60yo retired firefighter. Many flexibility issues over the years. Great video, thanks. I like the breaking down of separate areas of potential limited movement to aid individual training needs analysis. I've been surprised to find that I have more lower back and hip flexor movement than expected. I've added this set to my daily exercise and will report back on progress after the month.
I'm always impressed how Will prioritises the point of working within your own limitations and gradually increase as your confidence and flexibility improves. And if in doubt, don't- ! 😊
I think my problem is tight hamstrings. But at age 71 I feel very fortunate to not have any pain anywhere. I walk 90 minutes each day and every other day I do resistant training and weight lifting. I'm also fortunate to never have fallen. I have lost my balance but so far I have been very good at recovering it. My goal now is working on improving my muscle mass. After 3 years keto I am now mostly carnivore and have concentrated on consuming lots of protein. I enjoy watching the vids & I have subscribed.
Hello Will, I'm 60 yo female from Australia. I don't know why, but I have always been able to touch my toes with ease, and if I do it a few times, I can get my fingers on the floor. I don't know why this is because I'm a little over weight, not particularly mobile and have mild back pain in different areas. Something I'm 'blessed' with perhaps?! If nothing else, it's a good way to win a bet with friends around my age! Your information is always clear and easy to understand, so thanks.
I have had a painful groin for about a month. So finding it hard to do this but I can't wait to try once the groin pain is gone. Thanks for all you do to help us🙏
It's also very important for the chin to stay high throughout the movement so that the lumbar spine is not flexed to the degree it causes low back pain.
Another reason for not being able to touch one’s toes is due to ‘fat’ stomach or large breasts! In which case sitting on the floor with your legs apart, not necessarily full box splits, but just wide enough, can help with being able to get your hands towards the floor and increase flexibility.
@@user-ov4wr5yu4r indeed, even in early pregnancy it’s hard to bend over, but I don’t think there will be too many ladies in that condition in Will’s over 50’s target group 😃
Ah well, I'm a walking mess of arthritis but this is one thing I can still do. Over the years as squatting and getting down on the floor have got harder and harder I've continued to bend over to pick up small things (nothing heavy, no) so I've never lost that particular flexibility. Classic case of keep doing it or lose it I suspect. I'm following several of your other videos to work on my worst problem areas though and finding them very useful. Thank you for making them so approachable.
I'm fortunate in that I've always been able to place my hands flat on the floor in front of my feet, with my legs straight, ever since I was a kid. I'm now in my late sixties and can still do it easily. I remember being puzzled in high school when classmates couldn't touch their toes in gym class. Maybe I'm just more flexible than average. No doctor has ever commented on it, so I don't know.
Definitely genetics. I come from a very large family. Nearly all, including nieces and nephews, are severely limited in flexibility. But I keep trying. @@reneeelizabeth302
As you talked about the 4 reasons why people can't touch the floo😢r, it became a university type test. Flexible back- fail; Flexible hips- fail, Flexible hamstrings- fail; Flexible sciatic-fail. Total score: 0😢. I even failed the bonus question- Flexible leg tendons- yup failed again. Willingness to slowly( at my pace) improve makes up for the zeroes. Thanks for your videos .
I've been stretching my hamstrings almost every day for a year now, and I'm still nowhere closer to touching my toes. And I really make sure to feel the stretch in the hamstrings. A lot of channels claim that the problem isn't fixed by stretching, but by strengthening the glutes. What's your take on this?
Excellent video! I do have a request: Could you - at some point during each of the exercise demos - put the full # of reps & #of seconds? This kind of summary would provide a visual nutshell (to us more visual learners who don’t absorb the verbal content quite so well). Thanks for considering my suggestion.😊
I do, but can I describe it? Place thick towel or similar soft squishy cloth on the floor. Kneel on it with a bent knee. Place your other foot on the floor in front, both knees are bent 90 degrees. Ok, next "rock" your pelvis, by pushing your pubic bone up and forward, tucking your buttocks under. Glutes should engage. Refer to videos on fixing anterior pelvic tilt if it's not working. Lastly, with your pelvis nicely rocked, move the pelvis slowly straight forward, causing the front knee to bend more. Breathe in and out slowly 3 times. Slowly reverse, and switch legs. I hope that helps. You can also try it standing in a lunge with the back leg straight, but hold onto something sturdy. 😊
I can’t bend my left leg to reach my toes to clip my toenails. I have to stretch out my arms over a stretched out left leg, but that’s hard to do. I have left hip arthritis. My right leg/hip are fine. I will try these exercises. Hope they help. Thank you.
Fifth thing: HIGH SHOULDERS. You really need to sleep on your chin/ribcage with the hands in a W pattern or up/forward (crucially) so that the shoulders can naturally move up and forward.
Hey Will, tried reaching you but didn’t find any luck. I have a l5 s1 disc bulge/herniation(sciatica). the symptoms have gotten way better. but when i go to the toilet to urinate or poop i feel a little bit of pain/ tingly sensation in my toe. it that normal?
Because I'm hypermobile, even at 70, I can still touch my toes and the floor with my clenched fists quite easily. Because of this, I tend to see it as normal and wonder why others can't still do it. Hmm.
Hi, Will, from Vancouver island, Canada! Your videos have been very helpful, clear and concise. I am looking through to see if you have any to help me regain the ability to carry a backpack for long distance hiking/camping--Canterbury to Rome and other treks. I have chronic back problems/pain, so using your exercises to help strengthen, reduce pain, etc. Do you have some exercise suggestions I could do so I can lift a 25-30 pound pack onto my back safely and carry it? Also looking at possibly using a trolley cart attached to waist belt if I can't carry pack.
Hi Wendy, I'm on Van-Isle as well and do trail walking with a backpack. I'm almost into my 70's and what I find works is sitting (log, stump, car seat, tailgate, etc ) with my backpack behind me. I do arms first and then the waist strap and finally, the sternum strap. I lean forward and straighten my legs and back at the same time to a standing position. I'm not a lightweight camper so my pack is a little closer to 40-50 lbs but this way seems to work.
Hello Will ,I love your exercises for streching and find them very useful. Could you suggest some exercises to help me to kneel on my calves with the buttocks nestled between the legs on the floor. I could this few years back but unable to do them these days. I would be grateful if you help me get to this mobility. This is called the thunderbolt pose or vajraasana in Yoga.Thanks a ton in advance.
Good morning, Will. I think this was like strike 3 out of the 4. Big, fat bummer, man! Lower back, problem that I work on daily. Hamstrings, I don't know what the deal is there. Hips, I try and try to stretch them... Anyway, I love your explanation of the stretches. Very simple and concise, easy to follow. Thank you for sharing your work with us.
great ideas. Here is my problem. when a person is very-very fat, the belly pulls forward and causes abnormal back arch and so flexibility is horrible forward. also when bending forward the large belly/abdomen is in the way. Same for flexing knee, I cannot bring it to my chest because belly is in the way. How then do I work on flexing and increasing both forward back and upward knees?( i am able to lay on floor and put leg up wall for hamstring stretch...This is the only move I can do.) any ideas how to do the others?
Many men have been unable to touch their toes since their teens. During growth spurts, the long bones can grow very quickly and pull the muscles (especially the hamstrings) tight. If you arent doing flexibility work during this time of your life, you can end up with tight, 'short' hamstrings forever.
I could never touch my toes, and at 5'5" I never had much of a growth spurt. I was active in sports, and I stretched like crazy. Same for my 5 foot sister, who desperately wanted to be a cheerleader. My other sister, unathletic and a bit fat, could put her palms flat on the ground.
Well now, let's see if this works. I am 84 and can't even remember if I was ever able to touch my toes. I am serious when I say I am going to follow this advice and see what happens!!!!
I have never been able to touch my feet. My lower back has always been quite stiff, but I have no trouble reaching the floor in the first exercise. I was operated for a herniated disc in the lower back at 30.
Hi Will, thanks for your very helpful videos! Fyi, UA-cam unsubscribes me from your channel almost daily, so I have to re-subscribe. I don't know why this happens.
Great I will try and get back to you with a video. I can go just 6 inches above my ankle. I will share a video before and after the streaches. I am 68 years old.
I had hip replacement surgery a month ago and I am going to be excited to work with these exercises as soon as my hip precautions are lifted. Thank you for the great info
60yo retired firefighter. Many flexibility issues over the years. Great video, thanks. I like the breaking down of separate areas of potential limited movement to aid individual training needs analysis. I've been surprised to find that I have more lower back and hip flexor movement than expected. I've added this set to my daily exercise and will report back on progress after the month.
Thank you for your feedback I'm glad my approach worked for you! I hope the exercises help
What happened?
I'm always impressed how Will prioritises the point of working within your own limitations and gradually increase as your confidence and flexibility improves. And if in doubt, don't- ! 😊
Absolutely - everyone is different and it's important to find what works for you!
I think my problem is tight hamstrings. But at age 71 I feel very fortunate to not have any pain anywhere. I walk 90 minutes each day and every other day I do resistant training and weight lifting. I'm also fortunate to never have fallen. I have lost my balance but so far I have been very good at recovering it. My goal now is working on improving my muscle mass. After 3 years keto I am now mostly carnivore and have concentrated on consuming lots of protein. I enjoy watching the vids & I have subscribed.
Keep up the great work it sounds like you're doing a great job!
I can touch my toes. I just want to keep this ability. Thanks for the video.❤
Keep up the great work!
🍃🌼
Will Harlow,
I enjoy your presentation.
Your instructions are clear, easy to comprehend, and motivating.
From Queensland Australia...
🍃"Thank You"🍃
Thank you for your kind comment!
🍃🌤 All Good,
Keep up the excellent work 😊
🍃💛🍃
Hi Will ,I follow your videos and able to regain my strength in legs.
That's great to hear!
Hello Will, I'm 60 yo female from Australia. I don't know why, but I have always been able to touch my toes with ease, and if I do it a few times, I can get my fingers on the floor. I don't know why this is because I'm a little over weight, not particularly mobile and have mild back pain in different areas. Something I'm 'blessed' with perhaps?! If nothing else, it's a good way to win a bet with friends around my age! Your information is always clear and easy to understand, so thanks.
That's great! A good sign of flexibility and a good party trick!
I have had a painful groin for about a month. So finding it hard to do this but I can't wait to try once the groin pain is gone. Thanks for all you do to help us🙏
Wishing you all the best in your recovery!
It's also very important for the chin to stay high throughout the movement so that the lumbar spine is not flexed to the degree it causes low back pain.
Why? What is the cause of the 'low back pain' you mention?
Another reason for not being able to touch one’s toes is due to ‘fat’ stomach or large breasts! In which case sitting on the floor with your legs apart, not necessarily full box splits, but just wide enough, can help with being able to get your hands towards the floor and increase flexibility.
Or advanced pregnancy. 😊
@@user-ov4wr5yu4r indeed, even in early pregnancy it’s hard to bend over, but I don’t think there will be too many ladies in that condition in Will’s over 50’s target group 😃
If you're over 50 and heavily pregnant - good luck!
I have never been flexible, even when young and athletic. I’m still going to try this. ☺️
Flexibility takes practice as you get older no matter who you are. Some people have kept up their practice their entire lives, others have not.
Thank you this is just what I need 😊
You're welcome!
Great explanation, thanks so much, I'm going to try it now!!!
Appreciate your time and input.
Wishing you all the best!
Great easy to follow video, thanks so grateful!!
Happy to help!
Jeepers, I've NEVER been able to touch my toes! I'll try this Will 😊
Wishing you all the best!
Ah well, I'm a walking mess of arthritis but this is one thing I can still do. Over the years as squatting and getting down on the floor have got harder and harder I've continued to bend over to pick up small things (nothing heavy, no) so I've never lost that particular flexibility. Classic case of keep doing it or lose it I suspect. I'm following several of your other videos to work on my worst problem areas though and finding them very useful. Thank you for making them so approachable.
I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling but I pleased my videos have been helping in other areas!
I'm fortunate in that I've always been able to place my hands flat on the floor in front of my feet, with my legs straight, ever since I was a kid. I'm now in my late sixties and can still do it easily. I remember being puzzled in high school when classmates couldn't touch their toes in gym class. Maybe I'm just more flexible than average. No doctor has ever commented on it, so I don't know.
I know people who can do that too. I think a lot of it is genetics.
@@reneeelizabeth302 I agree.
Definitely genetics. I come from a very large family. Nearly all, including nieces and nephews, are severely limited in flexibility. But I keep trying. @@reneeelizabeth302
Much appreciated! Thanks for decomposing in 4 steps. Let us see if after some decades I will finally manage 💪
Wishing you all the best!
As you talked about the 4 reasons why people can't touch the floo😢r, it became a university type test. Flexible back- fail; Flexible hips- fail, Flexible hamstrings- fail; Flexible sciatic-fail. Total score: 0😢. I even failed the bonus question- Flexible leg tendons- yup failed again. Willingness to slowly( at my pace) improve makes up for the zeroes. Thanks for your videos .
Going at your own pace is the most important thing - slow and steady is always better than nothing!
Thank you very much for your videos, very useful.
Could you show exercises for spinal stenosis. Thank you in advance.
I've been stretching my hamstrings almost every day for a year now, and I'm still nowhere closer to touching my toes. And I really make sure to feel the stretch in the hamstrings.
A lot of channels claim that the problem isn't fixed by stretching, but by strengthening the glutes. What's your take on this?
Would be nice to see some reports on how people have done since they started.
Thank you so much for all the useful videos 🙏
You're more than welcome
Touching my toes hasn’t ever been a problem. Putting my elbows to the floor was easy about thirty years ago. I can still come fairly close.
Keep up the great work!
Im 78. I can still touch my toes but my late husband called me spider arms! I still want to do the exercises for hip pain. Thanks❤
Keep up the great work!
Excellent video! I do have a request: Could you - at some point during each of the exercise demos - put the full # of reps & #of seconds? This kind of summary would provide a visual nutshell (to us more visual learners who don’t absorb the verbal content quite so well). Thanks for considering my suggestion.😊
Hi there - thank you for your comment! I'll definitely take your suggestion onboard when planning my future videos!
This is really awesome, Thank you so much!!!!!
I accept the challenge! Four weeks it is. This 75 year old body is going to do it. 😅
Do you have any suggestions for stretching the quads that are safe for people with balance issues. Thanks, Ken
I do, but can I describe it? Place thick towel or similar soft squishy cloth on the floor. Kneel on it with a bent knee. Place your other foot on the floor in front, both knees are bent 90 degrees. Ok, next "rock" your pelvis, by pushing your pubic bone up and forward, tucking your buttocks under. Glutes should engage. Refer to videos on fixing anterior pelvic tilt if it's not working. Lastly, with your pelvis nicely rocked, move the pelvis slowly straight forward, causing the front knee to bend more. Breathe in and out slowly 3 times. Slowly reverse, and switch legs. I hope that helps. You can also try it standing in a lunge with the back leg straight, but hold onto something sturdy. 😊
I cannot bridge anymore. Any easy exercises to help?
If one has Bursitis,can they do the 4 exercises that allow one to bend and reaches the toes
I love all your exercises and I do them every day They have increased my flexibility I got your book also which is very useful
That's fantastic to hear! I'm so glad they have helped - and thank you for your support!
I already have pins needles numbness and cant touch toes 😮
Is it possible to do the "flossing" exercise while standing straight up against a wall?
I can’t bend my left leg to reach my toes to clip my toenails. I have to stretch out my arms over a stretched out left leg, but that’s hard to do. I have left hip arthritis. My right leg/hip are fine. I will try these exercises. Hope they help. Thank you.
Wishing you all the best!
I'm 50. Can I still do it ?
The first exercise of standing and touching the feet is difficult for old people like me. The rest are ok
My hamstrings are hard like a rock 😫.
Fifth thing: HIGH SHOULDERS. You really need to sleep on your chin/ribcage with the hands in a W pattern or up/forward (crucially) so that the shoulders can naturally move up and forward.
I shouldn’t even try this since I have had low back herniated disc
I can touch my toe without problem from any position but have a pain in streaching up and keep upward when I am walking.
Hey Will, tried reaching you but didn’t find any luck. I have a l5 s1 disc bulge/herniation(sciatica). the symptoms have gotten way better. but when i go to the toilet to urinate or poop i feel a little bit of pain/ tingly sensation in my toe. it that normal?
So handsome 😍
I'll touch everything in 4 days💪
Such an attractive guy! Love your videos - always very well articulated.
Very hot therapist
Because I'm hypermobile, even at 70, I can still touch my toes and the floor with my clenched fists quite easily. Because of this, I tend to see it as normal and wonder why others can't still do it.
Hmm.
Did you took the mark of the beast?
Hi, Will, from Vancouver island, Canada! Your videos have been very helpful, clear and concise. I am looking through to see if you have any to help me regain the ability to carry a backpack for long distance hiking/camping--Canterbury to Rome and other treks. I have chronic back problems/pain, so using your exercises to help strengthen, reduce pain, etc. Do you have some exercise suggestions I could do so I can lift a 25-30 pound pack onto my back safely and carry it? Also looking at possibly using a trolley cart attached to waist belt if I can't carry pack.
Hi Wendy,
I'm on Van-Isle as well and do trail walking with a backpack. I'm almost into my 70's and what I find works is sitting (log, stump, car seat, tailgate, etc ) with my backpack behind me.
I do arms first and then the waist strap and finally, the sternum strap. I lean forward and straighten my legs and back at the same time to a standing position.
I'm not a lightweight camper so my pack is a little closer to 40-50 lbs but this way seems to work.
Thank you!! I will try it that way
Hello Will ,I love your exercises for streching and find them very useful. Could you suggest some exercises to help me to kneel on my calves with the buttocks nestled between the legs on the floor. I could this few years back but unable to do them these days. I would be grateful if you help me get to this mobility. This is called the thunderbolt pose or vajraasana in Yoga.Thanks a ton in advance.
Good morning, Will.
I think this was like strike 3 out of the 4. Big, fat bummer, man! Lower back, problem that I work on daily. Hamstrings, I don't know what the deal is there. Hips, I try and try to stretch them...
Anyway, I love your explanation of the stretches. Very simple and concise, easy to follow. Thank you for sharing your work with us.
great ideas. Here is my problem. when a person is very-very fat, the belly pulls forward and causes abnormal back arch and so flexibility is horrible forward. also when bending forward the large belly/abdomen is in the way. Same for flexing knee, I cannot bring it to my chest because belly is in the way. How then do I work on flexing and increasing both forward back and upward knees?( i am able to lay on floor and put leg up wall for hamstring stretch...This is the only move I can do.) any ideas how to do the others?
"one of four thing stopping you" then skips.
Many men have been unable to touch their toes since their teens. During growth spurts, the long bones can grow very quickly and pull the muscles (especially the hamstrings) tight. If you arent doing flexibility work during this time of your life, you can end up with tight, 'short' hamstrings forever.
I could never touch my toes, and at 5'5" I never had much of a growth spurt. I was active in sports, and I stretched like crazy. Same for my 5 foot sister, who desperately wanted to be a cheerleader. My other sister, unathletic and a bit fat, could put her palms flat on the ground.
Can I do this as a 20 year old?
Do it in 4 minutes after a run. 😁
Thank you for setting realistic expectations!
Always!
Well now, let's see if this works. I am 84 and can't even remember if I was ever able to touch my toes. I am serious when I say I am going to follow this advice and see what happens!!!!
I hope it proves beneficial for you - I'm wishing you all the best!
I am the 12%.
The stiffness in my left hip POST total hip replacement is the only thing touching my toes (or specifically putting on my left sock). So anno
I have never been able to touch my feet. My lower back has always been quite stiff, but I have no trouble reaching the floor in the first exercise. I was operated for a herniated disc in the lower back at 30.
I had tkr b/l 2 yrs. back. can I do these exercises.
My Hammies thank you.
Hi Will, thanks for your very helpful videos! Fyi, UA-cam unsubscribes me from your channel almost daily, so I have to re-subscribe. I don't know why this happens.
That's very strange! I'm not sure why that happens - I'm glad you're still here though!
Great I will try and get back to you with a video. I can go just 6 inches above my ankle. I will share a video before and after the streaches. I am 68 years old.
Wishing you all the best!
I love this one
I had hip replacement surgery a month ago and I am going to be excited to work with these exercises as soon as my hip precautions are lifted. Thank you for the great info
Wishing you all the best in your recovery!
Will like all your Videos are very clear and hElpful. Got your book!
Thank you for your support!
❤
Even as a child I was not able to touch my toes with my legs straight.