 175 @ 25. Not sure if that helps for anything, but I know can touch the ground with my wrists. Námasday

My cousin in-law teaches yoga classes, and she actually had some manuvers that a instructor told her specifically help with sports like wakeboarding. Thought it was kinda cool that a yoga instructor would specifically know of things to help flexibility in wakeboarding.

Not to mention, ever walked by a yoga class in session at a gym..?? enough said.

I've been doing kick boxing for the last 2 years and we stretch before and at the end of every class. I know stretch almost everyday when I have a few minutes or when I'm watchin tv. Honestly, I swear by stretching now. I used to get lower back tightness from riding and would be sore if I stood for quite a while. Stretching has pretty much eliminated that. I used to be a gym rat and barely stretched and as I said I absolutely swear by it now. start stretchin!

High-5 for Yoga!


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I'm a pretty unflexible, 6'1, 185 lbs, but doing just a bit of stretching and getting my muscles warmed up before my set, I feel really limbers me up and I'm able to REALLY get some good tweaking in on my grabs. Getting comfortable in the air, good handle control, and a bit of stretching before you ride seems to be the formula for me.

I agree we all need to work on flexibility, but I am surprised that no one pointed this out:

"reach down and do a freakin w2w indy grab"

You really should work on bringing the board up to your hand and not trying to reach down to the board. It sounds like you need to work on stretching your hamstrings (this is why you can't bend over and touch your toes). Google "hamstring stretches" and start there. Make sure when you are doing the stretches you are holding them and not bouncing.

Obviously I bring the board up, but everybody has to do some reaching...

Looks like I might be enrolling in a yoga class in the near future!

Well Bens yoga is WAY better than the p90x yoga thats for sure!!!!!!! Hell I would mind the yoga if it had that kind of view!
You dont really need a yoga class. Not that its bad or wouldnt help because it would.If you did 15-20 minutes of stetching twice a day you would notice a difference pretty quickly. I had planters faciitis in my left foot...hurt like hell. Doc gave me 4-5 differnt strecthing exercises to do everyday.Worked like a charm and helped in my overall flexability. Good luck.

I have a strong desire for Yoga right about now!

working
 

How can you be pretty "athletic" and not be able to touch your toes?

get a power balance band

"You really should work on bringing the board up to your hand and not trying to reach down to the board."

I was gonna say the same thing. Bring the board up to you, not your body down to it.