Oly Lifting and Yoga

[Tyson Wright]

I saw a previous thread on this and was hoping to get some recent feedback. I've been reading up on yoga and was curious if anyone in this group is using it and seeing benefits. I know I have "tight" hamstrings, hips, hammies and thoracic spine. I'm familiar with kstar's material and the sticky thread in this area....information overload for me. Here is what I've been thinking of with emphasis on hammering my hamstrings:

Trigger point therapy about an hour before my workout, with Greg's standard warmup about 20min before working out.

Immediately following the workout, static stretching my quads and hamstrings specifically for a minimum 2 min per leg including spidermans and russian baby makers. (also icing my patellar tendonitis)

3-5x per day, working on my static (not sure if I should use PNF etc) on my hamstrings for at least 2 minutes per leg. I was thinking of adding a max of 30 min of yoga 3+ times per week.

I'm sick of my crappy bottom position and butt winking Thanks!

[Donald Lee]

You should probably add static stretching before you lift until you've adequately addressed your flexibility issues. If you're worried about the negative effects of static stretching pre-workout, make sure you do dynamic stretches and a lot of warm-up sets after the static stretching.

Yoga can be a good or bad thing, depending on how you do it. Yoga has you stretch in a general manner, which allows you to compensate for tight muscles. Essentially, you can have a case where tight muscles stay tight and loose muscles get looser.

If you know what you're doing, I think yoga can be great. It can be a fun activity and a good form of mobility work.

[Tyson Wright]

Any recommendations on a beginner yoga dvd? I believe yoga typically is longer but I would like to keep it to 30 minutes if possible.

[Pat McElhone]

I do not know if I would do yoga to increase flexibility for weightlifting. Here is my $0.02...and what I do:

If it is important do it everyday (Dan John)
Foam Roll IT bands, hips, quads, groin, hamstrings, glutes, T-spine
Pavel joint mobility from Super Joints DVD
My olift mobility w/PVC pipe
5 Passover
5 OHS
5 Pressing Snatch Balance
5 Sots Press
5 Muscle Snatches to OHS-opens my T-spine

Additionally, remember, one of the best ways to increase flexibility for the weightlifting position is to weightlift. Use the weighted barbell to "assist" you. Do not be afraid to lighten the load, but OHS, Front Squats, Back Squats all are excellent tools to improve mobility.

After 4years, my wink is getting better. Good luck

[Daniel Morgan]

I think yoga will definitely help with weightlifting, besides it helps you relax and it'll be good for your soul as well

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

I think any static stretching/yoga/joint mobility will assit you with your endeavors to improve your weightlifting.

I have strength trained for 25+ years now. 10 years ago, I got into yoga and tai chi. I had a private instructor who assisted me with baguas and the development of static poses that would assist me because of my, as he put it, "advanced musculature." To that end, he assisted me in developing a routine that works on hips and shoulders. After many years of squats, pulls and bench presses I had gummed up the works a bit. But by doing the mobility and the static poses that focus the strethces on the psoas and rhomboids, I'm now loose enough to do some fairly astounding things for a large man with a lot of muscle.

Now, at 41, I spend as much time with my pre and post workout yoga, joint mobility, self myofascial relase as I do actually strength training. This is something I began about 3 years ago. And I have no joint pain, muscle pain, etc. I have also made more progress strength training in the past 3 years than I did in all the previous 22 years training combined. It's amazing what you can sort out when you realize that the restoration of the muscular pathways and recovery are as important as actually doing the strength training. Wish I would have known this earlier in life.

I hope that helps a little?

All the best,
Arden

[Doug Emerson]

Originally Posted by Arden Cogar Jr.

I think any static stretching/yoga/joint mobility will assit you with your endeavors to improve your weightlifting.

I have strength trained for 25+ years now. 10 years ago, I got into yoga and tai chi. I had a private instructor who assisted me with baguas and the development of static poses that would assist me because of my, as he put it, "advanced musculature." To that end, he assisted me in developing a routine that works on hips and shoulders. After many years of squats, pulls and bench presses I had gummed up the works a bit. But by doing the mobility and the static poses that focus the strethces on the psoas and rhomboids, I'm now loose enough to do some fairly astounding things for a large man with a lot of muscle.

Now, at 41, I spend as much time with my pre and post workout yoga, joint mobility, self myofascial relase as I do actually strength training. This is something I began about 3 years ago. And I have no joint pain, muscle pain, etc. I have also made more progress strength training in the past 3 years than I did in all the previous 22 years training combined. It's amazing what you can sort out when you realize that the restoration of the muscular pathways and recovery are as important as actually doing the strength training. Wish I would have known this earlier in life.

I hope that helps a little?

All the best,
Arden

Great stuff! Glad to hear this Not that you would recognize me, but I miss seeing your posts!

Cheers!

[Olga Sag]

about flexibility
http://gibkoetelo.ru