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Old 02-28-16, 10:45 AM  
BarbK
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Florida
What I am doing fairly regularly is certain segments from Tracie Long's Stronger Longer #2.

You can choose the segments from the menu:

I do the Warm Up - It is not a typical warm-up; mainly stretching.

Then start with the Posture track and let the dvd play to completion which includes:
Thoracic Mobility track
Final stretch.

All of it is as described above is about 20 minutes.

---
Am also a fan of the entire DVD and do it weekly. I think it accomplishes everything.
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Old 02-28-16, 10:59 AM  
prettyinpink
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
I know you said you want stretching only, but I have found I get the most flexibility benefits from workouts that combine strength and then stretch. YMMV.

Things like Bar Method online, Ballet Body (although really, this was doing my own stretching, this program isn't known for stretching).

Have you tried Essentrics Flexibility for athletes? I think that's the title. As I recall, that one is long and has fewer of the typical Miranda moves, features Sahra, and is a super intense stretch.
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Old 02-28-16, 11:29 AM  
JackieB
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I love my CS/Essentrics. If you dislike Miranda, maybe you want to try Sahra's Flexibility for Athletes.

I think it is difficult to increase flexibility without dynamic stretching. Other programs I have liked and have been mentioned are Lastics, the gentle yoga or restorative yoga practices from P90X and Ultimate Yogi, Kathy Smith has a nice stretch recovery program in Project You, and CLX does also.

I hesitate to suggest Bendy Body, because it is advanced.
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Old 02-28-16, 11:42 AM  
TinierTina
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: New York City
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorelai View Post
I do like Pilates for flexibility, because I feel like I can get a lot done all at once (why not multitask?). All the leg extensions and large ranges of motion make it so I feel a lot of stretch in my legs especially... but I think I'm tight, perhaps more than average, always have been. I can't even successfully sit up straight with both legs straight out in front of me (unless I'm sitting on a book, that was Miranda's suggestion and it does work). I figure I can't be the only one who's that inflexible, but, then again, I often find that certain "thigh oriented" exercises such as the frog are just as much of a core challenge (if not more, for me). Right now I'm a Pilates wimp I guess! More things to work on. Thanks for that suggestion, my library has it so I've requested it. Whether I like a Pilates dvd usually comes down to presentation and instructor - I'm not a huge fan of voiceover, they usually come across as sleepy and remind me of high school when I had my Pilates/yoga PE class first thing in the morning.
Finding that the more I work on my core (through dance and other workouts - barre and barre-like workouts haven't seen eye-to-eye with me for years by now) the more flexible I am at the hip; and the much better I am at standing balances. Yoga fusion and power yoga fusion, perhaps. And, of course, short yoga-mat pilates fusion workouts. Look into Jennifer Kries.
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Old 02-28-16, 11:53 AM  
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Yup, Miranda made me nuts.

I think, once you find videos and instructors that you like, consistency is the key. When Slim In 6 came out (how long ago???) I started doing Slim & Limber regularly. It is only 14 minutes long and easy to tack on to other workouts.

I do S&L several times a week and have done it probably several thousand times since it came out.

Debbie's Cool It Off from Slim Series is good at about an hour.

I didn't like Karen Voight's new stretch videos. I use her old 30-minute Pure & Simple stretch often.
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Old 02-28-16, 12:54 PM  
Taiga
 
Join Date: May 2006
I didn't care for Miranda as an instructor or her moves/pace and since my body hated CS after several attempts, I moved on. It's strange to me that so many trusted Vfers do so well with this program. As with most exercise, I figured that of course different bodies respond best to different methods. But I don't feel as open minded about it any more. I ended up purchasing a few beginner CS programs for a friend hoping that she would get the results I had initially anticipated. She ended up pulling a muscle right out the gate and never went back. I'm glad so many here do well with it but I think it has a higher potential for injury when it is not a good fit. Maybe because it has a reputation for being rehab or because the title implies more gentle movement and that catches people off guard.

I was initially attracted to CS because I love dynamic and resisted stretch and have had great results with those methods in the past. Bendy Body is advanced but gives excellent results using these methods at a safer pace. I haven't seen Yin Yoga (Paul Grilley etc) mentioned but the slow movements/long holds have also given me decent results. You have to be careful with Yin and test the waters slowly until you see how your body responds to longer holds. I have also liked Ballet Boot Camp Stretch though there is some intermittent strengthening (most of it preps the muscle for better stretch).Though the title would suggest otherwise, these are not so much ballet stretches as just good stretching with more focus in hips/legs. Barre can be excellent for flexibility but since you specifically asked for focus on stretching without a heavy toning mix, HDM DMW wouldn't be an option. Though I have had nice flexibility improvements with him
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Old 02-28-16, 01:52 PM  
Lorelai
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
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Originally Posted by AsSweetAsSugar View Post
I do like Pilates for flexibility too and I'm a big fan of CS, so I don't mind multitask at all! But, it depends of the workout and what I want to accomplish given day. There are some Pilates workouts that are very hardcore (for me) and let me pretty sore -Kristin McGee Weight Loss Pilates came to mind immediately- and some others, so I don't pick those on my flexibility (feel relaxed) days, there are some Episodes of CS that are very intense too. You made me smile with the voice-over comment! lol I don't mind it, but I guess it depends of the workout and the voice I love Element Pilates workouts and the ones I've tried were great! And the voices were relaxing and agreeable. So glad you could find it in your library! I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do, and I really like Kristin as instructor.
I agree, Pilates can be super intense! I have Tracey Mallett's Pilates Super Sculpt, which I , but it's challenging! I can't do a lot of the reps, but it gives me something to work towards, and I keep it around because I love Tracey. I also have Ellen's Pick Your Level Pilates which I like very much, because it shows the different levels of modifications. I kind of wish Ellen would put out a dvd that's kind of in between this one and Fusion Floor... a little bit more "Ellen" than PYL, but a little more traditional Pilates than Fusion Floor. I've tried Mari Winsor's Buns & Thighs from YouTube and that's pretty good, though honestly, I want Jessica or someone else I really click with to do an intense side series like that one so I'll pull it out more!

Quote:
Originally Posted by prettyinpink View Post
I know you said you want stretching only, but I have found I get the most flexibility benefits from workouts that combine strength and then stretch. YMMV.

Things like Bar Method online, Ballet Body (although really, this was doing my own stretching, this program isn't known for stretching).

Have you tried Essentrics Flexibility for athletes? I think that's the title. As I recall, that one is long and has fewer of the typical Miranda moves, features Sahra, and is a super intense stretch.
I would have to agree with this statement. For me this means Pilates (both mat work and Ellen Barrett style stuff), and also ballet type workouts. Yesterday I did Jennifer Galardi's Ballet Body, and I could really feel how it was strengthening and stretching at the same time. I think they go together so well, because if we want to increase our range of motion, we need to be strong enough to support that increased range of motion. If that makes sense. With that being said, Jennifer includes a really nice thorough stretch at the end of that dvd. Her warm up is also very stretchy and thorough IMO.

I second giving Sahra's offerings a try. She does have a Barre Stretch available for free on YouTube, but I think like anything, it may seem like contorting in impossible directions if you're not used to it and may take trying a few times before feeling like it's effective.

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but Jessica Smith has some really nice stretches on her YouTube channel...
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Old 02-28-16, 02:39 PM  
suzannaerin
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Arlington, VA
Taiga, I tried CS and didn't care for it, traded or gave it away. I, too, am surprised people love it, but I guess it's a matter of each to her own.
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Old 02-28-16, 02:45 PM  
marya
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Pacific Northwest
Quote:
Originally Posted by Taiga View Post
I didn't care for Miranda as an instructor or her moves/pace and since my body hated CS after several attempts, I moved on.
I actually found Miranda charming as a person--but definitely not my cup of tea as an instructor. And I can certainly relate to what you write about your CS experience, Taiga. I suspect one of my issues is that I sense injuries waiting to happen! Miranda just isn't careful enough to suit me. (By the way, I've been contemplating the Ballet Boot Camp workout but was put off by the "ballet" part--thank you for the clarification!)

So many of you have mentioned the stretch/strength aspects of barre--and now that I think about it, I've actually liked Sadie Lincoln's and Burr Leonard's incorporation of stretches and Pilates workouts that do likewise. And one of my yoga faves is Anthony Carillo's Iron Yoga. I guess it's just Miranda's approach that doesn't click with me--for whatever reason.

VVfer--thanks for mentioning Slim and Limber. I'll retrieve SI6 from my "to sell" pile. I don't do the workout itself, so I forgot about the stretch!
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Old 02-28-16, 02:55 PM  
AsSweetAsSugar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Canada
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorelai View Post
I agree, Pilates can be super intense! I have Tracey Mallett's Pilates Super Sculpt, which I , but it's challenging! I can't do a lot of the reps, but it gives me something to work towards, and I keep it around because I love Tracey. I also have Ellen's Pick Your Level Pilates which I like very much, because it shows the different levels of modifications. I kind of wish Ellen would put out a dvd that's kind of in between this one and Fusion Floor... a little bit more "Ellen" than PYL, but a little more traditional Pilates than Fusion Floor. I've tried Mari Winsor's Buns & Thighs from YouTube and that's pretty good, though honestly, I want Jessica or someone else I really click with to do an intense side series like that one so I'll pull it out more!
I agree totally with you! It is very challenging but Tracey make it fun . The only Ellen's workouts I have tried are Crunch Fat Burning Pilates and Burn & Firm Pilates, I'll have to check the others you've mentioned out. I like Mari's workouts, my only complaint though, is that sometimes she stops in the middle of a sequencing to explain a bit too much why you're holding a pose and waiting for the next move to come, I find myself having to take a break on those moments. I love Jessica but her Pilates workouts I've tried felt a bit too challenging for me. I do love her flexibility workouts so much.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorelai View Post
I second giving Sahra's offerings a try. She does have a Barre Stretch available for free on YouTube, but I think like anything, it may seem like contorting in impossible directions if you're not used to it and may take trying a few times before feeling like it's effective.
+1.
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