New DVD on Flexibility and Strength
It has been a long while since I produced any instructional material on training for sports and martial arts. The reason is a severe shoulder injury I had a few years ago. I totally dislocated and nearly destroyed my shoulder. (Full info on the injury is at http://atomic-temporary-4752433.wpcomstaging.com/2010/06/30/back-bridge-twist-seminar-excerpt and http://atomic-temporary-4752433.wpcomstaging.com/2009/10/22/no-sweat-workout/#comment-133.)
Of course, I was not sitting idle all that time. I worked out as much as I could. As soon as I could do any exercises after the shoulder surgery, I did. And so, in addition to the shoulder rehab, I did whatever exercises I could do for strength and flexibility of my legs and trunk.
Someone who saw my workouts told me, “You have this gold mine of know-how—you should share it!” So I had a couple of my workouts recorded, with me explaining how and why I do what I do, and put them on a DVD.
I don’t show any spectacular feats of strength or flexibility on this DVD. After all, my destroyed shoulder is still far from normal strength, so I can’t train the way I used to. But this is good news for people who have let themselves go—if I can do it at age 55 and with a severely damaged shoulder, then anyone can. So, without further ado, here is the DVD:
Filed under: Flexibility and Stretching, Strength Training for Sports and Martial Arts | 19 Comments
Tags: back bridge, exercises, Flexibility, Flexibility Express, martial arts, shoulder injury, shoulder rehab, shoulder surgery, splits, sports, strength, stretching, Thomas Kurz, Tom Kurz
I have bought your book and a dvd in the past and would have been interested in this as well but how do you come up with a price of $99.95 for a dvd in this economy? Way way overpriced.
You don’t say which book and which DVD you have. If the book is Stretching Scientifically and the DVD either Secrets of Stretching or Clinic on Stretching and Kicking, then the following might apply:
I have noticed that people tend to pay more attention to instruction when they pay more money for it. Let me explain: Our publications, DVDs and books, so far were priced similarly or lower than others publications, of lower instruction value, on similar subjects. This has kept some of our customers from diligently applying our instruction and thus getting the full benefit of it. I know that many buy our DVD and books and then let them gather dust. Then, when their friends see our DVD or book on their shelf and ask, “Can you do what this thing teaches?”, the answer, of course, has to be “No.” The friends then get the wrong impression of the quality of our instruction. Setting a higher price on Flexibility Express DVD is a way to remedy that. Yes, higher priced items are appreciated more than lower priced items and used, rather than forgotten.
Hi Thomas:
As a female who is about to turn 55 myself in a couple of months it is kind of disturbing that you are referring to yourself as a Senior Citizen. I see you and your vitality as being far stronger and healthier than most half your age. It is because of you that I have made it my goal to be able to do the splits for the first time in my life! It is because of you that I practice my kicks every morning.
I think the senior citizen branding should be for someone who is much, much older or for that 50-something person who has lost their willingness to try to get into or stay in shape. Clearly you don’t accept excuses… and neither should anyone else.
Or am I just in denial about my own age?
Regardless, you are an inspiration for anyone in “our” age bracket. Please…Don’t stop!
jZ
Strictly speaking, according to Legal Dictionary (http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Senior+Citizens), “People are said to be senior citizens when they reach the age of sixty or sixty-five because those are the ages at which most people retire from the workforce.” But then…
http://www.bradsdeals.com/blog/senior-discounts/
http://voices.yahoo.com/senior-discounts-turning-55-good-thing-5443013.html?cat=7
To make you feel better, or worse, I refer to myself as an “old geezer.” In my native tongue there is a term for a strong and very old man that is more inspiring—“luty starzec” (strong old man). Brings to my mind a bony greybeard that can squeeze sap out of an old broomstick and wrap horseshoes around his hands. That’s something I aspire to…. So you see that all this talk about “age brackets” and “age denial” is foreign to me.
Other than that, I am glad you find me inspiring, and I am sure you can reach your goals.
Dear Mr. Thomas Kurz,
What are the differences between this new DVD and the previous DVDs Secrets of Stretching or Clinic on Stretching and Kicking?
Kindest regards,
Javier
Clinic on Stretching and Kicking doesn’t teach resistance exercises, so I will explain differences only between Secrets of Stretching and Flexibility Express. Here they are:
I made Secrets of Stretching when I was 35. I made Flexibility Express at 55, so the main difference between those two DVDs is 20 years of research and experience. The other difference is that Secrets of Stretching teaches resistance exercises and stretches designed specifically for fighters and martial artists who want powerful kicks, while Flexibility Express delivers simultaneous gains in strength and flexibility of the entire body for athletes in all sports. So, Secrets of Stretching covers flexibility and strength of the lower body only—that is, the hips and legs—while Flexibility Express covers the arms, shoulders, back, hips, and legs.
Compared to Secrets of Stretching, in Flexibility Express the method is streamlined; the exercises are simpler, easier, but more effective; and you get more information on those exercises.
You may learn more by comparing Tables of Content of those two DVDs, which are linked to their webpages.
Hi again Mr. K:
“Old geezer” is still too derogatory for a “strong man” like you who is leading the way in reminding us older than other folks that we can, too, be strong and flexible in mind, body and spirit. I think few would consider you an OG either… your talent, hard work, and committment speaks louder.
Dear Mr Thomas Kurz,
What is the importance of the exercise called bridge?
Kindest regards,
Javier
You mean back bridge? If so, then read these:
http://fitnessblackbook.com/main/use-the-back-bridge-exercise-to-improve-posture-and-reduce-back-pain/
http://www.flashmavi.com/stretching_how_to_learn_the_bridge
Dear Mr. Kurz,
I don’t have the ROM for a good deep squat. Can this dvd help me?
Thank you and good luck with your shoulder.
That’s the idea.
You are welcome and thanks for good wishes!
I was about to purchase this, before I saw the price… and c’mon Thomas, you sayin that it’s just a way to make sure people value your matieral appropriately is almost an insult to those of us who HAVE bought your material in the past. I have. I am a true admirer, or I wouldn’t have found this page. And I’m your target audience (50 years old and have had spinal fusion surgery 3 years ago). But I’m not wealthy.
I didnt understand one thing: if i cannot pass the initial tests, can I do these workouts or not? I have an anterior pelvic tilt so very tight hip flexors and poor thoracic extension… I’ve seen you suggests to do leg raises… but dont they tighten further hip flexors? Thank you so much. You’re true inspiration for me.
If you cannot pass the initial tests, then you should first fix faults of your posture. The reason is explained in my post First, Fix Faults. It is possible that doing exercises from Flexibility Express DVD will improve your posture, it is also possible that doing them will make it worse–it depends on the cause and the degree of your posture’s defects and on your attention to detail when doing the exercises. So it is best to first, fix faults….
In addition to the advice in First, Fix Faults and in links form that post, I recommend following posture correcting exercises taught by Dr. Steve Hoffman at http://www.GetToYourCore.com/cps/.
Good luck!
Hi Mr Kurz,
I would like to know if using a platform to assist with gradually lowering my hips to the floor in the wide squat is a good idea, or is cheating? I use aerobics step boxes which I am gradually lowering as I get more comfortable with the height. Ultimately I plan to replace the lowest step (6″) with sitting on the floor, as instructed in the DVD. But I wondered if this is cheating myself out of the benefits of the squat without assistance?
Many thanks.
Best regards,
Dan Van Zandt
Hello Mr. Van Zandt,
Using a platform is a good idea. If you want a more gradual lowering of your hips and thus more gradual increase of difficulty getting up–which is when you tense the stretched muscles of your legs and hips–you may use a folding panel mat. Begin sitting on a fully folded mat, and then, as your flexibility and strength increase, unfold one or two panels, thus lowering your “platform” one to three inches at a time.
This is not “cheating” in the sense of bypassing some weak muscle–this is w way of gradually strengthening them, beginning with the ROM that is safe for you. Eventually you will be doing the wide squats without any assistance, so you will get all the benefits of this exercise.
Hi Thomas,is the DVDs playable in the Uk? Many thanks regards Pat
Yes it is. Our DVDs are only in NTSC but they play in virtually all PAL DVD players.
They should. Our DVDs are replicated in NTSC but they play in virtually all PAL DVD players.