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Can you touch your toes?; I can't
Topic Started: Apr 2 2008, 05:38 PM (687 Views)
Kikki
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SnackPack
Apr 3 2008, 01:38 PM
How pathetic am I that I just stood up at work, bent over and touched my toes? :lol: I had no problem...and I'm wearing 3" heels.

Cartwheel? I don't think that's going to happen. I'm scared to try. Seeing that my right arm can't even bear my weight for something as simple as pushing up from the ground out of a sitting position, I don't think I'm going to try a cartwheel any time soon. :teehee:

Heels are actually cheating - its easier to do in heels, as long as you can keep your balance!

I can, but not well. hmmm... going to start a thread about yoga/pilates dvds.................................
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SnackPack
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Kikki
Apr 3 2008, 12:34 PM
SnackPack
Apr 3 2008, 01:38 PM
How pathetic am I that I just stood up at work, bent over and touched my toes?  :lol:  I had no problem...and I'm wearing 3" heels.

Cartwheel?  I don't think that's going to happen.  I'm scared to try.  Seeing that my right arm can't even bear my weight for something as simple as pushing up from the ground out of a sitting position, I don't think I'm going to try a cartwheel any time soon.  :teehee:

Heels are actually cheating - its easier to do in heels, as long as you can keep your balance!

I can, but not well. hmmm... going to start a thread about yoga/pilates dvds.................................

*hrmmmm....thinks about it* Yep, you're right. But I'm not crazy enough to take off my boots (3" heel but a 1" platform, so 2" total) at work. I don't think my co-workers would appreciate it.

I'm still quite confident that I can touch my toes. I'm also still confident that a cartwheel would be the death of me. :lol:
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Circuspony
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Trialbyfire
Apr 2 2008, 06:25 PM
I can put my palms flat on the floor with legs straight, and for the yoga students I can do a downward dog with my feet flat on the floor as well. But I can barely sit crosslegged, and a lotus position is something I only see in my dreams. Maybe someday.

Yoga and/or pilates (or a yoga-pilates fusion) is great for flexibility. I am really trying to get more flexibility in my hip joints with the specific goal of deepening my seat for riding. Who knows.....but worth trying, right?


Saaaame here, and my yoga teacher is always reminding me to work on my tight hips! I think having riding muscles - strong quads - must contribute to the hip tightness. In the summer we do a weekly yoga class at my barn, and all the riders seem to have the same thing going on, too.
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OpticalIllusion
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I can stand up and bend at the waist, keeping my knees straight, and put my palms flat on the ground :) I stretch a lot because of my back.
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SnackPack
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SnackPack
Apr 3 2008, 12:40 PM
Kikki
Apr 3 2008, 12:34 PM
SnackPack
Apr 3 2008, 01:38 PM
How pathetic am I that I just stood up at work, bent over and touched my toes?   :lol:   I had no problem...and I'm wearing 3" heels.

Cartwheel?  I don't think that's going to happen.  I'm scared to try.  Seeing that my right arm can't even bear my weight for something as simple as pushing up from the ground out of a sitting position, I don't think I'm going to try a cartwheel any time soon.   :teehee:

Heels are actually cheating - its easier to do in heels, as long as you can keep your balance!

I can, but not well. hmmm... going to start a thread about yoga/pilates dvds.................................

*hrmmmm....thinks about it* Yep, you're right. But I'm not crazy enough to take off my boots (3" heel but a 1" platform, so 2" total) at work. I don't think my co-workers would appreciate it.

I'm still quite confident that I can touch my toes. I'm also still confident that a cartwheel would be the death of me. :lol:

Being the complete and utter dork that I am...I went home, took my boots off and could easily touch the floor, not palm flat, but the length of my fingers could touch. Put the boots back on, tried again. While I could touch the floor, it wasn't nearly as easily. It was finger tips and a bit more. So then I started thinking. I'm not so sure heels make it easier. Now, I freely admit to being 'challenged' when it comes to maths, etc. But I drew this little thing and it would indicate that heels do not make it easier.

Posted Image

This of course, doesn't take into account the physics of what's going on in the muscle (heels contract and tighthen the gastrocnemius, the hamstrings and the glutes), but distance to the ground is further in heels. It feels easier to do flat footed and the results would indicate that it is, but I could be making the conclusion be what I think it should be. (I didn't change lengths of body parts on the little guy...I only changed the angle of the foot in relation to the body).

And yes...I spent way too much time thinking about this. I REALLY need to get a life. :lol:
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Trialbyfire
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LOL! You crack me up! But I will admit that I wondered about this, too....(not so much I donned heels, but maybe I will!)

I think there could be differences in how you use your muscles if you had heels on; e.g maybe more of the stretch would come from your hips v. hamstrings?

I do know that in yoga it's harder to do a downward-dog w/ feet flat than with heels up. So, presuming that if you were wearing heels, the same effort of "downward" position would be easier? Trying to decide if this is true...and would it still maintain it's truth if you simply tried to touch your toes straight down?

Hmmm......I feel a need to put on heels and experiment.
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SidesaddleRider
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Yep, I can touch my toes.

I can also put my ankles behind my head (if I'm sitting). Well, one at a time now. When I was younger I used to be able to do both at the same time.

Weird, I know. :lol:
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Sannois
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Melliebay
Apr 2 2008, 10:07 PM
JumpTheMoon
Apr 2 2008, 04:38 PM
I'm just wondering if I'm the only insanely inflexible person in here? I can't figure out if I'm SO inflexible because I ride, or because I am just plain old unfit. If I sit down, I can't reach half way down my shins without being in pain. Touching my toes is TOTALLY out of the question!!

I mean, I am pretty young and did dance and gymnastics and all that jazz when I was younger, but now I just feel pathetic. When I went to my moms personal trainer, she said I was the 2nd most inflexible person she'd worked with (after my mother of course!  :teehee:  :point:  ) and was amazed at how tight my hamstrings and hip flexors were. I would really love to be more flexible and am sure it would help me in the saddle.

So can you touch your toes? Someone make me feel better, please!  :lol:

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I can rest my entire palms on the floor with straight legs, and can reach PAST my toes in a sitting position. Get thee to YOGA young lady! :teehee:

I could do all that and more when I was 30 and even 40...
Thats all gone now. But I can touch my toes.
My inner thigh muscles seem to have contracted. pathetic! <_<
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RHowell
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I used to be able to reach 14" past my toes in the "V sit and reach" now I can get my palms onthe floor, but that's about it.
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OpticalIllusion
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SidesaddleRider
Apr 4 2008, 09:54 AM
Yep, I can touch my toes.

I can also put my ankles behind my head (if I'm sitting). Well, one at a time now. When I was younger I used to be able to do both at the same time.

Weird, I know. :lol:

Me too! Actually, its one of the things I do to stretch out my back, lay on my floor and roll my knees over my head.
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Little Diva
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Yes I can touch my toes....oh wait....

We have to be standing right??? ;) ;) :P :P :lol: :lol:
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