Assessing my Advanced Stage 4CBD

[Robster]

I've moved easily into Advanced stage on nearly all of the Intuflow movements and am thoroughly enjoying my practice. However, I'm have a really tough time with the 4 Corner Balance Drill on Advanced, mainly because I can't hold onto my ankles and fully extend my leg without feeling like I'm going to pull a muscle. I'm too tight in that area.

I understand that the idea is not to 'stretch' (or in anyway lengthen the muscle by over-extending it), but to open up the joints, but I'm having a hard time figuring out where this stiffness is coming from.

If any of the CST trainers here have any experience with this (I'm guessing quite frequent) occurrence, would you mind recommending any supplementary exercises to help me achieve Adv-stage 4CBD?

Thanks,
Rob

[Coach Flanagan]

on which portion of the advanced 4cbd? When the leg is forward?

[Joseph David]

I've moved easily into Advanced stage on nearly all of the Intu-Flow® movements and am thoroughly enjoying my practice. However, I'm have a really tough time with the 4 Corner Balance Drill on Advanced, mainly because I can't hold onto my ankles and fully extend my leg without feeling like I'm going to pull a muscle. I'm too tight in that area.

I understand that the idea is not to 'stretch' (or in anyway lengthen the muscle by over-extending it), but to open up the joints, but I'm having a hard time figuring out where this stiffness is coming from.

If any of the CST trainers here have any experience with this (I'm guessing quite frequent) occurrence, would you mind recommending any supplementary exercises to help me achieve Adv-stage 4CBD?

Thanks,
Rob

Rob,
I have a suggestion for you, try doing the drill while lying on your back. This will give you a clear idea where the restiction is and how you are compensating for it. From that information we can give you some movements that will get you moving forward.

[Coach Hurst]

Hello Rob.

I have a very simple suggestion for you. Go back to the lower levels. My students have an easy time moving into the higher levels because they have spent so much time working on the lower ones.

You can also read an article I wrote about the seated 4CBD here (http://www.rmaxinternational.com/39/hurst.html).

[Coach Hurst]

The link is not working... :confused:

I will check into it.

[Robster]

Thanks for the quick responses, everyone.


on which portion of the advanced 4cbd? When the leg is forward?

I laid on the ground and attempted the drill with the best technique I could muster.

When going forward: I felt tightness in my hamstrings and from my outer hip region to my buttocks.

When going to the side: I felt tightness in my inner thigh.

I have no difficulty during the backward pose.

I also notice that during each pose my arm is straining to reach out with the leg; and that, as the leg nears total extension, my upper back may be straining to let my arm go out so far. This may be built up tension and nervous reaction to the overall requirements of the pose.

Just my thoughts. What are your reactions to this?

[Joseph David]

Thanks for the quick responses, everyone.



I laid on the ground and attempted the drill with the best technique I could muster.

When going forward: I felt tightness in my hamstrings and from my outer hip region to my buttocks.

When going to the side: I felt tightness in my inner thigh.

I have no difficulty during the backward pose.

I also notice that during each pose my arm is straining to reach out with the leg; and that, as the leg nears total extension, my upper back may be straining to let my arm go out so far. This may be built up tension and nervous reaction to the overall requirements of the pose.

Just my thoughts. What are your reactions to this?

Rob,

I would like to reinforce Coach Hurst suggestion, throttle back a sophistication level.....and... Start doing some floor work to gain mobilty in your hips and hamstrings.

lie on back, 5 reps each side
bring leg up and bend and straiten knee
strait leg lift
glide leg out to side
lift leg from side to upright
these cardinals will sophisticate into circles, be incremental

side lieing 5 reps
swing leg front back
lift leg without rotating
lift leg with rotation
swing leg forward, lift up to rotated top position
these cardinals sophisticate to circles

lie on front
lift leg, press opposite into floor
swing leg side side
sophisticate to circle

Try this floor work for a cycle then retest your floor 4CBD for comparison.

[Coach Gostnell]

Rob,
Essentially, I did what Coach Hurst suggests you try: Back to the lower levels, but when I re-started, I made sure my knee was straight even if my foot was only a few inches from the floor.

It was amazing how fast things progressed from there once I took this extra care with it.

Something else I read on the Forum seemed to help: At the advanced stage, imagine that your foot or ankle is merely floating in your hand, not being suppported by it. Focusing on this seems to bring the correct leg/hip/etc. muscles into play & relieves that back strain you mention.

[Robster]

Thanks, everyone, I'll let you know how it goes! :-)

[peterng25]

You know, I have exactly the same problem.
When I saw the advanced stage, I thought immediately "He/she has longer arms than me (?)...".
Actually, I did go back to the basic and intermediate levels for quite a while, and now I do a modified version of advanced: I cannot grasp the foot with my hand, just the ankle/calf, then I can manage the entire pose. Maybe someday...

[rutherford]

Is there value to grabbing the foot and incrementally working on straightening the leg versus grabbing the ankle with a straight leg and working to incrementally grab lower to the foot?

[Coach Gostnell]

That may be how some people progress best but what worked best for me was to focus on keeping my knee straight. Once I did that it was easier to graduate from holding calf/ankle to heel. I didn't seem to make much progress when I tried it the other way - & also felt the pull through shoulder & back.

[Coach Hurst]

Also remember folks, keep your hips aligned with each other. A lot of times when you reach out to grab your foot you will push your hip forwards. Don't do this. This is why practicing this motion on the floor like Joseph mentioned will help. You could even use a wall for this. It helps. Just ask my students. ;)

[William J]

Also remember folks, keep your hips aligned with each other. A lot of times when you reach out to grab your foot you will push your hip forwards. Don't do this. This is why practicing this motion on the floor like Joseph mentioned will help. You could even use a wall for this. It helps. Just ask my students. ;)



VERY helpful. Thanks. :)

BTW, before I started IF I could not touch my toes, well, just to measure progress, I reached down to try this weekend and I actually touched my thumbs to the floor! I have NEVER been able to do that! Thanks everyone.

[JasonE]

Great tips for help on this! I encountered similar issues when first attempting the Advanced 4CBD, and throttling back to get the lower levels down really helped. Pay attention to the details, and you'll feel the difference.

Joseph - nice floor sequence! Dig it!

Rob - When my right knee suffered two sprains while grappling this summer, I was forced back to lower levels of the 4CBD (and most everything else!). Reviewing the basics and working the details has enabled me to regain most of what I'd lost. I'll be playing with that floor sequence and the Seated 4CBD now. If you're at Lambda, maybe we can compare results!

William - Congratulations! Keep it up!