Touch Your Toes Today - 2 Exercises You Need
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- Опубліковано 3 чер 2024
- Want to learn how to stretch to touch your toes? In this video, learn stretches to touch your toes TODAY. In this video you'll learn the proper form for hamstring stretching plus two exercises that will fix your tight hamstrings and blast through the stiffness that stops you from touching your toes.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:45 The reason why you cannot touch your toes
03:03 Loading the muscles
04:02 The correct form when touching your toes
06:19 Quick Self-test
06:44 Exercise 1
09:29 Exercise 2
13:50 Programming
14:59 Some daily ideas to help you touch your toes
17:56 Closing
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HELPFUL LINKS
🎥Touch Your Toes Playlist: • Touch Your Toes
🎥Asian Squat Playlist: • Asian Squat
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👉Been told you have Hip Impingement? Check out the FAI Fix: www.thefaifix.com
👉Crush Chronic Muscle Tension with a FREE Self Massage Program: bit.ly/rollrelease
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At Upright Health we give you strategies and research to get your life back.
With principled functional training, we believe everyone can beat chronic pain and get strong, mobile, and resilient.
Our home training programs help you troubleshoot and train your body safely. We help you tear down fear and build up muscle. We help you think right, move right, and feel right.
Matt Hsu's own battle with chronic pain from the age of 16 in his feet, knees, hips, back, shoulders, elbows, forearms, wrists, hands, and head gives him a uniquely thorough understanding of musculoskeletal pain, the ways in which it can undermine an entire life, and the mental and physical hurdles that keep people from getting out of it.
When not filming videos, he's working out in the living room, surfing, learning dance or gymnastics moves, or riding a bike with his son in tow.
ENDING CREDITS MUSIC
David Cutter Music - www.davidcuttermusic.com
ABOUT THIS VIDEO
If you have stiff hamstrings, you probably can't touch your toes. To get more flexible to touch your toes, you need to strengthen your hip flexors and learn how to stretch your hamstrings properly. This video will show you how to stretch to touch your toes.
#TouchYourToes #TightHamstrings #ForwardFold #UprightHealth
What improvements did you see doing these touch touch stretches? Drop me a comment!👇
I can touch with soft knees. When I lock my knees, I really feel the burn. Thanks for this! As a water aerobics instructor, I do a lot of active stretching and some static stretching with bands. I'll add this land stretch to my practice and suggest my class watch your videos!
Focusing on my hip made a world of difference feels very strange actively using them rather than pulling myself down with my spin
Thanks Matt! This worked wonders!
On my initial stretch I got my fingertips to half an inch below my knees. By the end of the video I was halfway down my shin! Still got a long way to go before I can punch the ground, but your videos have helped me clear up some lower back pain and reminded me about my posture (nerd neck / computer pose)
One year away from 70, I could touch my toes before the exercises getting up to the second joint on my fingers wrapped under my toes. The exercises improved my bend, made me conscious to bend from my hip with my back straight. Also show I need to work on leg lifts! Nice burn but must be sure not to curve my back. End result: could get all fingers flat to floor just in front of my toes, or completely wrapped under my toes. Worth continuing!
I gained about half an inch after the first session! It doesn't sound like much, but I've been trying to make gains on this for a long time to no avail. It's an exciting first step for me.
This is amazing. It really works. This morning, I was miles away from the floor, but following your steps, I can touch my toes. My next goal is to have my palms on the floor! BTW, I’m a 70 year old woman😊
Looking good!
Amazing ❤❤❤
Awesome ❤
May u get blessed by an air conditioner and not get pregnant
One of many things I appreciate about your videos, beside the obvious health benefits, is your regular volume voice.
Lavalier mic = NO SHOUTING 😅
Is it wireless? Thanks
@@roqonu Yup
Amazing Full split workout, Side stretching in one week..
ua-cam.com/video/ypnzGkiX6ys/v-deo.html
Super helpful! Thanks! New sub
First Exercise
6:45
Second Exercise
10:16
Thanks for the good content
Thank you
I'm a runner, and I am DISGUSTINGLY tight. When I started this video, my hands reached above my knees with a flat back and straight legs. At the end, my hands are now just above my ankles... an insane improvement. I never realized how much the hip flexors played a role here. You are awesome. Thank you!!
AWESOME!!! Thanks for sharing your improvement story!! 🙏💪
That’s awesome. You give me hope. As a family we all have problems with tight hamstrings even when young. My eldest son and daughter run my youngest hurt his back aged 16 at a gym. He struggles even now some ten years later. My daughter is an office worker but walks before work and runs of a lunch time. None of us are sitters. We are all busy doing things. I’ve struggled with my back and hip pain for years. Doctors just want to give pills and chiropractor gets expensive.
So grateful for your videos and coaching us through actions we can take to improve our health!
@@Uprighthealth l
Ever worked with a skip rope? Lass stress on the knees, etc. VERY effective.
In school PE the teachers never mentioned this bending at the hips. Eventually I got better even bending at the waist, then I figured it out and ever since, years ago, I bend at my hips and I can put my hands flat next to my feet. ever since.
Unfortunately I don't think pe teachers were rigorously trained or informed on human anatomy... Even the average doctor or PT today lacks basic knowledge on human movement! 😅
@@Uprighthealth น
I’ve never been naturally flexible and pretty much thought I’d die never being able to touch my toes. I used your tips and now I can touch my toes!!!! I’m so ecstatic and it left me with the belief that I can do what I put my mind to do. I started out being able to reach a little further than my knees and now I can touch my toes in less than a month!
Found this guy in my recs...I am impressed and plan to use his program...also impressed by his communication skills and how he is able to express ideas...he really has a high level verbal fluency which is not common and an auditory pleasure to behold.
I’ve spent the past 2 weeks learning to Asian Squat which is something I never knew I could learn to do! Now I’m up for the next challenge of being able to touch my toes.
YESSSSS! Go get it!
You’re the first person that has really given the correct instruction of why to keep your back straight. 👍👍👍
I’ve never been able to touch my toes, not even as a child.
Stretching always feels counter productive. My muscles seem to want to fight back against stretching. Thank you for your explanation. Very thorough. I’m going to give it a go and see what happens.
How are you now?
I can relate. Ever since I was a child, my muscles are so tense that i can't even sit crossed legs let alone touching toes. I'm 16 but my flexiblity is 76.
@@blanchettt nah fr tho. I knew it was my muscles but I used to think it was my back.
Same for me never been able to touch my toes
At 60, I still have easy flexion forward but I have become a bit stiff, in general, over the years from inactivity and your video was so soothing and inspiring so I am going to do these and move more. I look forward to looking at more of your past and future videos and getting my elderly mother to do some with me. Thank You so much for not having music playing in the background. thank you thank you for that. I Love the pace and quietness and gentleness of your videos!
SO looking forward to this- something I’ve always wanted to be able to do. Although I’m 77, I’m gonna try! Thank you for these instructions! 🔑 to success!
I agreee. No background music is very helpful for this kind of instruction.
@@girlonaswing9439 : )
Any update? :) How did it go?
I agree, no background music is soooo appreciated. I can barely take it in movies when it gets so distracting you can't hear the words. Love this video
I've experienced lower back pain for quite a few years, but a few weeks ago, after realising I could no longer even get my finger tips to my toes, I started stretching in the shower each morning. Then, about a week ago, I started following a few exercises and stretches. I'm absolutely blown away by the human body. I've found that my back feels so much better, my knees ache less, and at almost 40, increasing my flexibility and range of motion was something I'd always thought impossible. With these few tips on top of the work I've put in recently, tonight I put my palms on the floor, while still able to keep my knees straight.
It's never to late to start as I've now learned. Thanks for the tips, I'll certainly be checking out your other videos.
I have to confess, I'm so astonished by the results after the first time that I have to leave a comment! I will include these exercises in my routine twice a week for sure!
Wonderful!
You are the VERY BEST!! For an 81 year old I never realized how 'bound-up' my muscles were until I tried following your conditioning!! Your teaching techniques are AWESOME!! I THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!! You are now my teacher!
Thank you for your demonstrations along with your clear explanations. You are indeed a very good teacher . I am in my 80s. I am generally flexible but lately I haven’t tried to touch my toes thinking it’s not for me at this age. However, after doing your stretching exercises, wow I was able to touch my toes. How wonderful is that! I am determined to practise it daily. Thank you so much for your guidance. ❤️
Wow Grandpa u really inspired me. How are you going now?
I realized right away that whenever I'm trying to touch my toes, I cheat by arching my back. Before trying the first exercise I tried consciously pivoting at my hips and I found it oddly difficult. I guess that's what sitting almost all day does to you. Trying the exercises now. I shake a little bit when trying the first but I'm trying to hold it. You are putting out great videos and I really enjoy them. Thanks.
This is amazing! I did these exercises a few times just now, and went from my fingertips reaching just above the knees (yep, pretty bad) to now being half way down my shin! Wow!
I'm going to see how my legs feel tomorrow and do the stretches accordingly.
Thank you!
Before doing the first exercise, my fingers were a couple inches from the floor then after the first exercise fingers were about an inch from the floor. After the 2nd exercise holding 3 lb weights, I could touch my toes and with slightly bending my knees, I touched the floor. Am 75 years old so will work on hip flexors and hamstrings exercises to keep up my progress! Thanks so much, Matt! Makes me feel better about myself, bolstered my confidence!
You are great, preventing thousands getting hurt with misconceptions and wrong exercises. Thank you so much!!
Learned so much from just the first viewing of your video! I am beginning the exercises as you recommend them and can see a noticeable difference. Your approach to improving without crippling with soreness is one not emphasized. Thank you for a practical, healthy, effective exercise program for tight hamstrings that works well for a senior past 75 like me. Not punching the floor yet, but I’m getting there!
The weighted bending exercise here is a GODSEND... highly recommend it to all who suffer, as I do, from the American sedentary lifestyle! This exercise addresses and stretches the upper hip muscles like nothing I've ever tried. Where have you been all my life, Matt? LOL
I am 74 years old and have the flexibility of a bowling ball. I'm actually going to try to follow your channel in some regimen, in hopes that I can someday not only see my toes but touch them. They're down there somewhere.🤣
LOL. Love that metaphor! "Flexibility of a bowling ball!!" 😅
youre amazing! deep appreciation for your humor and the articulate breakdown of movement into a step by step process. my lens is through pilates and your language and specificity really speaks to me! i have given some of your specific exercises to my clients and referred them to your channel. thank you for all that you do. keep making content!
Wow! Thank you Matt. Keeping the spine 'neutral' is something I was not doing.
However, apart from the standing exercise, I do sit on the exercise mat with legs flat and forward and then grip my feet/toes for flexion from the hip - and find this is really good. What I will now do is follow your advice and remember to keep the spine as straight as possible.
My greatest problems are, of course, lower back and neck and shoulder muscle pains - and perhaps dietary induced inflammation causing/contributing. I will therefore be checking your other links for remedial action. Thanks again. 🙏
I went from just below the knee to within an inch of my toes. I've been working on my hamstrings a lot, and you gave me more hope! Thank you for all you do!
Appreciate your video. Never been able to touch my toes, not even in PE in elementary school. Did my bit of lifting and running for the last 6 years ( am 40 right now), but this kind of flexibility was never there. With your exercises (did 2 sets of each today) i now see a light at the end of the tunnel.
It really worked! Finally a video that explains precisely what is happening vs most of the other videos just throwing at you some exercises
I am very stiff in my back and legs from long periods of sitting & I struggle to stand for any extended length of time. This is a very good video with step by step instructions that are easy to follow. Thank you ☺️
I love yr videos! ive seen so many instructors but yours by far is probably one of the best..i hope you will reel in all the exercises and do one that can consolidate for a week long exercise programme
Absolutely amazing. 2 days! All it took. I wish I could have that clear of instructions for everything body related
You can! You just gotta subscribe. 😉
This video was super helpful. The exercises helped release my hamstrings and made me feel like I could finally make forward stretching progress!
Wow, this actually worked! I have had a desk job for almost 30 years and have not touched my toes for even longer. Until today. Amazing!
I just subscribed to your channel. Reason is, whatever you are teaching is what I find I needed. I never thought about the importance of working on those muscles and thanks for bringing it to my attention. I am 72, and just starting on your Asian squat exercises, and now you come up with this. You are indeed a Godsend
Thanks and welcome
I just wanted to say that I’ve been doing yoga every day so far this month and I can finally touch my toes for the first time in my life! I also followed your tips from this video about first bending at the hips.
I wanna start yoga from where I need to start . Can you share any playlist
@@mohammedumarfarhan9900 I don’t have a playlist, but I love Yoga with Adriene!
I'm not usually a comment leaving person but: I have had trouble touching my toes since I was a child. Seriously, I remember the school nurse recommending I see a doctor because I couldn't touch my toes in ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. (I was fine, normal, active kid, just couldn't touch my toes.)
I'm now approaching middle age and before this video ended, I was doing it. I was touching my toes. I almost didn't want to stand back up because it was so surreal. I'm worried it's too good to be true and I'll wake up with horrific back pain or something, even though I checked my form and my back was straight until the last couple inches when I relaxed, but if I really did it right and got these results in one video...
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I will definitely be adding these exercises to my routine and watching your other videos because wow. ABSOLUTE WOW.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Congratulations!
Your suggestions make so much sense
Wow, works.
"Get the right muscles to fire" - always been my problem. Thank you.
You're welcome!
Those exercises were great. I can touch my toes but this allowed me to get my hands flat to the floor. Also got me to concentrate on keeping my back straight. Thank you.
That's great 😃👍
Tried this the first time today. Never been able to touch my toes. Massive improvement in a matter of minutes! Thanks!
I've watched and practiced many of your Asian Squat Playlist and this video also.
I also do the shoulder hang to allow the spine to relax.
These are so superior to any other videos on UA-cam.
Because they are so detailed on form and how to progress.
Another thing: I truly appreciate that you are the one doing the exercise demo.
Thanks, Matt!I
Have always had issues with tight hamstrings. Tried yoga for a while and only ever saw minimal gains. This just makes so much sense. Thanks!
Happy to help!
I've literally been trying for a YEAR to go from being able to just touch my fingertips to the floor to being able to put both hands flat on the floor. Dude. Checked my form like you said (turns out I was hunching a bit), did the leg lift thing literally ONCE on each side and BAM. I could put both palms flat on the floor.
I'm trying this tomorrow during my stretching session. Your comment gives me hope that I can also put my hands flat next to my feet 🥳
Amazing! A huge difference before and after the stretch!
Love this! 💥
Leaned over a table at hip joint height till my upper body was completely flat on the table with my knees bent a little. Then gradually tried straightening my legs.
When I couldn't straighten my legs all the way (tight hamstrings), used my adductors and was able to straighten legs a little more.
Still can't straighten legs completely.
So will definitely be adding these toe-touch helpers:
. Seated leg raises
. Forward fold with light weight
. Floor adductor leg lifts
Motivated by seeing your class. I'm at my 59yrs and do regular walking and running (alternatively) for 5 to 6 Kms. Your class gives me more inspiration to perform my regular physical work out. Thank you Sir.
Keep it up
Thank you so much for the explanation of the anatomy and how each of these stretches effects parts of the body. I wear a lift (2” short) so I’m doing toe touches with the extra height of my hiking shoes. I started out only being able to touch the tips of my fingers. After the first stretch I was able to flatten out my fingers. By the third I was able to almost flatten out the palms of my hands! Only a couple of years ago I was able to put my head against my shins and wrap both arms around the back of my legs. It started to depress me how I’m inflexible I was becoming. I’ve become more consistent and knowledgeable with stretching since watching your videos. I SUPed for over two hours on my knees against high winds two days ago. I expected to be an aching mess for a couple of days. I was a bit sore in my quads but no back, knee, or upper body pain or soreness! I’m not an athlete… I’m a 67-year-old woman who spends a lot of time at a desk. One thing I have been doing every night is knee raises for the entire time my electric toothbrush is running. This sounds silly but it’s been a game changer! I have no intention of slowing down in life… In fact I’ve added mountain biking to my activities. I appreciate the information and guidance you are providing to help us all live an active life!
GO GET IT!!! 💪
You’re an inspiration!
I am 80. Dont want to look nor act old. I love that I have run across your videos. If I do these various exercises I am hoping it will keep me more vital.
Thank you
Scarlett
I can't believe this actually helped. My back has been killing me and lately it hurts to bend, I've been trying every back pain video possible and never got the relief or answers like this. I now know it's my hips and hamstring that's weak.. Will continue this but please I need a program just for this! THANKS
I woke up once again with back pain and after doing your exercises the pain simply went away. I have worked sitting all day for many years and the things you say fit my condition like a glove. Thank you for sharing !!!
Thanks for sharing!
For the hip flexor strengthening is it okay to do it standing rather than sitting? In other words, stand on one leg and lift the other leg out straight while maybe using one hand to touch a table for balance assistance.
I think I am going to start crying
because I just thought i was ruined with no recovery 😭
Thank you Sir ❤️👏👏👏👏👏👏
great explanation, and solution to common source of injury!!! Thanks!!!
DUDE! Amazing results! I've always been so so tight and just accepted it but just in a few minutes I've gotten massive results. I will keep it going. Wow thank you!
Very helpful exercise for me after a hip replacement surgery....No therapist taught me this and my thys have been so stiff all this time. Thanks buddie, I see improvement almost instantly.
Glad it helped!
Excellent! New subbie here. Love your consistent content, keep it coming!🤸♀️
Thanks for subbing!
Thank you so much ,very good explanation❤
It really help. I sit many hours a day. This hip bender felt great! Thank you!
Fantastic vid. Never realized to engage the hip flexors to pull myself down further. Worked like a charm
Who knew? You of course!....bend at the hips and boom my fingertips are on the floor, along with my jaw! Thank you for your excellent content. ❤️
This is mind-blowing. I can barely get my heel off the floor when trying those leg raises. I’m going to work on this every day. Thank you!
Have you made any progress?
@@firejuggler31 I have! Here’s a 20 second video of my current forward fold: ua-cam.com/video/9xWfd-jMuSs/v-deo.html
Nice!
@@NickRamsay amazing, thanks for sharing, i'm gonna try this too starting today.
same here, 5 seconds and start cramping
Thank you so much for explaining this so well. I've stretched for sports my entire life and have most recently been trying to get more flexible hamstrings due to hamstring injuries and lower back pain while sleeping. Something I've always had trouble with when doing a hamstring stretch is keeping my lower back straight...after watching this video and going through the step by step, I am realizing that I may have never been truly stretching my hamstrings correctly. It has been 29 years. Needless to say, I have very tight hamstrings (the tips of my fingers can only reach the middle of my kneecaps while keeping my back straight), but now that I know how to fix this, I'm certain this will benefit my life. Thank you, @Upright Health!
Can't describe my great gratitude brilliant
It's baffling how hip flexors have only recently become to the forefront of many issues. For a long time, squatting or certain positions...in the bedroom made it feel like my hip was going to pop out of the socket. I've dealt with tight muscles, cramps, etc. in most parts of my body and can easily identify what it is. Until videos like this and certain stretches, I had never imagined that feeling like I was going to dislocate something was just insanely tight hip flexors thanks to 23 years of a desk job (despite being active outside of work). The sitting leg lift exercise in this video, my right leg...yikes!
The first exercise I think increased my range by like a foot. One thing I've noticed as I try to improve my forward folds is that if I reach down towards a chair, I'm likely to get more range of motion. If I reach towards the ground it's like my brain is like "oh no way we can't do this" and immediately tightens up. Using the chair I almost feel like I'm tricking my body into thinking "see? this is ok! we can do this" and I get more range and more range, and then I can just remove the chair and touch my toes.
Love it!
Whether mental, physical, or both I'd guess the chair is instrumental in you keeping your back flat. Whatever works!
I so appreciate your dedication to quality movements in technic!!!!
You're such a blessing bro thank you!
Do you have any suggestions for problems with the nerve running through the calves? If I straighten my legs completely and try to bend I really feel "the stretch" very early in my calves. And it doens't feel like a normal stretch. As soon as a bend just a little in my knees, I can bend much deeper and the stretch goes to my hamstring and I don't feel much of the tension in my calves anymore. Therefore I think this is a nerve problem.
I cannot find a solution for this problem, any advice?
I have the same problem and have still never figured out what to do about it. The worst part is how everyone thinks I’m stretching wrong when they see me with a slight bend but I literally don’t feel a healthy stretch with straight legs. Like you said the second I bend them the load goes into my hamstrings. Hope your question gets answered
I will be 52 years old next month. Every morning I do 10-15 minutes exercise, stretching neck, back, etc. and I always touch the floor with my palms for 30-35 seconds. Touching floor with palms is my favorite and a must do for me in the morning. I can do it with ease thank God.
Holy cow, it works. It seems like a silly achievement to be proud of, but I'm just now getting into shape and this feels like massive progress to me. Thank you!
Punch the ground!!!!
👊👊👊👊👊
This really worked for me. Thank you. I’m a 70 year old and have noticed stiffness creeping in. But I was able to touch my toes. Before watching I was a good 6 inches away. Amazing. New sub!!
Finally I can touch my toes!!! this is amazing!!! Thank you so much!!
It took a little time but it worked, the feeling after stretching is amazing, thank you.
Thank you, I’ll be starting to do this. You’re an excellent guide.
WOW! Why dont all people know this? You are quite informative.
Thank you!
Great video!!! I always had a problem touching my toes. Thanks to you I feel like one day I might be able to do it !!!!
Thank you so much. You have helped me with my neck. I am gonna try these now.
I’ve finally grabbed my toes after 3 months of daily stretching for about 20-30 mins. Thanks for your help, I appreciate you👊🏿
Super smooth, man. And it's all on point. Thank you.
I have seen other videos to help me touch my toes. None of them helped more than your exercises. Thanks a million for sharing!
You're welcome!
Excellent. Very good instruction. Thank you.
Thank you! I couldn't touch my toes for many years, but after one week of exercising I DID IT!
Holy crap! This actually worked! Before the video I could only go halfway down my shin - my hamstrings are always tight. But by midway of the video I touched my toes!! You just earned yourself a follow good sir. Thank you for this!
0:55 Why can’t you touch your toes! This is a great short video to stretch your legs and touch your toes. Very good, very easy and works very well! Thank you!😊 2:24 2:39 2:52 3:03 3:14 3:17 3:28
Easy to follow instructions that make sense. Thanks!!
I’m so excited to try these. Between age 61-62, I feel like my hamstrings seized up and the static stuff wasn’t working like it once did. I see now how very weak I am with the 1st exercise. Thanks for this explanation. You gave me new tools & motivation to get where I want to be. Thanks
Thank you so much! This is brilliant. The explanation was just perfect.
Thank you . Youre an excellent teacher
I haven’t worked on flexibility for a few years and have never been really flexible. The one exception is that, for some reason, I’m quite flexible in my Achilles tendons, so I’m able to take a quite long stance and keep my rear heel flat to the floor. I followed your suggestions here and found that I got some 3-4” closer to my toes. I sent this link to my wife also so she could try your exercises. I sent your link yesterday to a much younger guy (Early 40s? Much younger than me, mid ‘70s.) I just met who has very tight hamstrings. Trying to touch his toes, much of his movement came from his upper back. I think he should get immediate dramatic improvement.
Thank you. Definitely helpful. I will try again and again
YOU ARE a MASTER ! Best video on the subject, BAR NONE.
Thank you, I'm going to do this often.
Wow that really worked! Amazing!
Starting today. Will provide updates as I work through.
amazing video man, i run track in college and ive always struggled with hamstring tightness. I've never been able to touch my toes, i did your 2 exercises and was magically able to touch them, crazyyy. Thank you so much!
I love this!!! Excellent explanation, clear instructions and it worked! I got much further down! Thank you!! ❤
For the first time i heard Real explanations thanks you
This is a fantastic explanation of why and then how to fix it. First vid ever that makes sense.
I love your teachings!! I plan to buy your plan after I get paid next week!! Thanks for your help!
I needed this. Thank you.
This was amazingly helpful!!. Thank you so much!!. ❤