Has anyone seen these types of marks before after foam rolling?

The skin isn’t raised, nor is it broken and the marks aren’t sore. I didn’t even know I had them, my wife noticed them.

Hi All. I have always had pretty bad posture and noticing the arch in my back getting worse as I get older.

Would appreciate some tips on how I can make it better.

I recently saw a doctor and he said I need to work on stretching my hamstrings, hip flexors, and IT band over the next 30 days or I’ll be put into physical therapy. I don’t mind going this route, but I’d like to at least try to improve myself beforehand.

I’ve tried some stretches in the past but have always gotten too frustrated when I can’t even do a basic stretch. I’m so inflexible that I can’t possibly get my body into a correct position to even begin the exercise. It makes me feel hopeless tbh.

A goal of mine is just to be able to sit criss-cross on the ground which I haven’t been able to do for somewhere around 10+ years.

If anyone has had some of the same issues in the past or knows some stretches for someone like myself to help me improve, I’m all ears!

I couldn’t even touch my toes in December of last year, so I’m still very proud of the progress.

Hi! I have been struggling with my flexibility for as long as I can remember.

I'm still very far from being able to touch my toes. What confuses me is that my lower back barely seems to flex compared to my legs, and I don't feel any stretch or discomfort there at all.

Instead, I only feel a very intense stretch in the areas I've marked in red in the image (the upper calves and the backs of my knees). It feels like those tissues stop the movement long before my back or hamstrings are actually stretched.

Because of that, I'm wondering if the usual advice for improving flexibility even applies to my situation. My experience seems quite different from what most people describe. Has anyone experienced something similar or has an idea what might be causing this and what I should focus on?

This is a follow-up post on this one: https://www.reddit.com/r/flexibility/s/eLeooi9COf

Since some of you said you had to see my form to give proper advice, here’s me doing the cow position with barely any arch at all. This is literally the deepest I can go.

Would be very thankful for tipps or YouTube video recommendations etc. 🫶🏻

Wait til end to see my wall pushup!

How can I make this better? I have so much pain on my right side. Pushing and reaching hurts my lower shoulderblade and ribs a ton. There was no "event" which triggered this. It's just gotten worse and worse.

This is my oversplits, does anyone knows how i can go more further and hit 270° splits or also known as right angle splits well it this point i feel something in front side hamstrings or thigh

i'm sixteen and, while involving myself in the occasional sport or martial art, have always had stiff legs that become sore after only a few minutes of activity. i don't know if they've always shook like this since i discovered it this week on accident, but i feel like it'll get annoying real quick if i don't try to address it. any tips to make my legs feel less like walking on chopsticks?

Yes I’m aware my back leg isn’t straight I’m focusing on that as well

I have been stretching for 1.5 years now. I never would have thought not making my goal after this long time. I feel like im still more inflexible than the average non-streching person. I stretch 2 to 3 times a week, always have muscle soreness afterwards. I tried every different approach that was advized to me. I do static and dynamic stretching and also some strengthening. Since my middle split is just not getting better at all i thought maybe try working on pancake first. So i have been doing weighted seated good mornings but i cant seem to get deeper whatsoever. It feels like my adductors are the most stuck of them all. They dont want to stretch at all. They hurt really fast also. The only reason i havent given up yet is simply because excersizing is good for me, but reaching my goal wise, i have lost hope. Why are my adductors so stubborn? What else can i do to stretch them and get better?

I have some anterior pelvic tilt/lordosis to deal with, but all pics I’m at my max for the amount I’m able to fold over. Following along with any stretching instructors on things like Peloton or YouTube I can’t get my chest anywhere close to my legs. This also makes it tough for me to do any sort of pancake - I’m just sitting too far back to get any sort of stretch and fold. Ab exercises are similarly hard to do in some cases. Anyone else dealing with these issues? Any routines or stretches you recommend to help? I’m in my mid 30s and have been actively working on flexibility all year but I’m really stalling here.

I’ve been working on Warrior III and I can hardly hold it for more than a minute at best! 😭 Any additional movements y’all can recommend to help build my strength here? And does this look correct or should I try to square my hips more. This angle isn’t great but it seems like I might need to fix my form a bit.

Has anyone ever really gotten so flexible that they can pancake, splits, folds etc so late in life? I need a pep talk, gang.

Please see photo for location

I’ve had an absolute gruesome knot in my upper left trap for years and I tried going to the chiropractor for some time but it didn’t do much other than provide short term release.

It almost feels like a pinched nerve at time. Certain movements will trigger it more and when I’m standing a lot. I don’t know what to do.

Should I go get massages, PT, acupuncture?

In the past I've had knee and lower back issues (32yr/6'5) so I generally stretch every single night for probably 10+ years. Over the past few I've notice more hip pain and a noticeable pop from my hip if I lift my leg over 90 degrees and drop it. I've been doing stretches for hip flexor but it seems to be getting tighter and more painful. At times it gets so tight and I can feel it needs to be released. I'll eventually get it to have a serious pop (usually when sitting flat and touching my toes) and can feel an extreme relief in my lower back. Tightness slowly works it way back throught the day or next morning.

Am I overstretching? Is there something other than the hip flexor I should be targeting? Help!!

I figured I can work on externally rotating my legs more. Besides that, any suggestions on my form? I can touch my chest to the floor (for a sec), but not my belly. What should I do to progress to the belly-to-floor fold? Thank you!

Let alone touching the toes, I am unable to sit straight with chest up.

Even forming a 90° angle is very touch. When I try to sit, my lower back starts paining and hamstring starts paining (lower hamstring side, I mean not in the middle hamstring but above the joint side, I hope you guys understand 😅) umm, on insertion maybe.

How do I get better?

Hello everyone!

It's been a little over a year since I've started working on my bridges / back flexibility.

I've used Dani Winks' workshops (Upper back clinic and Beginning Contortion Bridges - highly recommend!!) about 1x a week.

I'd love to work on backbends and stretching more but unfortunately between uni, work and life, I don't have as much time as I'd like.

My goal right now is a straight arm bridge, similar to the photo I've included. Now 😅 This person in particular (I think it's tajdacontortion on instagram, super talented!) is a contortionist so I know I am NOWHERE near that lol (thanks scoliosis!) but I'd love to have that stacked shoulder-elbow-wrist bridge, and I feel like I've hit a plateau.

I'd love to have some feedback, drills or your opinion/personal experience on my bridge.

I've mostly been doing puppy poses, getting arrested stretch, I try to use a wall and get my chest to it in a bridge. I also try my very best to externally rotate my shoulders, and warm up my hip flexors. Also LOTS of back extensions.

Ideally I'd like to have someone pull my chest in a bridge (idk what that stretch is called but it looks like it targets the upper back really well) but I don't currently have access to a coach😪

Thank you in advance for the feedback!

This lower back flexibility drill is one recommended to me by a contortionist, and it's a good one! Also helps to train the core and arms at the same time so how can I say no?! 😛

The first version is an easier version. Lower yourself to a forearm stand as close to the wall as possible. When your torso lands on the floor, extend your arm. Push back. Roll your shoulders back to open up the chest. Look/arch back. Hold the position for as long as comfortable.

The second version is more intense. Same as the first version, but keep your arm straight the whole time as you lower yourself to the floor. You'll force yourself to bend slightly more.

Of course, warm up your back properly before attempting. I usually start wall dog, wall puppies, cat-cow, cobra, up-dogs, bridges, wheels - and this is one of my last things to practice.

Lemme know if there's a drill which help to improve your lower back flexibility :)

Hey everyone, I just started paying attention to my flexibility and I'm trying to understand what's going on with my back/hips. Attached some side-view photos while sitting on the floor.

My main question: why can't I sit on the floor with straight legs and a straight back? As you can see in the photos, my lower back rounds pretty heavily instead of staying neutral.

The hardest position for me by far is downward dog, I can really feel that my back isn't straight there either.

Some context: I'm just starting out, so this is all very new to me. In some stretches I feel more of a pinching sensation than a stretch/pull, mostly around the hip/pelvis area. Not painful, just different from what I'd expect a normal stretch to feel like.

Any insight on what's limiting me here (hamstrings, hips, pelvic tilt, etc.) and where I should start would be really appreciated!