Forum menu
Following on from the cycling/smoking thread... I wonder how many people actually can bend over and touch thier toes?
Like one of the other posters, even as a tiny child I could not, which seems a bit odd.
yes
No
hands flat on floor here.
no chance
cycling tightens hamstrings
No...not even close.
Does it matter though?
and stretching erm stretches them...
no.
but then again, i'm seriously unfit and overweight still.
working on it though, but i don't care whether i'm going to be able to touch my toes or not.
have never been able to since adolescence due to a hip abnormality which tightened the hamstrings even before I discovered cycling (OK, I knew what cycling was when I was a kid but you know what I mean)
OP do you stand around school gates coming out with stuff like this?
Yup, takes a couple of goes to stretch but then no probs. Not bad for a 43 yr old 🙂
Pah, I'm not falling for that trick again...
Yes, but I have to keep doing it before a run or otherwise I can't.
I was told years ago that cycling makes you muscle bound, and that a lot of the cyclists he saw couldn't.
Easily - palms flat on the floor with feet together
I'm 50 BTW so if you young 'uns can't do it now ...... 😉
uplink - Member
Easily - palms flat on the floor with feet togetherI'm 50 BTW so if you young 'uns can't do it now ......
...don't worry, you will be able to later? 😉
EDIT- could last time I tried, just, but aching right now so not trying, just know I could not (straight legs yea?)
not now
not ever
not bothered
yes. just.
I can also hook my foot behind my neck, though not sure how this helps my fitness 😀
Not even close. Mid shin if I'm lucky...
Must start stretching though as I want to start running again in the winter, and when I tried it last year the lack of flexibility caused me all sorts of trouble.
Easily, without any stretching too.
and I'm a lard arse.
Re the smoking thing, I gave up about 3 years ago now but still mentally miss my fag at the top of the hill reward I used to give myself.
Nope, never have. I can do plenty of sit-ups and ride a bike pretty well though - two out of three aint bad!
palms flat on the floor even stood on the yellow pages. +6 ape index you see...
Normally yes but not right now because I've just eaten a jam doughnut 🙂
Yes, easily, always have. Have never been able to do sit-ups though.
Yes, as a result of years of rowing. Couldn't do it when I was younger.
It is important to have hamstring flexibility. Cyclist are notoriously bad at this because of the fairly fixed position on the bike and it can lead to all sorts of back problems. If you get a sore back on the bike this may well be at least part of the cause.
Couldnt a few years back but I do stretches every morning and if I make a fist I can touch my knuckles down just.
Playing Rugby this season for the 1st time in 2 years and getting fit for the 1st game next week is bloody hurting, did a bleep test thursday night and my lungs still ache.
50 years 2 months and 25 days old
Yes
Can't quite touch my toes with straight legs, been the same since I was a child. I can put my feet behind my head though 🙂
Yep, palms flat on the floor here too.
LOL @ zulu-eleven.
can place my hands flat on floor easily, but I'm really un supple in other ways.. can't even sit cross legged for instance (never could, it was a right PITA at primary school)
No, can't even get close. But I can touch the end of my nose with my tongue!
yup
Yes, not a problem. Stretching is gooooooooood. Don't "bounce" though!
Yep, palms on the ground.
Never really do much stretching, but I assume some people are just naturally better suited to doing it than others.
The fun bit is the amount of experts over the years who on hearing that I cycle a lot, soundly pronouce 'Aha, they all have really tight hamstrings, I bet you can't touch your toes'. They always look so crestfallen a few seconds later 🙂
Never been able to - even as a fit kid. Nowhere near.
yes, plams flat on the floor, feet together and best of all, I kept my legs straight. I think 5 years of aikido might have helped though!
yes.
stretch at least twice a week during gym sessions 😀
Been playing hockey since I was 6 and have never been able to.
No, is it important? It's hardly a measure of fitness.
Fair few years of Karate when I was a teenager and yes I could, I could do the splits both ways too.
Moving on a fair few years from that ad quite a bit of cycling and I'm about 4 inches short of touching my toes!
Must stretch more...
What those on here who are very proud of their ability to put their palms on the floor haven't told you is that they are also able to drag their knuckles along the ground as they walk.
I am able to touch my toes but they aren't all that far away.
>No, is it important? It's hardly a measure of fitness
tight hamstrings can sometimes be a cause of back/postural problems.
(Hands flat on floor..arms a bit bent if I'm warmed up. 46 btw)
Nope, never been able to. In fact trying hurts the back of my knees and lower back. But never felt the need to if I'm honest. It has nothing to do with fitness though.
Yes ,but not until 10 years ago(practice makes perfect)
ps i'm 42
Easy as I'm flexible but Martial arts must have helped.
Next question-can you see your feet? lol 😈
I signed up for a yoga class ( ok mrs. G signed us both up ) awhile back and first thing the instructor said was bend over and touch your toes.
if I could bend ovah and touch my toes sweetheaht I wouldn't be heah in the fist place now would I.