[Closed] Can you touch your toes?

I can see them, does that count? Same story as you, naturally inflexible, always have been. Could just about touch them when stretching regularly, dunno how far off I'd be now. Don't see it having any effect on the rest of my life. My wife is much bendier, doesn't seem that useful a skill (um...well...occasionally...)

Easily....but harder without sitting down.....even more so without bending my knees

Nope, probably 6 inches off touching them, I'm 27.
I stretch most days too...

Yup, 44 years old, 6" and 14.5 stone and I can do it on demand. I don't think it is any measure of fitness or even flexibility, some people are just the right shape where others are not.

I saw a thing on TV the other day that was saying that if you are only in your 40's and cannot sit cross legged then stand up from this position without assistance or using your own hands for support, you should really take a good look at yourself. I, to my shame, could not do this. I can touch my toes though.

Never been able to do this. I managed once

Once <> never

HTH

Yes. I can also rest my palms/backs of hands on the floor after I've warmed up my hamstrings.

Yes i found foam rolling my Hamstrings helped alot and focusing on pushing my bum up and backwards.

might be of interest:
[url= http://graycook.com/?p=1261 ]http://graycook.com/?p=1261[/url]

Yes. Can make a fist and place my knuckles on the floor... No leg bending. 32“ waist.

Without bending my knees, I can barely touch my ankles much less my toes. tight hamstrings.

Yes.

Never understood why it was so "important" If you're looking for the "fold in the middle" look then it's all about hip flexors, and hamstrings, and cycling don't do much for them (nor does sitting on yer arse all day either)

I always understood a better method of judging flexibility is the ability to go from standing to sitting (without holding onto anything) cross-legged on the floor, and then get up again the same way...

Edit: As per Jef...

I can barely reach my knees FFS.

I can touch your toes. If you like.

I saw a thing on TV the other day that was saying that if you are only in your 40's and cannot sit cross legged then stand up from this position without assistance or using your own hands for support, you should really take a good look at yourself.

It would be interesting to see what the source of the data is for that - whether its a national or international dataset.

My physio was blaming 'the chair' for a lot of the woes of the western world. Other cultures don't use them so much and will kneel and sit on the floor much more through the day. That means someone in Japan in their 90s will regularly be sitting on the floor and getting back up again, where as in the UK someone in their 60s or 70s in the UK might not have sat on the floor for such a long time that they can develop a have a fear that if they fell they wouldn't be able to get back up and that fear means people become less and less active as they have a dread of getting into a situation they can't back out of again.

Can put palms flat on the floor.

I can touch other people's toes, gets you in trouble on the train though.

Due to doing Pilates every week, yes I can. Couldn't before I started.

52 and can touch toes comfortably ..... can't even start getting off the floor cross legged though! 😳

No, it hurts too much. I can get down to my shins at most.

Does this matter?

I would recommend people to stick a tennis ball under their glutes and hamstrings, front thighs and lower back and erecetor spinae once a week to release muscles. Bet more people could reach their toes after that. I've realised soft naturally chilled out muscles don't hurt when pressed onto a tennis ball, only angry shorted muscles. And I had a lot of them!

Floor bound since Friday due to muscle spasm in my hamstrings and glutes. I have released all muscles in my lower body for 2-3 hrs per day trying to find the evil.muscle causing the lower back pain. Twas the left glute and hamstring.

47 and can just about do it.

I can barely reach my knees FFS.

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nope, couldn't when i was a kid, still can't now

I was in the "not within 30cm" until about 10 or so years ago. A fair bit of cycling, office job, short hamstrings and frequent back problems. Started doing Yoga then. It took a while (was probably about a year of a class a week) before it got a lot more flexible but I've kept it since then and can quickly get it back if I slip out of doing any stretching/yoga for a few months.

Very rarely get any back problems now.

Yes, palms flat on the floor. I can stand up from cross legged from the floor. I can also crouch down on to the balls of my feet, but with my feet flat on the floor, heels down, and "walk".

I've had spinal fusion. I'm [s]big boned[/s] a fat biffer. You lot need to stretch more.

Wow, this says a lot for STWers, I can touch my knuckles on the floor without the slightest problem and I'm 59 next week.

I can touch my toes without bending my knees, I've just turned 40 and have a 36" waist!!

I can also do the standy uppy thing from sitting crosslegged.

nope, couldn't whe I was a kid either. when I was a teenager I stretched a lot during karate classes, then I could just touch my toes. then cycled lots into my early 20's and couldn't.

dropped a shed load of weight I didn't have in my late 20's due to cycling lots and could nearly touch my toes.

now, at 41 same situation I've been in for the last 10 years, can get just past my knees.

interestingly, doing some basic yoga and have been labelled as mr bendy.

not quite sure why I dont' do more of it, I'm pretty sure that being flexible in every direction will help if I crash and mangle myself into the floor.

It's clearly nothing to do with how young or fit you are - I can still get the palms of my hands flat on the floor, and I'm late fifties, and a few stone overweight 😀

Hands flat on the floor here too - but I've always been really bendy. Until I was 36 I could lay on my stomach and arch backwards until I could put my feet on my forehead - not that I ever found a practical use for that particular party trick.

Out of my 4 children only one is anowhere near as bendy as me - which is fine as some of my joints aren't great, and I wouldn't want them to have inherited that from me.

When I was little I did loads of gymnastics and yoga - hence the adjustable Wench nickname - I'm still bendy but try to keep my joints within their normal ranges these days

Can do the cross-legged thing easily enough though, not sure what it's supposed to prove.

Pilates every week for 12 years & still can't do it. I've always been pretty stiff and tight even when I was young. Genetics trumps a lot of things.

I'm going to assume I can. To lazy to find out.

How hard can it be?

I've always been somewhat flexible, so yes - but wouldn't if I didn't stretch at 40.

Wow, this says a lot for STWers

Doesn't mean they are unfit or in any way decrepit. I've a mate who would put most of you to shame on a bike, but he is far less flexible and always has been. The two things might well be related.

Yup, 44 years old, 6" and 14.5 stone

You're not exactly far away from them, though 😀

Yes, can touch my toes - though other flexibility has never been fantastic, even when I was doing a lot of martial arts. Cycling isn't great for flexibility.

I've never really had to make any concerted effort to touch my fists to the floor. But I go to yoga fairly frequently and my flexibility is absolutely appalling to almost everyone else in the class, so it's all relative...

6ft1, 47 years old and 15st and can easily get the backs of my hands down flat on the floor, never mind touching my toes. Only ever stretch before running (so not since January!)

Seems like a lot of STWers have a high percentage of 'Tyrannosaurus Rex'
DNA in them (explains why they eat so much and so messily)

I can do it and i don't need to warm up or do stretching things. Hands, fingers, boobs the works.

My bragging rights are rather tragic 🙁

At the moment I can barely touch my toes when I'm sitting down and have one leg bent of the other. But I'm getting physio for tight hip flexors,

Physio was working on my fascia around my hips last week which was apparently very very tight.

I could be doing with an extra hand to get my socks on as I need one to pull my leg up and then two to get the sock on.

Things are improving though, slowly.

I can do it no bother, standing or sitting, can go past if necessary, so it's most definitely not an indication of fitness or flexibility! 😆

yup, have been able to - was tested for flexibility at the Pleasance in Edinburgh, was at top end (on that measure). Can - just checked - do the cross legged to stand to crossed legged. Find it quite easy to sit squatted on flat feet, on heels or whatever. Just a freak I think. 52..

I can touch my toes and get up from sitting on the floor without using my arms (most impressive way is a [url= http://gymnasticswod.com/content/roll-candle-stick ]Candlestick roll[/url] from sitting, roll onto your back then flip back up onto your feet).

NB I am doing 2 hours of gymnastics classes every week at the moment and before work today I've done hand stands, tucked pull ups to rings, front level on bars, some kipping chest to bars, followed by 125kg RDLs and some sled dragging as rehab for my knee....

Can do the cross-legged thing easily enough though, not sure what it's supposed to prove.

It doesn't prove anything in itself - theres thought to be a broad correlation between having that degree of mobility and general good health in later life. Thats why I was wondering how broadly that effect is studied as if its an international study its more likely to be coincidental to whole lot other diet and lifestyle stuff.

Too many people try to touch their toes by bending their back. Hinge at your hips instead and it's a lot easier and a much better movement pattern.

yup I can, but there again Im only 5'4" so they're not very far away.

Nope. Did a flexibilty test at the gym once - scale was 0 to 100, I got -20 🙂

Never. Couldn't do it at gym class when I was 8, still can't.

Can get *close* if I try for ages but it bloody hurts.

Yup, palms flat on the floor after warming up (29, 38" waist, 16st-something)

About the only part of me that is flexible, I can only wash my back with one hand!

I can with a bit of warming up - used to get my palms on the floor in my martial art days.

Someone commented the other week about how low I can get on my road bike - not sure if I'm at the Fizik snake level though. Well I use an Arione and am comfortable on that so perhaps I am.

What helps with getting low on a road bike? I've got my saddle set up in the usual way (leg straight with heels on pedals, kneecap over the axle), and my bars aren't exactly low, but if I drop my forearms less than 45deg from horisontal then my knees hit my ribs?

I presume Pro's have the saddle much higher and further forward? But any movement away from my current position gives knee pain.

If there genuinely is a health benefit to being stretchy and limber how is it being addressed? I wonder if its perhaps part of some sort of covert public health strategy that shoe shops put the small shoes on the top shelf and the big shoes at the bottom

Signed Maccruiskeen - 6'6", size 13 feet and barely able to reach my shins.

In a random youtube bouncing around, this video came up about touching toes. I have always blamed the tight hamstrings, but following this I was about to touch them!

Found it interesting that apparently the hamstrings tightening is the way to protect your back...

I can't even get close. My 2 year old saw me stretching the other day and started mocking me.

"Don't worry Daddy - keep practicing and you'll get there."

Thanks son, but I suspect I really won't! He then did the standing up and down with no hands just to rub it in my face.

Honestly seeing how a child moves is a real eye-opener as to how inflexible I am.

I can, at the end of a load of stretching... TBH my back and right leg are kind of fubbered so I don't know if it's just that. Stretching can get me down there but it doesn't last.

TBH the only time this has ever felt like a problem, was playing the cornflake box game.

Yes. Can make a fist and place my knuckles on the floor... No leg bending. 32“ waist.

i used to be able to get my palms flat on the floor when i was younger
then at one point id struggle to get my fingertips to touch my toes....but training at the karate dojo helped sort that out so i can get my knuckles on the floor
however it takes me much longer to straighten up
39 years old with a 32" waist

[i]keep practicing and you'll get there.[/i]

Wise word mate (er, boy)!
I never could, then when I had plantar fasciwotsit the phsio gave me stretches to do.
I'm so scared of the sore heel thing coming back I still do a lot of the stretches, one of which involves stretching the hamstrings with a stretchy band round my foot. After doing this daily for well over a year now, I can touch me toes, no problem.
I say "no problem" but actually it bloody kills my back!

and this...
[i]I saw a thing on TV the other day that was saying that if you are only in your 40's and cannot sit cross legged then stand up from this position without assistance or using your own hands for support, you should really take a good look at yourself.[/i]

When i was in my 40s I could jump to standing from a kneeling position. Now, due to farked knees, I have to hold on to something to get up from a crouch 🙁

I saw a thing on TV the other day that was saying that if you are only in your 40's and cannot sit cross legged then stand up from this position without assistance or using your own hands for support, you should really take a good look at yourself.

I'm 48, 30" waist, just under 70kg. I'd be interested in what way I need to take 'a good look at myself.

Not being able to touch your toes is as much use as bmi as an indicator of fitness and general health.

Can you touch your toes?

Yes, I can without bending my knees.

When i was in my 40s I could jump to standing from a kneeling position. Now, due to farked knees, I have to hold on to something to get up from a crouch

My coach used to make me do these....

Never tried a weighted one...

Nope, never have been able to even as a kid. According to our team osteo I'm 'the wrong shape'.
Standing up from cross-legged and back down again is a piece of cake though!

My coach used to make me do these....

I'm dead good that - but I cut out the warm up of the kneeling and weights and just go straight for the whooping, strutting and pointing.

and just go straight for the whooping, strutting and pointing.

yep, he was pretty pleased with himself. Mind you, so would I be. Can't even squat BW at the moment due to Tendonopathy....

Just, but takes some time

Start at comfortable position and stretch to point of tension

Back off and just stay still breathing deeply

Body will relax and you naturally go past previous point

Repeat above until floor is reached

Stand up, slightly amazed at how this works 😉

+1
with 'Keva'
yup I can, but there again Im only 5'4" so they're not very far away.

But I'm 67 🙂

Yes, with palms flat on the floor and arms bent.

yes.

Yes, can get up,crossed legged too - 52!

Yep - can get my hands flat on the floor. Since incorporating stretching into my daily life , I've had far less injuries/strains etc...

Interesting reading replies above - I never knew some people would never be able to because of their shape...is that really true?

Can't do palms on the floor anymore, but can still manage backs of hands (just checked). Oh can do the cross legged standup thingy too. Age 62 if anyone's counting.

Not a chance. Have never come close in all my 49 years. Plenty flexible too but just cannot get down past my shins.... correction. Just tried and flats of hands rest on kneecaps 🙁
I know if I work on it I can improve on that but never to the point of reaching my toes

Touching my toes, even when much younger, much fitter and much lighter, was tough. Naturally not very flexible. But with training could regularly get knuckles on the floor.

Because I work away from home and am also very restricted in the volume and intensity of exercise I'm permitted to do, I took up yoga. After week one I'd injured my hamstrings so much I was walking like John Wayne. But gradually the long lost ability started to come back. However work has meant I have been unable to keep up with the class.

My guess is that the state of my knees and my current excess weight mean that standing from a cross legged position isn't going to happen. However, when I get home from work tonight I'll give it a try and report back.

Whats up with you lot, reading this walking the dogs, paused touched toes (mine) no strain carried on, no problemo.

If you cant I would get round the doctors or someone and get a nee job if thats the cause.

Last time I tried I could. Can't imagine anything has changed in 40 years.

No(middle of shins), been halfheartedly trying to improve it for a while. Going to the gym and foam rolling helped but I never really got into a stretching routine. Stretching, yoga and Pilates are all things in the I must do someday list. I did used to be able to when I was training kung fu many years ago even box splits and wotnot.

I do wonder if an all round flexibilty will help on the bike, just being able to move about with a bit more ease. Or even being more comfortable getting your heels down. Not sure what real world range of motion you need or if the ability to go beyond it helps. Any thoughts?

Did you give yourself a self-satisfied pat on the back wilburt?

I'm 39, so trying to avoid any joint surgery until essential - not keen on adding arthritis to my list of ailments.

Quick try on getting home - 3 inches off touching my toes and no chance I can stand from crossed legs. But I've now got a challenge!!

Not sure what being 39 has to do with it, if you've got a disability your excused from duty soldier but other wise pucker up.

I can cos I just tried it, no bendy knees either.
59, 29" legs & a fat git. Could chew my own toenails when I was 20 which was handy at times.

Could chew my own toenails when I was 20 which was handy at times.

I tried standing up from cross legged, and managed it easily enough on carpet, but the biggest issues are being able to swing forwards enough to get over my feet but also the amount of weight on the outside of my feet.