Please help me with flexibility!

[JessieMcJessie]

I have never ever been flexible. I have never been able to touch my toes and I remember being utterly bemused in the 80s and 90s when exercise routines would involve that thing where you spread your legs out in a V, grab your toe and lower your head down to your knee. At my maximum flex I still look like I am sitting upright! Any Scots on here will recognise the description "stechy"

For a while I was fairly cardio fit (ran a half marathon once) but I let that slide about 5 years ago and am just about to embark on a plan to improve my fitness again, but this time I'd really like to prioritise improving my flexibility as well as my cardio fitness. Generally I stick to running and swimming. Does anyone have any recommendations for a plan to make me flexible? It would need to be a total beginner approach as I am almost off the scale inflexible. Please don't say yoga, I tried it once and had real trouble with balancing and not having enough upper body strength. Just felt shaky and dizzy by the end.

Thanks!

[CatMilkMan]

start slow and go with quantity over quality regular gentle stretching is a good start and resistance bands with a resistance band training book would probably be a good idea, I just bought a set for a friend and for £15 I think it's pretty good value. It comes with a small booklet with some stretching ideas.

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CA45MKM/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B004P9X0RC&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=03C8F7XY611EPB9E5J3Z&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[LordEmsworth]

Please don't say yoga, I tried it once and had real trouble with balancing and not having enough upper body strength

That was the wrong yoga class then (or, possibly, just the wrong teacher...). I would definitely give it another go, and maybe try a few classes until you find one you're happy with. A beginners' yoga class will be much more about standing poses so upper body strength shouldn't be an issue; and the teacher ought to help you with balance.

Have you tried foam rolling? You can get them for a tenner on Amazon, and it's great for releasing and softening.