I have the exact opposite problem, haha. Years of heavy powerlifting made my muscles strong but also tight and inflexible. It also taught me to hold my breath during the most difficult moments. Yoga is an amazing way to balance out the heavy strength training I do, just like a little strength training will be an amazing balance to flexible yogis :)
It’s not actually your muscles that are tight. It’s the membrane (fascia) around them that tightens up, in order to hold them in place, because your brain knows that you’re only strong within whatever your bench/squat/deadlift range of motion is. It’s also why certain powerlifters develop that walk as though they’re carrying watermelons under each arm. No, it’s not because they’re lats are heuuuge. I noticed when I increased my range of motion that that Frankenstein walk went away
Strength training doesn’t make you tight or inflexible. In fact, if you can perform squats, bench presses, and deadlifts with proper form, you’re already demonstrating sufficient mobility and agility for most human activities. What you perceived as tightness or inflexibility likely stems from having specific personal mobility demands that strength training alone wasn’t designed to address. Expecting it to fulfill those specialized needs is a common misconception. For the majority of people, strength training provides all the flexibility they require for their day-to-day lives.
@@Russocass Kudos for the well written response. I agree, strength training with good ROM doesn't cause inflexibility or tightness in most basic human movements (hip hinge, squat, etc.). But, as you say, there are use cases where strength training by itself provides insufficient flexibility. E.g., sitting cross legged for prolonged time during meditation or reaching certain holds in climbing. Adding some yoga to my strength training seemed to help with achieving these "more than basic" human movements, safely and effectively. Also I've found it oddly useful to do a practice like yoga which teaches relaxation and moving with the breath, in addition a sport that's all about "GET TIGHT!" aka powerlifting. For general activity, and also in the bedroom. Just my 2 cents :)
The yoga teachers I follow keep emphasising to never push or pull muscles pass the edge. Yoga is a brilliant and safe practice if you leave the ego behind.
So glad you made this video. I struggled for years with hamstring and hip issues and kept stretching my hamstrings thinking that was the issue. After a pretty serious hamstring strain teaching kickboxing class I couldn't walk, sit or stand without pain. Finally went to a really great physical therapist and he told I needed to focus on strength for my hamstrings and that's changed everything. He also mentioned he saw yoga instructors all the time for "yoga butt." Love your content!
Totally. I tried years of stretching my hams and made nó progress and then I started instead to strengthen ...immnotnsure exactly whatnits called but instead of stretchingnthe back of my leg i was pushingnthe frontnof my leg upwards...at first on the ground pressing against my hands for resistance and then standing up lifting my leg up as we had done in ballet Years ago. And suddenly with the front being strong the back was able to relax and not be taking all the weight. I didnt realise how weak the front of my legs were. A few weeks of that did more for my has relaxing and being able to stretching and elongate than Years of stretching ever did. I also strengthened my butt and other things along the way and now if I want to stretching something instead of that I do the opposite and push to strengthen the opposite muscle i guess. It worked for My shoulders too. I wanted to stretch it the way my other arm would stretch and actually just pressing in the opposite direction and strengthening the outside muscle helped the others to relax and become normal. Unfortunately my physio didnt give me those and the ones he gave me were stretching at the very point which was so weak and so tight and it didnt help at all.
I remember Adriene mentioning to not always keep your legs completely straight when stretching the hamstrings, because then all the "pull" is on the ends of your muscles. Instead she suggested bending the knees a little because that supposedly stretches the mid part of the muscle. Not sure if that is actually true, but what you said reminded me of that. Super interesting, thank you!
That’s more to do with not stretching the sciatic nerve. When the legs are straight you’ll feel the pull down the whole leg into the calf. That’s the sciatic nerve. Bending the knee isolates the hamstrings, but not specifically the mid muscle.
@@thenayancat8802 I'm not going to say this is the case because I don't know the physiology well enough. But hypothetically if bending your joint (knee) allows your muscle (hamstring) to be less firmly pressed against the bone (femur), then there could be less friction between the bone and muscle, and such friction difference would change the evenness of the stretch within the muscle.
Finding the balance between strength/flex, challenge/restorative, up/down, needs to be focused on with each pose, every moment….while clearing your head of any other thoughts…..it’s tricky.
I had the same injury from a very popular, IG influencer yoga teacher physically PUSHING down on me while in the same pose. It took me a year and a half to heal!
I’m pro damcer and your knowledge has helped a lot. Years ago, a dancer routine comprised a lot of misunderstandings, empirical wrong concepts, overstretching, no lifting, etc…a lot of injuries, traumatic and chronical, were caused by all that. Thanks God things have been chamged and you play a special role, thank you
hey i apologise in advance for being long winded .just read your comment im a 33 year old male ..when i was 21 and a half i got into a modern dance academy it was my goal to become a dancer ...the main method they used to train us was ballet ..so i did loads of ballet classes beginner classes and advanced classes all day long mate prior to me getting into this academy i had no no previous experience in anything athletic or dance related none i just happened to have good proportions and i was slim and posessed a modicum of potential but i lacked mobillity and flexibility and had no idea how to train my body i jusr copied the typical stretching excersises modern and ballet dancers do .did abdominal excersises yoga and pilates plus the classes..... i never really managd to get flexible and mobile enough for a dancer or any other type of athlete for that matter that requires flexibility i developed problems in my kness right elbow and wrist ...ligament damage in my right knee and right ankle specifcly ...plus back issues ....as for my career i only made it as far as semi proffesional before injurys issues with concentration and performance anxiety brought me down ....im sorry if its daft to ask you via the youtube comment setction but there are so many different training modalitys for strength slash flexibility ,mobility and injury rehab .. i find the sheer variety overwhelming how should i go about trainng and treating my body ? because its so exauhsting figuring out how to train around injurys .. what would you do in my position ?
@@ashley-fk6dp Hi, I do apologize for this extra late reply. So..,a LOT of dancers have these injuries, as athletes do. I would suggest you look for a physiotherapist, one who deala with athletes in pro clubs, their abilities and knowledge are daily put to test as they deal with all possible injuries caused by different sports, some very tough to heal, what is better than being treated by those who deal with average public. Rest, eat healthier, take timw to be healed and you’ll be ok: I went through that many times (plus being a dancer, I sail, climb and swim), so you can guess how many injuries…) and it works. This channel is fantastic, keep watching and you’ll be fine!
I learned I was suffering from yoga butt thanks to one of your Instagram post about this a few years ago, and you even answered to my comment and recommended I started strength training... which was the beginning of my fitness journey! You changed my life Liv, keep being awesome 😊❤✨
@@makarov9480 depends, are you only stretching your hip? Are you doing the stretch correctly? Aren't you overstretching? Do you dtrenghten your hip regularly? Keep in mind, muscles can tighten when too weak or at an incorrect posture for extensive amount of time. If you are experiencing pain and such see a physiotherapist.
Thank you for highlighting this.. actually in ashtanga (traditional) training (I’ve been a practitioner for over 7 years), we always put an emphasis on strength of the quads and engaging the calf muscles and we always bring awareness to protecting the hamstrings.. for beginners, my mentors taught me this and now I try my best to pass it on to my students is staying longer in poses like utkattasana (chair pose), warriors, uttita hasta padangushtasana (hand to big toe one leg balance) It’s always about finding that point connecting balance, strength and flexibility and never over stretch… also in iyengar philosophy, over stretching or obsessing about flexibility is a form of ego that we need to get rid of first before we are ready to embrace the yoga path
@@mereen750 That's what I thought, and I went as hard as I could, pushing my limits, so that I'd get my splits for a performance. It just resulted in not being able to stretch at all for a few weeks after said performance, and then I had to be super careful in positions that were way more shallow than where I'd initially started. I eventually got my splits again a few years later through strengthening and gentle stretches every other day at most, and I've been able to maintain my flexibility ever since. I was easily the most flexible person at my yoga teacher training, and luckily, our trainers emphasized engaging muscles especially in certain deep asanas. We were also encouraged to slowly come out of positions that felt uncomfortable or "wrong" - so many teachers will tell yogis and yoginis to just keep going deeper and harder and breathe into the pain, no matter how bad. In my experience, it's important to listen to our own bodies. Sometimes during my practice, I stay in a shallow position or do the "easier" version of a stretch because that's what my body needs that day.
Fellow instructor here - altho much older than you. Been a FitPro for 40 years and now specialise in Healthy Ageing - alongside my regular and very varied work. May I complement you. Just found you via some happy algorithm and I’m so impressed with your knowledge & competence. I’ve learned , re- learned and been reassured of my own competency and currency from you - plus you’re a joy to listen to and inspiring to observe! Thank you 🙏🏼🤗
So important!! For me it was when I started ballet as a teenager and - as a very non-flexible person - stretched for my splits every day. With NO knowledge of needing to strengthen also.
I am 47, and about 2 years ago I watched some youtube videos on how to do a straddle split, and was trying to get into straddle split. I ended up injuring my hips :) Luckily, I have recovered now, and am continuing my journey at my own pace :)
This is EXACTLY what happened to me! In a front split!!! And yes, it didn’t really hurt but two months later, I’m still feeling yoga butt! Thank you SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO!
Yes! It’s all about BALANCE 😊 I was the opposite, I was mainly a strength exercise person so would get injuries from not relaxing and stretching out my muscles! Now I’ve added yoga and mobility I haven’t had any injury in YEARS. Vary our exercise just like our diets for the best health ❤
OMGGGGG!!! I am just starting my stretching / mobility journey and this video has saved me some "potential" injuries! I am binging on your channel right now! Great great content!
Love my yoga practice, but couldn't imagine just doing yoga without also lifting, walking/hills, hiking. Glad you made this video to bring awareness to more people.
Thank you, I've been doing yoga on and off for over a decade and I've never heard anyone talk about this. Going from here to a hamstring strengthening video!
I don't do yoga, but I'm a soccer fan. I was doing stretches for my hamstrings stiffness and it wasn't getting better at all. This video you made makes sense. I started to workout functional, with different exercises and it has improved my hamstrings. Both stretching and strengthening must be made regularly and carefully to avoid injuries. Thanks for the video!
thank you so much for this video! I had this exact problem last year because I only stretched and didn't do any strength training. I ended up having to do months of physiotherapy and couldn't do yoga for a long time. now I no longer feel the pain and I balance yoga with weightlifting at the gym, with lots of exercises focused on the hamstrings. and for a long time I didn't know what it was and nobody talked about it, so thank you again for sharing this, lov your channel!
You are pointing out what many of us have discovered. The teacher who got me into strength training was Kathryn Bruni-Young. She experienced exactly the same thing. Some in the yoga world are in an "unbridled pursuit of flexibility", as Leslie Kaminoff said!
I had this exact thing TWICE! It happened while stretching in dance class at drama school. I got the injury on one side and six months later on the other side. It took forever to heal and I lost a lot of flexibility. I never understood why it happened because both times I was warmed up properly and I had done these stretches before. So thank you for this video! It explained a lot!
Omg! I'm an ex ballet dancer that is continuing with yoga and yep, this sounds all to familiar! thank you so much for raising a discussion on this and clarifying!❤👏👏
Thanks for the clarification of stretching vs strengthening and how we need both. I'm a runner and have recently done a couple of your videos and like how I'm much less stiff. But this cautions me to not neglect the strengthening exercises. Great video
I am so glad you made us aware of this condition because my hamstrings were becoming so flexible to the point where I was thinking am I over doing this. I get injured easily as well and so I backed off with the hamstring stretches and would like to think just in time!
I cannot thank you enough for this video , literally I have this problem right now , trying to get a forward split thinking my hamstring needs more stretching ! Wandering why it’s always a niggling pain. Off to do more research. Great content definitely my favourite yoga influencer 👍 honest sound realistic advice
You're a gem, ehlers danlos guy, hypermobile yet locked up by scar tissue. I love the way you opened up about your journey. Inspiring. I think life should not be so painful.
At last! Someone who said the truth about how to train your muscles properly. Im very happy that you share it! I have been at that situation and i found the solution after 1 year of wondering, searching and visiting physiotherapists. You cannot do strength or stretching only, to save time. The recipe is simple. Strength + Stretch = good habits for health body. You have to do both...
Wow! Thank you so much. I am 55 and I have always followed my own intuition in terms of exercise after learning the basics. The last six months or so I felt the need to move in a way that incorporates the things you were talking about. I try to always listen to my body and it sees me moving jumping, sometimes picking up some weights and generally looking quite weird, but I move in a way that makes me feel good. This was so interesting Thanks for sharing 💪🏻🥰
I went through the same thing years ago and no one really knew how to help me either! It took about 5 years for me to fix it bc I didn't know what to do!! Finally I realized that I needed to strengthen and man did that feel better. Now I limit the amount of forward folds I teach and try to add in posterior strength. Thank you for posting!!
i am a seventh class student and i am not much flexible but seeing your videos i feel confident and in a week by seeing your videos i can definitly feel that i have improved thank you really really much for the perfect guidance
Nice, I came in skeptical but totally agree. I never adopted the only stretching and many stretches yoga styles. I always mix in strengthening and long holds rather than stretch stretch stretch.
Excellent video. I've restarted doing the 3 stretches to reach the toes you've showed. Today I've finally been able to touch my toes sitting with my legs straight and I'm almost doing it standing up. Thanks a lot!
Holy moly, I've NEVER heard of this! I'm definitely adding streghtening excercises to my routines. It's quite difficult for me to recognise when my hamstring is doing the work and when the glutes, so thank you for the tips!
Had this injury 2 years ago and went to several physicians and no one could actually tell me what was happening 😢 I stopped stretching and it went away but luckily, at the same time, I started strengthening my hamstrings 😅 I’m fine now
I like you , get obsessed with knowledge in a given situation . Then I search for people with that knowledge. When I find the right person after time , they always feel like an old friend ,like you, Thank you !
I injured my right hamstring in yoga as well. Found out I came really close to completely tearing the tendon. I approach all forms of exercise in a much more gentle and balanced way now.
Today I watched some of your videos and am now a subscriber. What is significant to me is that you are not only very knowledgeable, but you seem to be sincerely interested in the success of the audience. I detect no pride saying “Look at how strong, flexible, and in shape I’m in.” Or, that horrible attitude sometimes seen in instructors that says “I am going to kick your butt into shape!!! I don’t care how much it hurts!!!”
For somebody who has a hamstring that is pulled currently and missing a day of work. This video is such a blessing. Waiting to battle and make more recipes with my dragons and watch videos on hamstrings this is a good day off to recoup.
So glad I found this video. I’ve been struggling with a pain in my butt for the last 2 years. Not sure how it came about as I wasn’t doing yoga at the time. But after 2yrs of doing yoga and stretching it’s still there which is frustrating. So I’m glad I found this and am going to give strengthening a try.
This is so great! Thanks Liv! Now I understand what happened to me like 10 years ago! For me, instead of yoga it was dance (ballet and contemporary). I've been struggling with finding a balance between different training forms, but I can't deny anymore that strength training is a life saver, with fairly quick results too. This time it's my knees that are reminding me of that 😬. Thanks again for all your content!!
This advice is actually very important. I watched this before my daily stretching for the splits, and was going into it thinking I knew the risks. I guess I didn't. I am now stuck way further off the ground. I am also an Irish dancer and can't kick over my waist without a lot of pain. Make sure you are actually aware.
your videos are absolutely addicting! And with three beautiful young teenage daughters, I can't encourage them enough to follow your videos and follow your path of learning teaching and inspiring!
I am 63 years old and have been practicing yoga for 8 years. I wish I had found this video years ago… I was so into yoga and pushed myself to the edge like some kind of competition. As a result, I got a bad hamstring tendonitis on my left thigh 6 months ago… The pain is finally gone but my left thigh is not as stretchy as before. Now, I am learning not only avoiding over-stretching but also my big EGO on yoga. It is so disappointing that I can not do some poses that took me for years to learn, but trying to take this injury experience as a part of my yoga journey and be gentle on my body and soul.
SO nice to see another teacher pointing to this short coming of yoga. My own 40 year yoga teaching career has let me see many loose their yoga butt and need to get it back again. I recommend much of what you have here, and also picked up a few good tips to add to my tool box as a yoga therapist working with hips challenges. thanks! Love your British accent.
Oh, your such a smart cookie!! I haven't really been thinking because I used to be SO flexible. Now, after years of injury, I wasn't thinking. I should have just been able to jump right back into where I was, right? Wrong! Thank you for this advice. Frankly, I shouldn't have needed it! I can't wait to see my progress If I take what you're saying into consideration. Thank you!
Thank you, Liv! I love your videos. I'm a Pilates and Qigong instructor, but I use a lot of exercises from yoga and other methods because I believe no one method is "the best". As my clients mainly come to my studio (only some of them run or walk), I introduce different exercises in my sessions in the hope of opening their minds and bodies to the importance of not doing just one thing over and over again... I love your thorough explanations - I completely resonate with them, and they enrich my teaching method!
Thx. I really love yoga. Hatha is great and dislike ashtanga with the full of my heart. And you are so right, since i lift weights my yoga game changed, altough i did a lot of asanas for strength before too.
I never got yoga butt or any hamstring injuries in my years of doing yoga, but it definitely contributed to ruining my right knee, which now gets inflamed and painful quite easily. These days, I do mostly strength training and I feel such a difference in my body, now that it is both strong AND flexible.
Yyyyyeeeeessss! Finally someone who adresses the subject. Mobiliiiity! 💞 anterior pelvic tilt during exercises and lack of strength end butt contraction and core strenght. Sad we had to find out the hard way. I experienced it after a lumbar fusion... 12 years ago.. and noooo one figured it out. Not 1 of the 30 physio's.. they kept stretching the thing.. ffs?! THank god things are different nowadays.
This was literally me, for years! It took so long to recover from, because everything you do hits the hamstring at the ischial tuberosity 😭 Ps, ordered the new yoga mat, it's absolutely great! All my positions stick now, no fear of slipping ❤
Great video! So many people, including me, overdo exercise and/or make unwise movements in an effort to "self-improve" or for gains of some kind. First, do no harm. Second, start slowly and progress gently. The body is like a huge ocean vessel, not like a race car. It responds slowly, gradually, over time.
Fell in love with Yoga June 2023, been doing it 5 times / week. 8 months in, I heard a pop on my knee during a low lunge (Ashva Sanchalanasana pose).. got a knee bursitis on my medical collateral ligament, which was caused by weak hips / gluteus medius. I'm now really struggling to fix this, whenever I feel that I'm recovered it comes back! Thank you for this video, it does show I need to put much more efforts in strength training
I’ve been doing splits stretching for a week straight and been really pushing to my limit. This video could have absolutely just saved me from yoga butt! Thank you so much!
Thank you for this video! I finally committed to my Ashtanga practice, and I already suffered from yoga butt. I've been focused on form and alignment, but it's the first video I've seen that talks about the necessity of strengthening exercises. Thanks again!
Hi from Greece.. your Chanel is just amazing.. great explanation for everything we need to know about exercises .. stretching e.t.c...i am impressed 😁 great job 👍..
I’ve just started getting this from ‘rock-over’ moves in climbing - same cause, different exercise & somehow TH-cam recommended you without me searching (I’m guessing it can’t be uncommon in climbers & the climbing content I watch caused the recommendation). Thanks for the sensible advice!
OMG! How validating to hear. About 7 years ago, I heard a snack while doing pigeon prior to a Ashtanga class. It ididnt right away, but I spent two years in agony, the first months in agony. Must have torn my tendon but no one could diagnose it. I kept pointing to my tailbone butt area, and my doctor thought I was weird. I’m 99% ok now but never realized I needed to strengthen my hamstrings til right now!! Thank you 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Solid research has demonstrated that we should only stretch until we feel resistance wherever that is on a given day. Just because on most days we can touch our toes doesn't mean we should push through pain to touch our toes on days where we have less ROM.
This exact thing happened to me last October! I joined a fashion school and I dropped doing weights but kept up my yoga and stretch routine because I was so busy and I always cared more about flexibility than strength. I was starting my second year when this happened during my morning yoga routine...maybe I should add weights back into my routine then, huh.
Appreciate this, my 30 years experience practicing Yoga are 21 yr old women teachers NOT doing a thorough warm up....? Every class I teach we do 10 minutes of basic warm up before even getting into downdog, than a simple Sun A but an involved Sun B that almost always includes Skandasana . I'm not an advocate of 60 minute classes but teach on occasion. The warm up takes a solid 30 minutes, than we have to warm down so how much time does that leave for Yoga in a 60 minute class? Sure I could skimp on the warm up but than I feel I'd be putting my students in harms way. Appreciate your knowledge & action as I've seen a lot of VERY, VERY knowledgeable teachers NOT do a proper warm up. Thanks for sharing & helping keep our yogis safe!!
Exactly what happened to me !!! This is when I decided to distance myself from Yoga only and started doing calisthenics to gain muscles and active stretch rather than just destroying my body with so many injuries I had already had with yoga. Than you so much for your work and authenticity! You’re awesome woman 🙌😊
💯 yes. Ive never had “yoga butt”, but I so have FAI and during my 200HR ytt that became an issue- too many times we overemphasize flexibility and underestimate the need for strengthening in yoga. Great video. Very helpful i fo!
Would PNF stretching help with that too? I injured my hamstring tendons 25 years ago doing martial arts and now 25 years later I still have pain. When I started martial arts all everyone wanted to do was to be able to do the splits and kick head high. I was about as flexible as a 2x4 (still am) and was constantly stretching my hams multiple times a day everyday but wasn’t doing much strength training. Pain got so bad I had to give up martial arts and have cortisone injections. I didn’t know then what I had done (and neither did my doctor) but I do now thanks to you. I’m going to start working on strengthening my hams and hopefully it’s not too late. I mentioned PNF because it seems to have you applying tension to the muscle while stretching. Thank you for such an informative channel. You are a blessing.
I'm dealing with shoulder tendinopathy from an occupational issue. Doctors have me on a program of strengthening all the surrounding muscles. Thanks for this video, very helpful!
Holy crow! Thank you for this. I have this! I didn't even know this was a thing. I need to strengthen my hamstrings for soccer as well because we overuse our quads so this is perfect.
Oh, I’ve been working a book for the last ten years that gives people tools and insights into how not to let this happen. I’ll put you on the list to get you a copy. It’s my mission to educate people to make yoga help and not harm
Wow, I did know any of this! Not that I do any regular exercise right now…well I walk. But so good to know as I am starting to focus on what exercises I want to incorporate into my life.
I have the exact opposite problem, haha. Years of heavy powerlifting made my muscles strong but also tight and inflexible. It also taught me to hold my breath during the most difficult moments. Yoga is an amazing way to balance out the heavy strength training I do, just like a little strength training will be an amazing balance to flexible yogis :)
Me too
What gets me every time is just how bloody hard yoga is lol
It’s not actually your muscles that are tight.
It’s the membrane (fascia) around them that tightens up, in order to hold them in place, because your brain knows that you’re only strong within whatever your bench/squat/deadlift range of motion is.
It’s also why certain powerlifters develop that walk as though they’re carrying watermelons under each arm. No, it’s not because they’re lats are heuuuge.
I noticed when I increased my range of motion that that Frankenstein walk went away
Strength training doesn’t make you tight or inflexible. In fact, if you can perform squats, bench presses, and deadlifts with proper form, you’re already demonstrating sufficient mobility and agility for most human activities.
What you perceived as tightness or inflexibility likely stems from having specific personal mobility demands that strength training alone wasn’t designed to address. Expecting it to fulfill those specialized needs is a common misconception.
For the majority of people, strength training provides all the flexibility they require for their day-to-day lives.
@@Russocass Kudos for the well written response. I agree, strength training with good ROM doesn't cause inflexibility or tightness in most basic human movements (hip hinge, squat, etc.). But, as you say, there are use cases where strength training by itself provides insufficient flexibility. E.g., sitting cross legged for prolonged time during meditation or reaching certain holds in climbing. Adding some yoga to my strength training seemed to help with achieving these "more than basic" human movements, safely and effectively.
Also I've found it oddly useful to do a practice like yoga which teaches relaxation and moving with the breath, in addition a sport that's all about "GET TIGHT!" aka powerlifting. For general activity, and also in the bedroom.
Just my 2 cents :)
The yoga teachers I follow keep emphasising to never push or pull muscles pass the edge. Yoga is a brilliant and safe practice if you leave the ego behind.
So glad you made this video. I struggled for years with hamstring and hip issues and kept stretching my hamstrings thinking that was the issue. After a pretty serious hamstring strain teaching kickboxing class I couldn't walk, sit or stand without pain. Finally went to a really great physical therapist and he told I needed to focus on strength for my hamstrings and that's changed everything. He also mentioned he saw yoga instructors all the time for "yoga butt." Love your content!
Same for me, just substitute karate for kickboxing and I ended up with the same injury. It took months to heal properly.
Oh my god... i thought that it was just me experiencing this "yoga butt" I thought that I had torn my hamstring muscle while doing my splits...
Strengthen and stretch at the same time, that’s the only way for a body optimization
Happened to me at 16. Im now 33 and it did take AWHILE for it to recover
Totally. I tried years of stretching my hams and made nó progress and then I started instead to strengthen ...immnotnsure exactly whatnits called but instead of stretchingnthe back of my leg i was pushingnthe frontnof my leg upwards...at first on the ground pressing against my hands for resistance and then standing up lifting my leg up as we had done in ballet Years ago. And suddenly with the front being strong the back was able to relax and not be taking all the weight. I didnt realise how weak the front of my legs were. A few weeks of that did more for my has relaxing and being able to stretching and elongate than Years of stretching ever did. I also strengthened my butt and other things along the way and now if I want to stretching something instead of that I do the opposite and push to strengthen the opposite muscle i guess. It worked for My shoulders too. I wanted to stretch it the way my other arm would stretch and actually just pressing in the opposite direction and strengthening the outside muscle helped the others to relax and become normal. Unfortunately my physio didnt give me those and the ones he gave me were stretching at the very point which was so weak and so tight and it didnt help at all.
I remember Adriene mentioning to not always keep your legs completely straight when stretching the hamstrings, because then all the "pull" is on the ends of your muscles. Instead she suggested bending the knees a little because that supposedly stretches the mid part of the muscle. Not sure if that is actually true, but what you said reminded me of that. Super interesting, thank you!
I don't think that can be true, the muscle and tendon are each single pieces that are connected; you can't really tension just one part of that
That’s more to do with not stretching the sciatic nerve. When the legs are straight you’ll feel the pull down the whole leg into the calf. That’s the sciatic nerve. Bending the knee isolates the hamstrings, but not specifically the mid muscle.
@@thenayancat8802 I'm not going to say this is the case because I don't know the physiology well enough. But hypothetically if bending your joint (knee) allows your muscle (hamstring) to be less firmly pressed against the bone (femur), then there could be less friction between the bone and muscle, and such friction difference would change the evenness of the stretch within the muscle.
@@MattMcConaha That would probably mean more of the stretch in the middle, rather than the ends
Bending forward with straight knees gave me a knee injury. Now I always bend the knees a little.
Finding the balance between strength/flex, challenge/restorative, up/down, needs to be focused on with each pose, every moment….while clearing your head of any other thoughts…..it’s tricky.
I had the same injury from a very popular, IG influencer yoga teacher physically PUSHING down on me while in the same pose. It took me a year and a half to heal!
Is she actually licensed?
@@piiinkDeluxe Yes, a top yoga teacher in Los Angeles
@@Holly_Unleashed damn. I'm sorry that happened to you!
@@Holly_Unleashed she should get her license revoked then, or at least a very bad review from you, sorry that happened :/
@@Holly_UnleashedGirl say the name. Say it. It could save someone out there.
I’m pro damcer and your knowledge has helped a lot. Years ago, a dancer routine comprised a lot of misunderstandings, empirical wrong concepts, overstretching, no lifting, etc…a lot of injuries, traumatic and chronical, were caused by all that. Thanks God things have been chamged and you play a special
role, thank you
hey i apologise in advance for being long winded .just read your comment im a 33 year old male ..when i was 21 and a half i got into a modern dance academy it was my goal to become a dancer ...the main method they used to train us was ballet ..so i did loads of ballet classes beginner classes and advanced classes all day long mate prior to me getting into this academy i had no no previous experience in anything athletic or dance related none i just happened to have good proportions and i was slim and posessed a modicum of potential but i lacked mobillity and flexibility and had no idea how to train my body i jusr copied the typical stretching excersises modern and ballet dancers do .did abdominal excersises yoga and pilates plus the classes..... i never really managd to get flexible and mobile enough for a dancer or any other type of athlete for that matter that requires flexibility i developed problems in my kness right elbow and wrist ...ligament damage in my right knee and right ankle specifcly ...plus back issues ....as for my career i only made it as far as semi proffesional before injurys issues with concentration and performance anxiety brought me down ....im sorry if its daft to ask you via the youtube comment setction but there are so many different training modalitys for strength slash flexibility ,mobility and injury rehab .. i find the sheer variety overwhelming how should i go about trainng and treating my body ? because its so exauhsting figuring out how to train around injurys .. what would you do in my position ?
@@ashley-fk6dp Hi, I do apologize for this extra late reply. So..,a LOT of dancers have these injuries, as athletes do. I would suggest you look for a physiotherapist, one who deala with athletes in pro clubs, their abilities and knowledge are daily put to test as they deal with all possible injuries caused by different sports, some very tough to heal, what is better than being treated by those who deal with average public. Rest, eat healthier, take timw to be healed and you’ll be ok: I went through that many times (plus being a dancer, I sail, climb and swim), so you can guess how many injuries…) and it works. This channel is fantastic, keep watching and you’ll be fine!
@@Ricardojoglar thank you very much
I learned I was suffering from yoga butt thanks to one of your Instagram post about this a few years ago, and you even answered to my comment and recommended I started strength training... which was the beginning of my fitness journey! You changed my life Liv, keep being awesome 😊❤✨
That’s amazing, I am so so happy to hear that 🥰🥰🥰
@@Livinleggings i strech hips after workout, but after like a hour after workout they again tight, are my hips weak and not tight?
@@makarov9480 depends, are you only stretching your hip? Are you doing the stretch correctly? Aren't you overstretching? Do you dtrenghten your hip regularly? Keep in mind, muscles can tighten when too weak or at an incorrect posture for extensive amount of time. If you are experiencing pain and such see a physiotherapist.
So we shouldn't stretch hamstring at all .I am a runner and find upavishta konasana after a run a must do for hams.
@@colecoleman1499 i notice after jogging my hamstrings more tight, and my back pain is worse should i stop cardio?
Thank you for highlighting this.. actually in ashtanga (traditional) training (I’ve been a practitioner for over 7 years), we always put an emphasis on strength of the quads and engaging the calf muscles and we always bring awareness to protecting the hamstrings.. for beginners, my mentors taught me this and now I try my best to pass it on to my students is staying longer in poses like utkattasana (chair pose), warriors, uttita hasta padangushtasana (hand to big toe one leg balance)
It’s always about finding that point connecting balance, strength and flexibility and never over stretch… also in iyengar philosophy, over stretching or obsessing about flexibility is a form of ego that we need to get rid of first before we are ready to embrace the yoga path
How are you going to get more flexible if you don't push the limit. What makes you more flexible is muscles breaking apart from stretching
@@mereen750 That's what I thought, and I went as hard as I could, pushing my limits, so that I'd get my splits for a performance. It just resulted in not being able to stretch at all for a few weeks after said performance, and then I had to be super careful in positions that were way more shallow than where I'd initially started. I eventually got my splits again a few years later through strengthening and gentle stretches every other day at most, and I've been able to maintain my flexibility ever since.
I was easily the most flexible person at my yoga teacher training, and luckily, our trainers emphasized engaging muscles especially in certain deep asanas. We were also encouraged to slowly come out of positions that felt uncomfortable or "wrong" - so many teachers will tell yogis and yoginis to just keep going deeper and harder and breathe into the pain, no matter how bad. In my experience, it's important to listen to our own bodies. Sometimes during my practice, I stay in a shallow position or do the "easier" version of a stretch because that's what my body needs that day.
Well said❤
Fellow instructor here - altho much older than you. Been a FitPro for 40 years and now specialise in Healthy Ageing - alongside my regular and very varied work. May I complement you. Just found you via some happy algorithm and I’m so impressed with your knowledge & competence. I’ve learned , re- learned and been reassured of my own competency and currency from you - plus you’re a joy to listen to and inspiring to observe!
Thank you 🙏🏼🤗
So important!!
For me it was when I started ballet as a teenager and - as a very non-flexible person - stretched for my splits every day. With NO knowledge of needing to strengthen also.
I'm glad you speak out loud about body dysmorphia 💙
I am 47, and about 2 years ago I watched some youtube videos on how to do a straddle split, and was trying to get into straddle split. I ended up injuring my hips :) Luckily, I have recovered now, and am continuing my journey at my own pace :)
Needs to be slow and controlled!
This is EXACTLY what happened to me! In a front split!!! And yes, it didn’t really hurt but two months later, I’m still feeling yoga butt! Thank you SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO!
Yes! It’s all about BALANCE 😊
I was the opposite, I was mainly a strength exercise person so would get injuries from not relaxing and stretching out my muscles! Now I’ve added yoga and mobility I haven’t had any injury in YEARS.
Vary our exercise just like our diets for the best health ❤
OMGGGGG!!! I am just starting my stretching / mobility journey and this video has saved me some "potential" injuries! I am binging on your channel right now! Great great content!
Love my yoga practice, but couldn't imagine just doing yoga without also lifting, walking/hills, hiking. Glad you made this video to bring awareness to more people.
Thank you, I've been doing yoga on and off for over a decade and I've never heard anyone talk about this. Going from here to a hamstring strengthening video!
I don't do yoga, but I'm a soccer fan. I was doing stretches for my hamstrings stiffness and it wasn't getting better at all. This video you made makes sense. I started to workout functional, with different exercises and it has improved my hamstrings. Both stretching and strengthening must be made regularly and carefully to avoid injuries. Thanks for the video!
Great to look at mobility exercises (flexibility with strength in the full range of motion) rather than just flexibility/stretching.
thank you so much for this video! I had this exact problem last year because I only stretched and didn't do any strength training. I ended up having to do months of physiotherapy and couldn't do yoga for a long time. now I no longer feel the pain and I balance yoga with weightlifting at the gym, with lots of exercises focused on the hamstrings. and for a long time I didn't know what it was and nobody talked about it, so thank you again for sharing this, lov your channel!
You are pointing out what many of us have discovered. The teacher who got me into strength training was Kathryn Bruni-Young. She experienced exactly the same thing. Some in the yoga world are in an "unbridled pursuit of flexibility", as Leslie Kaminoff said!
I had this exact thing TWICE! It happened while stretching in dance class at drama school. I got the injury on one side and six months later on the other side. It took forever to heal and I lost a lot of flexibility. I never understood why it happened because both times I was warmed up properly and I had done these stretches before. So thank you for this video! It explained a lot!
Omg! I'm an ex ballet dancer that is continuing with yoga and yep, this sounds all to familiar! thank you so much for raising a discussion on this and clarifying!❤👏👏
7:14 ~ strengthening movement/ exercise recommendations
Your channel made me start working on strength late last year! You literally saved my butt thank you!!!!!
Thanks for the clarification of stretching vs strengthening and how we need both. I'm a runner and have recently done a couple of your videos and like how I'm much less stiff. But this cautions me to not neglect the strengthening exercises. Great video
I am so glad you made us aware of this condition because my hamstrings were becoming so flexible to the point where I was thinking am I over doing this. I get injured easily as well and so I backed off with the hamstring stretches and would like to think just in time!
I cannot thank you enough for this video , literally I have this problem right now , trying to get a forward split thinking my hamstring needs more stretching ! Wandering why it’s always a niggling pain. Off to do more research. Great content definitely my favourite yoga influencer 👍 honest sound realistic advice
I've had this in my left hip for like 2 years on and off and I could never figure out what it was!! Thank you for sharing this!!
You're a gem, ehlers danlos guy, hypermobile yet locked up by scar tissue. I love the way you opened up about your journey. Inspiring. I think life should not be so painful.
At last! Someone who said the truth about how to train your muscles properly. Im very happy that you share it!
I have been at that situation and i found the solution after 1 year of wondering, searching and visiting physiotherapists.
You cannot do strength or stretching only, to save time. The recipe is simple. Strength + Stretch = good habits for health body. You have to do both...
Wow! Thank you so much. I am 55 and I have always followed my own intuition in terms of exercise after learning the basics. The last six months or so I felt the need to move in a way that incorporates the things you were talking about. I try to always listen to my body and it sees me moving jumping, sometimes picking up some weights and generally looking quite weird, but I move in a way that makes me feel good. This was so interesting Thanks for sharing 💪🏻🥰
That was the final argument against not doing RDLs.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
I went through the same thing years ago and no one really knew how to help me either! It took about 5 years for me to fix it bc I didn't know what to do!! Finally I realized that I needed to strengthen and man did that feel better. Now I limit the amount of forward folds I teach and try to add in posterior strength. Thank you for posting!!
i am a seventh class student and i am not much flexible but seeing your videos i feel confident and in a week by seeing your videos i can definitly feel that i have improved thank you really really much for the perfect guidance
Started this video worried and ended up feeling relieved I also go to the gym haha
Nice, I came in skeptical but totally agree. I never adopted the only stretching and many stretches yoga styles. I always mix in strengthening and long holds rather than stretch stretch stretch.
Excellent video. I've restarted doing the 3 stretches to reach the toes you've showed. Today I've finally been able to touch my toes sitting with my legs straight and I'm almost doing it standing up. Thanks a lot!
Holy moly, I've NEVER heard of this! I'm definitely adding streghtening excercises to my routines. It's quite difficult for me to recognise when my hamstring is doing the work and when the glutes, so thank you for the tips!
Had this injury 2 years ago and went to several physicians and no one could actually tell me what was happening 😢 I stopped stretching and it went away but luckily, at the same time, I started strengthening my hamstrings 😅 I’m fine now
I like you , get obsessed with knowledge in a given situation . Then I search for people with that knowledge. When I find the right person after time , they always feel like an old friend ,like you, Thank you !
I injured my right hamstring in yoga as well. Found out I came really close to completely tearing the tendon. I approach all forms of exercise in a much more gentle and balanced way now.
Today I watched some of your videos and am now a subscriber. What is significant to me is that you are not only very knowledgeable, but you seem to be sincerely interested in the success of the audience.
I detect no pride saying “Look at how strong, flexible, and in shape I’m in.”
Or, that horrible attitude sometimes seen in instructors that says “I am going to kick your butt into shape!!! I don’t care how much it hurts!!!”
I've had that injury too, and now I finally understand why! Thanks! A really important vid!
Nice, finally somebody spoke out the thing I always see in yoga people
For somebody who has a hamstring that is pulled currently and missing a day of work. This video is such a blessing. Waiting to battle and make more recipes with my dragons and watch videos on hamstrings this is a good day off to recoup.
So glad I found this video. I’ve been struggling with a pain in my butt for the last 2 years. Not sure how it came about as I wasn’t doing yoga at the time. But after 2yrs of doing yoga and stretching it’s still there which is frustrating. So I’m glad I found this and am going to give strengthening a try.
This is so great! Thanks Liv! Now I understand what happened to me like 10 years ago! For me, instead of yoga it was dance (ballet and contemporary). I've been struggling with finding a balance between different training forms, but I can't deny anymore that strength training is a life saver, with fairly quick results too. This time it's my knees that are reminding me of that 😬. Thanks again for all your content!!
Same here, ballet killed my hip flexor.
Love this. Hamstring injuries have a lot to do with, quad, hip flexor and glute strength and flexibility.
This advice is actually very important. I watched this before my daily stretching for the splits, and was going into it thinking I knew the risks. I guess I didn't. I am now stuck way further off the ground. I am also an Irish dancer and can't kick over my waist without a lot of pain. Make sure you are actually aware.
Omg!!! I've had this for years and I've been to physio. They never had any idea what it was or what caused it. Thank you!!!!
your videos are absolutely addicting! And with three beautiful young teenage daughters, I can't encourage them enough to follow your videos and follow your path of learning teaching and inspiring!
O liv😱...you really saved my life .....
I am 63 years old and have been practicing yoga for 8 years. I wish I had found this video years ago… I was so into yoga and pushed myself to the edge like some kind of competition. As a result, I got a bad hamstring tendonitis on my left thigh 6 months ago… The pain is finally gone but my left thigh is not as stretchy as before. Now, I am learning not only avoiding over-stretching but also my big EGO on yoga. It is so disappointing that I can not do some poses that took me for years to learn, but trying to take this injury experience as a part of my yoga journey and be gentle on my body and soul.
SO nice to see another teacher pointing to this short coming of yoga. My own 40 year yoga teaching career has let me see many loose their yoga butt and need to get it back again. I recommend much of what you have here, and also picked up a few good tips to add to my tool box as a yoga therapist working with hips challenges. thanks! Love your British accent.
Thank you so much for the warning! I just started yoga and I had no idea this was a danger
Oh, your such a smart cookie!! I haven't really been thinking because I used to be SO flexible. Now, after years of injury, I wasn't thinking. I should have just been able to jump right back into where I was, right? Wrong! Thank you for this advice. Frankly, I shouldn't have needed it! I can't wait to see my progress If I take what you're saying into consideration. Thank you!
I’m binge watching your videos! So informative!!
I got a splits injury just like you! Thanks for sharing. I had to stop stretching for a long time after it.
Thank you, Liv! I love your videos. I'm a Pilates and Qigong instructor, but I use a lot of exercises from yoga and other methods because I believe no one method is "the best".
As my clients mainly come to my studio (only some of them run or walk), I introduce different exercises in my sessions in the hope of opening their minds and bodies to the importance of not doing just one thing over and over again...
I love your thorough explanations - I completely resonate with them, and they enrich my teaching method!
Thx. I really love yoga. Hatha is great and dislike ashtanga with the full of my heart. And you are so right, since i lift weights my yoga game changed, altough i did a lot of asanas for strength before too.
You and your channel is an absolute Gem! Thank you for this information along with the stretching routines. I greatly appreciate it 🙏
I never got yoga butt or any hamstring injuries in my years of doing yoga, but it definitely contributed to ruining my right knee, which now gets inflamed and painful quite easily. These days, I do mostly strength training and I feel such a difference in my body, now that it is both strong AND flexible.
That’s a good point. My trainer always said you should never commit to one thing for too long. Switching things up is a good thing
Yyyyyeeeeessss! Finally someone who adresses the subject. Mobiliiiity! 💞 anterior pelvic tilt during exercises and lack of strength end butt contraction and core strenght. Sad we had to find out the hard way. I experienced it after a lumbar fusion... 12 years ago.. and noooo one figured it out. Not 1 of the 30 physio's.. they kept stretching the thing.. ffs?! THank god things are different nowadays.
This is why I enjoy vinyasa flow. Much more isometric moves. I suffer from this hamstring issue. Romanian deadlifts is how you fix it.
I've been an active athlete and I can tell you this girl is legit! Great work 🎉
I've never heard of this, I do a lot of stretching and some strengthening stuff. So glad I heard this now thanks!
This was literally me, for years! It took so long to recover from, because everything you do hits the hamstring at the ischial tuberosity 😭
Ps, ordered the new yoga mat, it's absolutely great! All my positions stick now, no fear of slipping ❤
Thank you so much for the support! 💕
Lengthening AND strengthening the muscle is key. One or the other and you're in for trouble. Im glad youre all right!
Great video! So many people, including me, overdo exercise and/or make unwise movements in an effort to "self-improve" or for gains of some kind. First, do no harm. Second, start slowly and progress gently. The body is like a huge ocean vessel, not like a race car. It responds slowly, gradually, over time.
Fell in love with Yoga June 2023, been doing it 5 times / week. 8 months in, I heard a pop on my knee during a low lunge (Ashva Sanchalanasana pose).. got a knee bursitis on my medical collateral ligament, which was caused by weak hips / gluteus medius. I'm now really struggling to fix this, whenever I feel that I'm recovered it comes back! Thank you for this video, it does show I need to put much more efforts in strength training
I’ve been doing splits stretching for a week straight and been really pushing to my limit. This video could have absolutely just saved me from yoga butt! Thank you so much!
this helps a lot,I thought it's too much for me to do other workouts and do stretches
Thank you for opening up about your background Liv.
I finally understand what happened to me and been looking for solutions. Thank you so much.
Thank you for warning people about this. I always appreciate good advice
Thank you for this video! I finally committed to my Ashtanga practice, and I already suffered from yoga butt. I've been focused on form and alignment, but it's the first video I've seen that talks about the necessity of strengthening exercises. Thanks again!
Hi from Greece.. your Chanel is just amazing.. great explanation for everything we need to know about exercises .. stretching e.t.c...i am impressed 😁 great job 👍..
Thank you for the heads up. So many ways the best-intentioned efforts can produce opposite results if you don't know all the facts.
I’ve just started getting this from ‘rock-over’ moves in climbing - same cause, different exercise & somehow TH-cam recommended you without me searching (I’m guessing it can’t be uncommon in climbers & the climbing content I watch caused the recommendation).
Thanks for the sensible advice!
OMG! How validating to hear. About 7 years ago, I heard a snack while doing pigeon prior to a Ashtanga class. It ididnt right away, but I spent two years in agony, the first months in agony. Must have torn my tendon but no one could diagnose it. I kept pointing to my tailbone butt area, and my doctor thought I was weird. I’m 99% ok now but never realized I needed to strengthen my hamstrings til right now!! Thank you 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thank you! I'm about to embark on a journey to do the split
Solid research has demonstrated that we should only stretch until we feel resistance wherever that is on a given day. Just because on most days we can touch our toes doesn't mean we should push through pain to touch our toes on days where we have less ROM.
Of course The key is a variety of exercises, stretch, strength, cardio , all the things. I thought that was obvious.
This exact thing happened to me last October! I joined a fashion school and I dropped doing weights but kept up my yoga and stretch routine because I was so busy and I always cared more about flexibility than strength. I was starting my second year when this happened during my morning yoga routine...maybe I should add weights back into my routine then, huh.
Appreciate this, my 30 years experience practicing Yoga are 21 yr old women teachers NOT doing a thorough warm up....? Every class I teach we do 10 minutes of basic warm up before even getting into downdog, than a simple Sun A but an involved Sun B that almost always includes Skandasana . I'm not an advocate of 60 minute classes but teach on occasion. The warm up takes a solid 30 minutes, than we have to warm down so how much time does that leave for Yoga in a 60 minute class? Sure I could skimp on the warm up but than I feel I'd be putting my students in harms way. Appreciate your knowledge & action as I've seen a lot of VERY, VERY knowledgeable teachers NOT do a proper warm up. Thanks for sharing & helping keep our yogis safe!!
Exactly what happened to me !!! This is when I decided to distance myself from Yoga only and started doing calisthenics to gain muscles and active stretch rather than just destroying my body with so many injuries I had already had with yoga. Than you so much for your work and authenticity! You’re awesome woman 🙌😊
💯 yes. Ive never had “yoga butt”, but I so have FAI and during my 200HR ytt that became an issue- too many times we overemphasize flexibility and underestimate the need for strengthening in yoga. Great video. Very helpful i fo!
Thanks a lot. I suffer siince weeks😢.
Thank you for info. I'lldo my very best....
Your execution of poses, is mind blowing🤌 good for you and thank you for taking us along your journey🤗❣️
You are really great! Thank you for all your lessons 🥰
Would PNF stretching help with that too? I injured my hamstring tendons 25 years ago doing martial arts and now 25 years later I still have pain. When I started martial arts all everyone wanted to do was to be able to do the splits and kick head high. I was about as flexible as a 2x4 (still am) and was constantly stretching my hams multiple times a day everyday but wasn’t doing much strength training. Pain got so bad I had to give up martial arts and have cortisone injections. I didn’t know then what I had done (and neither did my doctor) but I do now thanks to you. I’m going to start working on strengthening my hams and hopefully it’s not too late. I mentioned PNF because it seems to have you applying tension to the muscle while stretching. Thank you for such an informative channel. You are a blessing.
I'm dealing with shoulder tendinopathy from an occupational issue. Doctors have me on a program of strengthening all the surrounding muscles. Thanks for this video, very helpful!
Holy crow! Thank you for this. I have this! I didn't even know this was a thing. I need to strengthen my hamstrings for soccer as well because we overuse our quads so this is perfect.
Finally I have some motivation to do strength, other than wanting to still be mobile in my later years😅 And thankyou for providing a solution!
Oh, I’ve been working a book for the last ten years that gives people tools and insights into how not to let this happen. I’ll put you on the list to get you a copy. It’s my mission to educate people to make yoga help and not harm
Wow, I did know any of this! Not that I do any regular exercise right now…well I walk. But so good to know as I am starting to focus on what exercises I want to incorporate into my life.
Thankyou for making me aware of this. I'll do some hammy strengthening