I was at a local sporting goods store yesterday and they had an old Century Mechanical Leg Spreader (link is to the new one) . I have one of those manual leg spreaders and it works pretty good so I got in this thing to give it a try.
It’s very easy to opperate. It has adjustable leg pads, an adjustable hand grip and the pully rachet system is pretty smooth and easy to understand. It has a little guide on it that tells you at what angel your stetch is. For example 180° is a full side split. I was able to get in this thing and stretch to 150° cold. I’m sure I could get another 5 to 10 degrees had I been warmed up.
Things I don’t like about are; 1. it takes up a lot of floor space. 2. It’s kinda pricey for a machine that just increases static flexibility ($149.00 old version - $199.00 for the new one). IMO, Doing splits, or attempting splits, increases flexibility in the same way but also increases leg strength because you have to stabalize your body using the stretched muscles. The leg spreaders take the stabilization out of the equation. While I do think flexibility is important, I believe that a balance of strength and flexibility is optimum.
So if you have the extra cash it would be worth it to make this machine a PART of your stretching program. BUT you can get the same results with a manual leg spreader or by doing splits. It would be easier to just sit and watch TV while using this machine though.
Which is why I bought it. I need to work on my flexibility and I don’t always have the time and energy to work out after I get home from work. This way, if I feel lazy and want to sit around and watch tv or play a video game, I can still work on my flexibility. I will say that I know one guy that has broken two of these but I’ve not had any problems so far.
Hey Judge, have you tried adductor flys? You lay on your back, head on a pillow. Put your legs straight up in the air so your body is in an “L” shape. Then spread your legs so they fall to either side of your body, then bring them back up straight. Once you can get to 100 reps add light ankle weights.
This exercise strengthens the muscles that you are stretching in a side split. Try it before you get on your stretching machine next time.
I got this exercise right off the Thomas Kurz Stretching DVD.
I have tried those. Problem was that I was so inflexible that it really wasn’t working the proper muscles (same thing for laying against a wall letting gravity take your legs down in a side split).
Word. I’m the same way. I need the machine to force my legs apart to get the stretch. I’ve never been able to even come close to a full side splits. I think my personal best is something like 120° (180° being a full split). Without a machine, I can’t even get to 90°.
Do those machines have the strength to tense and resist against the stretch? Or do you just have to sit and relax in the stretch?
They are strong enough to hold your tension.
I’ve improved from 110 degrees to 135 (when I’m warmed up and have been stretching for about 30 minutes). I hope to get a full side split eventually so I can transition more effortlessly into and out of the ultra low stances in the material I’m working on right now.
The machine doesn’t have resistence, per se, but if you use it on carpet, like I do, it takes a bit of effort (due to the friction) to pull your legs back together after holding a stretch.
Yeah, we do the dynamic stretching and the “side-to-side” as well. For a while I couldn’t do the side to side until my knee healed and my right leg got stronger. Now, It’s hard to keep my heel down on the side-to-side. I try all of these things, and the stretch machine is for when I still want to be semi-productive while watching TV etc.
I find a decent italian restaurant meal and a medium-range bottle of wine to be the most effective leg-spreader, personally. Put Marvin Gaye on the stereo afterwards and you’re golden.
The legs come off the stretcher and it will fit in your closet. There's a bag it fits into and the bag can be wheeled out of your closet. It's very comfortable IMO and the best one I have tried - my other one was a versaflex.
