Best Way to Improve Flexibility (NOT Stretching!)

I always had incredibly tight hamstrings my whole life. When I turned 50 I started weightlifting and by the time I had my check up at 51 I could touch my toes. Mind you I hadn't been able to touch my toes since I was about eight.

My ballet teacher always said that being flexible is great, but not if you don’t have the strength to back it up.

I adore this channel I'm 48, I'm a personal trainer who works in disability and aging population. Thank you for all you bring. Down to earth and straight to the point without all the personal fluff ❤

Every time you say, 'Very often in people over 50 . . . ' I want to shout out to the screen, ' YES, that's exactly how it is!' You REALLY understand us!

It's always funny when given the advice to "contact your doctor before....". Drs (GPs) are my last go to. Ever. Lol.

I'm 71. These look like EXCELLENT exercises for someone like myself. Thanks very much for making us aware of eccentric exercises!

I have 3 favourite channels and this is one of them. I have ordered Will’s book 2nd time. A brilliant young man who through his program I am able to walk with my head up and and look 15 ft in front of me. Thank you Will ❤

This is the best video I have seen on how to start a weight lifting program for seniors. I want so much to work out at the gym, but I have no idea how to begin. I watch people and try to imitate. Please make more videos on weight lifting routines that we can follow at a beginner level. You showed us the form and how not to injure ourselves. It's the first time I hear of the concept of stretching without strengthening as a waste of time and effort and I agree fully with you. Thank you Thank you so so much for helping us seniors out here!!

These videos by Will are EXCELLENT. well presented, clear and he knows precisely the issues that are impacting his audience….AND provides tailored, quality content to address them. I would like to say it is my favourite channel….the hard truth is I am watching because this is advice geared towards my issues ….it’s becoming my “most watched” and is most appreciated. Thank you.

Frankly, upon reading the notification for this video, and then listening to the introduction, i didn't expect it to work. Don't know why. But i didn't believe in it. But, i kept an open mind and gave it a try. Result: 1) you totally changed my mind! I could feel a huge difference on the first moves first rep! 2) more please! Now i know the effectiveness of thus, please do more videos on this topic for different muscle groups. 3) Reps? Sets? 48 hours apart? Well, truth is, it will take me a while to get there! Wow! And, i should add, I've been regularly stretching, so that most stretches are nothing fir me, my entire life! These moves are beyond "very" effective!

Like the use of insert graphic Close Ups, making it easier to see the exercise in better detail.

This shoulder exercise is brilliant. By using the opposite hand to bring the weight up it doesn’t irritate my shoulder but I still feel like I’m working it. as someone said in a comment earlier, you really understand us and that’s exactly how I feel myself. So maybe I should say you’re brilliant. Thank you.

Certainly my favourite channel. Very precise, effective and provides results. Beauty of Will is he responds to each and every question the viewers put forth.

48 yo, I’ve tried eccentric training over the past year. I feel stronger and more flexible than ever. Great advice here, definitely worth a try. Keep the muscle under tension for the whole set, and use a weight / effort that gets hard to continue around 30 seconds in. You only need a handful of sets / week to get great results. Good luck! ❤

I’ve been working out like this and it feels amazing. I didn’t know it improved flexibility. I’m 49 and recovering from MANY injuries and this just felt like the way to go. Injuries that I’ve had for 30 years aren’t bothering me anymore, my back will let me do things I’ve avoided for 30 years. My body feels better than it did when I was 20. I haven’t been stretching and haven’t felt the need to, my body just feels good. I was primarily a runner, starting when I was 13, a cyclist, trail runner, yogi, dancer, etc. I lifted a lot in high school and college, but usually about 30 reps a set. I never developed enough strength, or the right kind of strength to prevent and rehab injuries.

Oh Will, many years ago The San Jose Mercury in the SF Bay Area ran a "Personal Trainer" column in their paper. I would clip and save them all. This one was FOR EVERYDAY WEIGHTLIFTER, ONE SET OF REPS MAY BE ENOUGH" (i.e for the average Joe & Jane Public at Gyms). They took 2 groups going to the gym 3 days a week, 8 to 12 reps, all the major muscle groups. The first group spending 60 minutes in the Gym doing doing 3 sets per muscle group, and the second group spending only 25 minutes doing the above but ONLY doing ONE set. Guess what...the group that were doing 3 sets, in a 3 month follow-up study, BODY FAT, MUSCLE SIZE , no significant between the two groups improvement, STRENGTH & ENDURANCE, The 3 Sets groups' improvement was only 2 % better than the ONE set groups. So, they concluded we spend so much time doing 3 sets, time which we can do other fun exercises, for example, Swimming, walking, Cardio, Sports Hula Hoop or even playing Bobby Fischer Chess960. So, I do only ONE set. They listed the SOURCES as: University of Florida reported in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, a journal published by the American College of Sports Medicine; REUTERS So Will, WHADOYAHTHINK?🙃🙂 I'd love to hear. Thanks in advance.

Luv the idea of this type of flexability. Three legends in bodybuilding come to mind as you demo the Romanian Deadlift: *Tom Platz just bcuz he was SO over the top. Had legs like sides of beef *Mike Mentzer in terms of resting and muscle growth( not necessarily the soreness aspect as pump and soreness do not necessarily mean growth. Maxing followed by adequate rest between workouts is the recipe for laying down more meat) *Jackie Paisley was a big promoter of stretching and eccentrics for definition. Enhances blood supply to muscles

Ideally, warm up (with movement) before stretching

I'm starting to apply eccentricity to all my exercises. My shoulder is also my Achilles' Heel. 😉

You explain so very well and your exercices are so helpful. Just wonderful!