Good overall flexibility, terrible hamstring flexibility

[Jon Snow]

Hi,

I am 24 years old, and used to be relatively sedentary until taking up kickboxing about a year ago. My fitness has improved drastically, as has my strength. My flexibility has only improved to a small degree.

I've always been able to do the lotus position without any discomfort. I can easily do the "frog stretch" with my hips touching the floor (i.e. as far as it can be taken). I go to kickboxing class and look around and see most other people are not flexible enough to manage this as well as I can. It seems I have naturally very good hip flexibility. I can also get a really good stretch for a lunge stretch and get very low.

However when it comes to touching my toes I am still several inches off! It's very frustrating that I seem to be very flexible in all areas except the hamstrings. I have been stretching on a several times a week basis (not always consistently) for about a year, but have made very little progress with my hamstrings. I do dynamic and static stretches, pnf etc, I've tried everything, but my progress is nil. This is bothering me since it is obviously what is stopping me from performing decent high kicks.

Has anyone else experienced an issue like this who could give me advice? I just feel if I could improve my hamstring flexibility I would be able to do the splits and would have super high kicks. My hamstrings are the limiting factor that are preventing me from progressing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Jon

[Arien Malec]

You know nothing, Jon Snow.

When I did martial arts work, nothing helped high kicks like high kicking -- it wasn't clear to me that touching my toes helped high kicking all that much.

Finally: http://www.mobilitywod.com/?s=hamstring

But I mostly wanted to get that first comment in.

[Steven Low]

Work some neurofacilitation techniques like PNF or AIS

[Jon Snow]

Haha thanks Arien, and that's Lord Commander to you!

Thanks Steven, but what is AIS? My feet often feel tingly, like pins and needles when I stretch my hamstrings with leg raises. Does anyone know if this is connected?

[Steven Low]

Originally Posted by Jon Snow

Haha thanks Arien, and that's Lord Commander to you!

Thanks Steven, but what is AIS? My feet often feel tingly, like pins and needles when I stretch my hamstrings with leg raises. Does anyone know if this is connected?

Active isolated stretching

Seems like you may need to do some nerve glides for your sciatic/tibialis if you're getting nervous system issues as well.