Where To Start With Flexibility Training?! (Routines For Beginner to Advanced)

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This video breaks down how to get started with flexibility training providing routines and programs for beginner, intermediate and advanced. Whether you're just trying to touch your toes or work towards the splits, this video will help provide a guide and framework to start doing!
MUSIC BY:
Mai Ligne - Pawn Shop
www.epidemicsound.com/
See you in the next video!

[@XAvalancheGamingX]

I was on r/bodyweightfitness the other day and someone asked how to get started on flexibility, and EVERYONE in the comment section recommended Tom. We love your content

[@Thesleepypoet]

I saw that post. Tom replied saying this vid was in the works.

[@BodyweightWarrior]

much inspired this video, happy to help :)

[@markdangerfield2093]

Tom Merrick Yes keep these videos go away and get back to me as soon as you can

[@markdangerfield2093]

@@BodyweightWarrior Yes I know

[@Cratees]

Wow that's powerful

[@kollegah1808]

Half a million without flashy bullshit and just quality content. You're a great inspiration, just to let you know.

[@joepho5148]

Tom, I love your content. I spent the past 4 years building strength at the gym but never paid much mind to my flexibility. You motivate me so much and your work is clearly not just some fitness fluff like other influences. You rock!

[@elnino7934]

Thanks for all the extremely helpful content you consistently keep providing us for free. Also if it isn’t much trouble can you please make an ankle mobility follow along video. Much appreciated mate

[@davidddd8648]

Me this morning"I should start some flexibility training" You are my hero

[@baileyphillips1653]

I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS, keep up the great work. You're a huge motivation!

[@ingvildrosa4892]

Great video and thanks for the blog post!

[@TheCelestialhealer]

I love your approach: gentle and elegant, thinking of us, not showing of.Thank you so much.

[@cordh12]

This is awesome, exactly what I needed to see. Thank you so much

[@kama280897]

I just came across your channel. I have had winged scapula since i was a child and was looking for some exercises to help get rid of that. I got a workout plan from a personal trainer and my physio recommended your channel to me as before I mostly focused on weight lifting and lacked significantly in the flexibility department. I've only been doing your stretches (especially the rounded shoulders one) for a week and I see such a huge difference. My posture has improved, my back pain disappeared and I finally stretched out my pec minor which I'm pretty sure was in knots for years. I'll be continuing your programmes and hopefully I'll be able to see a lot more improvements in the future. Thanks for the great videos

[@francopineda9241]

thanks for the videos Tom, i found you channel recently and i've learned a lot of content with awesome quality

[@cashmerebolden4473]

Thank you Tom! Can't wait to get started.

[@WhosIggy]

This is the perfect video at the perfect time. Just started my flexibility training and your videos have been extremely helpful. Thanks Tom!

[@scottbrown4432]

Great video Tom as always 👍

[@nekotajni394]

Absolutely fantastic video, answers the biggest question I always had.

[@antonioperez7528]

This will help a lot of people. Good work Tom. ✌🏾😊🤙🏾💚

[@soulwantscookies]

Great video. Excactly what i wanted. Thank you Tom

[@MrLabtec70]

you are literally changing my life my friend! thank you so much from Switzerland !!! :-)

[@justjack2055]

Swiss Gang 👊

[@jeffreyharold4295]

Dude, you're on Dave Rubins Podcast! What a suprise! Keep on with the awesome content!

[@tommyjohn_45]

Would love a V2 evening routine! Thanks for the fantastic content

[@gigomanning]

Great video Tom! Keep it up! Could you please make a Press to handstand tutorial. 👍

[@devilundercover]

Thank you for all these! I’ve always been more flexible as a child but I’m not where I’d like to be as an adult. Hamstrings do need a good stretch so everything here is super super helpful!

[@niiico2351]

Great guide Tom!

[@furkanakcakaya9443]

Thanks for the video!

[@georginawaitaiki446]

Thanks again so much for your site Tom really useful

[@robbingham9082]

great advice. thanks!!

[@fitnesshubsl]

Wow! Thank you brother! 🖤💪🏾

[@liam10071]

Was doing one of your follow along workouts literally as you just uploaded. Feeling pumped!

[@eddiewalker7252]

Hi Tom, Im new and am looking for a beginner back roller video. Thank you for your life saving informative videos!

[@mohamedteibani901]

Great video I following you're middle and front split follow along it's so hard but the results is fast than you think Thanks

[@mokkrit1]

great content!

I started to have a shot every I heard greasing the groove now I’m tipsy, ... I love you man you the best.

[@stoney9968]

Love the advice here and programs, do you have any specific advice for someone in their late 40s that's as stiff as a board? Keep up the good work Tom!

[@SupremeAtheist]

You’re not a narcissist that’s make you especial. Keep going, I appreciate your classes

[@sachingupta3995]

You are amazing Trainer Tom is follow your routine daily and I see lots of progress into my body flexibility... Thank you Tom

[@artisdriba3574]

I am your biggest fan, you have helped me so much! Lunges are the hardest.

[@nickholman6972]

Absolutely love your content. Would it be possible to get a stretching/mobility routine for the upper body that would be good for people that are desk bound daily for work? I really want to improve my overhead mobility for handstands in the future but am overwhelmed as where to start. IE something that focuses on spine and shoulders :)

[@PaTaT0728]

You're almost at 500k subscribers!

[@10ktube]

This was a great video, because as someone who's terribly NOT bendable, getting wrapped up in internet searches with uber specific isolated movements is frustrating. You need baby steps and dynamic movements, the iso-holding is great if you're already nice and fluid, but as a competitive cyclist, we generally are terrible due to the motion and posture.

[@DANIELLONDONCHARLES]

Amazing just the video i need to get my flexibility training in order

[@yousraafailaltribak6098]

I am a below beginner at flexibility and i reaally like your content 💓 thank you, you make things easier and not boring at all, something about you is really special, I recommend everyone who never did these flexibility and mobility exercices to follow this guy 😁 he is good

[@skullrose1912]

How’s it going?

[@yousraafailaltribak6098]

@@skullrose1912 I can say I havr become more than average at flexibility, thrde exercises do me so goood mentally and physically and sometimes I do them just two times per mobth XD I have started by doing them daily after that sometimes a week, now I havr becomr more lazy but I am counting on starting again, I never stopped but I would looove to do these stretching more, its reaally relaxing for me and in the same time gives me energy, I like the feeling to be in control of ur body, I have to say that I am obese and do not workout a lot bec1use of my joints but I reaaally like these stretching exercises I hope u find the motivation to do whatever u want

[@ledoclib2488]

This man is naturel !!! 👏👏👏

[@fitzy603]

Hey Tom, Im trying to improve my hamstring flexibility, should I lock out my knees when stretching? Or more of a slightly bent but engaged knees? Absolutely love your stuff!!!!

[@viktorivanov4787]

Joined the tribe!

[@bassamknight]

Thanks

[@Sujiceel]

daily online classes have really messed up my strength training schedule, but I guess flexibility and mobility training wouldn't hurt until I get my regular strength training sessions back again.

[@adrianacarapia4194]

Me encanta el contenido que tienes, y como ha ayudado a la flexibilidad 👏. Me gustan más los videos "follow along".

[@rafeekgafoor8084]

I was literally just doing my flexibility workout plans for the rest of the year when this showed up. Thanks.

[@kashsnipes8895]

Your FBI agent smiling rn😃🎶

[@nikitaw1982]

How's it going?

[@rafeekgafoor8084]

@@nikitaw1982 interesting. Just finished a stretch just now. About 60 cm from floor. If you can buy his upgraded app. It’s amazing.

[@gazza18881967]

Great video. You really like greasing that groove ;-)

[@ze714]

what's up man! Big fan of yours! Could you do a "follow along" on spinal mobility? specially for thoracic expansion and also to improve stiffness around the middle of the spine. I've been using your follow alongs since quarentine started here in the US. Thanks for the content! Cheers mate

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Great suggestion, I will have a think on this one

[@Perennial_Observer]

Tom, first of all thank you so much for the wealth of knowledge you make publicly available. I come from a sporting background (weights, rugby, sprinting etc) and have foolishly neglected my flexibility. I started your beginner's routine and have seen now you recommend adding the hamstring routine twice a week. My entire lower body is incredibly tight (Hip flexors, calves and hamstrings). Do you recommend any particular order to fix those or should I stick to the hamstring pike routine to start? (For reference I barely feel the pain in my hamstrings because my calves end up on fire instead!) Thank you and I hope you have an opportunity to respond.

[@stephentomaszewski8501]

I am in the exact same boat as you. I started doing full body routines and noticed everything was tight but I do think shoulders and hamstrings are major areas to start focusing since they connect to so many other kinematic links. I currently do an upper stretch routine after my upper workout and a lower stretch routine after my lower workout. I work out 4 times a week but I can see the merit to his reccomendations. I don't think I was making enough progress because I was doing enough general stretching and then on the two lower stretch routines I wasn't going hard enough to actually fix them. As for the tight calfs, I found that doing the flosing, along with hip flexors, quads, hamstring andcalf stretcting is the solution. My logic is that even though I tihnk my calfs are the limiting factor I'm stretching everything along the chain. Quads, hamstring and calfs all meet and pull on the knee in a different way so I don''t truely know what is going on there. Also just use yoga blocks and make sure to use good form so you actually stretch what is intended. I noticed that I would cheat on many stretches

[@MrStriker009]

Tom I have been following your videos for few months now. You have put in lot of time in detailed information regarding stretching. One request from you it would helpluf for lot of runners, kindly post a video on professional runners stretching routine ( long distance runners currently in the news you would find them like in 3k 5k 10k ) I am a runner and I am really fascinated by there rhythm of running. Kindly do that in a single video please. If possible add in your suggestion for runners.

[@freekaleek12100]

Tom, I've been following you for a while now and love your content - thanks for all you do! I was wondering if you could help me, my main focus is maximal strength training, mainly oly lifting but with aspects of powerlifting to increase base strength. Working at high percentages of my 1RM a lot of the time leaves me feeling pretty beaten up and stiff, and I feel like no matter how much I stretch I never make any flexibility gains but rather just retain what I already have (which isn't great). I've been following your guidance of a decent full body stretch 4-5 times a week just before bed and I've incorporated some more intense loaded mobility drills into my workouts for the past couple of months and not had the best results. My strength is increasing but my flexibility is very stagnant. Am I approaching this wrong, do I just need to be more patient or am I fighting a losing battle with my flexibility goals conflicting my strength goals? Do you think I need to start periodising strength cycles and flexibility cycles to actually make progress? Any advice really appreciated. Thanks!

[@melvinamarkmann7176]

Hi Tom I love your videos...could you possible to a video about rib flarring?

[@PrinceEC]

I know you're such a chilled cool guy, and you're the kind not to get into the hate comments world, but this isn't a hate comment, more an appreciation for your work and your channel. I've been following your channel for a while now, but a lot of the content you started I believe was before 'Knees Over Toes' guy erupted (I could be wrong though), who is amazing by the way & I respect. I know we all get our inspiration from different people like Ido Portal but yeah, just giving you some major props my brother that I saw a lot of KOT content from your channel before - not all of his content of course, but a lot I've already learned it from you & it was for free :)

[@NirHason]

You removed the mustache! I'm so happy now :P

[@magnushedgarden4029]

Hi Tom and thanks for all your great vids! I want to put the two Strength + Flexibility routines in my weekly program but also really need to work specifically on my hamstrings. Is it possible to combine the Strength + Flexibility routines with the Beginner Hamstring Flexibility routine in a good way? Do I still need to make time for the full body GtG routines if I do so? Or should I just focus on my hamstrings first, and stick to full body GtGs the other four days, before progressing to the more advanced Strength + Flexibility? Thanks again for your inspiring work!

[@DelosFive]

Love these videos, but really need to find a different metaphor to 'grease in the groove' :D I counted six in this one alone! haha

[@stephentomaszewski8501]

What type of schedule do you reccomend for someone who is chronicly tight from working out for years but still wants to go to the gym? I've been stretching pretty consitently for a year but I haven't seen much progress. Still cannot come close to touching my toes. My current schedule is: - do a 5 min mobility routine in the morning. - Monday I do an upper workout and upper stretch routine - Tuesday I do a lower workout and lower stretch routine - Wednesday is an off day, sometimes cardio - Thursday I do an upper workout and upper stretch routine - Friday I do a lower workout and lower stretch routine - Saturday/Sunday are free days to usualy hike or do outside activities

[@davide9227]

Hey Tom, great video. Would you say then that achieving the pike should come first than the pancake? Or can they also be together?

[@MichaelThomas-qx7fq]

Hi Tom, great video. I’ve constantly got tight hips (piriformis/hip flexors) and a crappy thoracic - standard office worker, and Pilates has helped with strength but it’s clear I have a lack of mobility/flexibility. Looks like these beginner routines would be ideal for me to start with, is that your view?

[@mngrm1]

Tom, have you ever considered getting your 200-hour YTT? I think you'd be phenomenal at yoga training- yoga anatomy, especially. You don't have to become a teacher, although you naturally are one.

[@AncientAccomplishments]

Heard you on the Rubin Report!

[@julianacolmandasilva2894]

As someone commented in another video: FLEXIGOD!!1

[@josheckert7798]

Hi Tom some really useful info here. Any chance you can link the pair of videos you refered to @6:00?

[@AfroTucker]

Hi Mate, Love the content! Just double checking for the Front Split, Middle Split & Pancake routine. Are you saying essentially, Week1 - 2 x Routine A: Front Split then 1 x Routine B: Middle Split & Pancake. Then Week 2 - 2 x Routine B & 1 x Routine A? Thanks in advance man

[@tomurwin2787]

Tom ‘grease in the groove’ Merrick

[@Chadx1122]

hi Tom , thank you thank you for this. I have very tight ankles (can't do the one hand width, I'm more like 2 finger width from the wall before my knee can touch). do you recommend first getting the squat without heel lifts before moving onto any other type of stretches/flexibility training?

[@TheDward123]

Any videos on stretching out the foot as well as getting better toe mobility?

[@XxChipsxX]

🔥🔥🔥

[@coreymcgaffin3957]

You're a great teacher! Very much appreciated, you legend👍

[@saberallen5]

is there a video on why you should try to become flexible

[@andrewhill586]

I'm curious how you'd recommend someone pair your flexibility training sessions with a an intense strength/hypertrophy routine? I do a fairly heavy lower-body weight routine 3-4 times per week - would it be better to do your front or middle splits routines on the same days, or would it be more effective to do them on off/upper body days? I know you have some weighted stretching routines, which I like and use sometimes, but I'm generally focused on strength and muscle hypertrophy gains with my lifting and I don't really want to change my lifting routine too much if possible. I want my flexibility in addition to my strength and hypertrophy gains. I want to avoid my strength training from impairing my flexibility training or vice versa.

[@erichall6009]

Also wondering about this

[@jaremcorpuz3101]

4x gtg 2x focused intense

[@bleacherz7503]

Need a video for those with extreme inflexible bodies, so inflexible that stretching often results in injuries.in my case, cancer and disc degeneration make stretching very risky

[@Uncommon_Sense01]

Greasing the groove 😅

[@hamzakhiar3636]

i wanna know if i just wanna gather the knowledge of like muscle flexibility and maximizing the range of motion of the joints/bone like what scientific fields i should read about and google

[@jamescockayne9794]

Thanks Tom! I'm a beginner trying to increase my flexibility at home. Definitely going to try and put that heavier hamstring stretch into my routine. Do you think its too heavy to put after a workout? Also, I struggle up with upper body/ overhead flexibility - should I try and dedicate a "heavier" session to that too? Or will greasing the groove be enough? Thanks

[@gregorgiebel1377]

I wouldnt do the hamstring routine if you did your deadlifts at the same day or even the day before. Or at least I cant do that. But you should listen to your body. Its quite straining for your hamstrings and they should be somewhat recovered when you do that routine imo. So if you train 3 days a week and have deadlifts every second workout alternating with squats you have 4-5 days from one deadlift session to the next. That leaves 2-3 days where you can do that routine. Maybe you can even do it the next day after deadlifts, but I dont know.. the jefferson curl and the hamstring pnf are pretty tough.

[@TheTMax]

Let's do it! 6 week challenge using your videos. I'll tag you with my success 😉

[@1223whiteguy]

How'd it go?

[@raymondmalcolm1467]

Am onTeam Tom 👍🏿❤️🙏🏿😍

[@p-dee2288]

Hey man love your vids! I play rugby here in Australia and it’s pretty common for majority players to lack mobility and flexibility. I’ve only just come across your channel and I can say it’s probably the best out there. How would you schedule a flexibility routine as opposed to a mobility one? Or do you just do both in the same day? Thanks

[@JeeYaoKuneDo]

If you're on IG, I'd highly suggest you follow Jeffrey Wolf (aka The Flexibull).

[@p-dee2288]

@@JeeYaoKuneDo no Instagram but I’ll do my best to look him up. Thanks for that bud!

[@JeeYaoKuneDo]

@@p-dee2288 My pleasure, mate. There are some interviews with him here on YT. He also has a podcast called Strength Culture and a Trainerize platform that goes by the same name. He combines strength, hypertrophy, and flexibility training to increase athleticism in a simple way. Might be worth a look.

[@nikariff18]

Does fixing anterior pelvic tilt a pre requisite before doing stretching exercise? , because my lower back gets worse when i started to touch my toes btw

[@quincecarroll2380]

Hey what’s up I didn’t know where to comment or message you and I was wondering if you could put something together for strength and flexibility for surfing

[@SagarBalani1981]

Is there a program one should follow flexibility. Like in bodybuilding one can follow bro split or upper lower or pushpullleg. Is there anything like that for flexibility. ?

[@jackholton9981]

I have EDS and as a result have a hyper flexible spine, shoulders and everything EXCEPT hamstrings/glutes because my spine has always overcompensated for them, so basically my my forward pike is terrible compared to everything else - even touching the floor at all is difficult a lot of the time. Is there an easy way to offset that?

[@euanmorse]

Drink every time Tom says 'Grease the groove'.

[@borisdmitrov4705]

Hi, is it work with mobility too?

[@rinay9558]

I am the second Oh yeah😁😁

[@natalieking4424]

Not really been doing flexibility recently so want to get bck in2 it. So wud u recommend that I sud maybe do 2 15 minutes beginners flexibility and 1 20 minutes flexibility a week plus 1 hamstrings flexibility. That wud be 4 a week wud that ok?

[@Deathhead68]

Omg first

[@Mandocammarano505]

What about your separate body part routines such as hips and shoulders? Do those with pike/hamstring stretches ?

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Steven Cammarano stick to patterns of movement (pancake, middle split, front split, bridge, external/internal rotation etc) rather than body parts

[@Mandocammarano505]

Tom Merrick awesome tip thanks a lot! Your routines got me my straddle press!

[@shreyasraman8137]

I'm currently doing a 3 day full body workout (M,W,F). Is it alright to do intense stretching on the days in between (T,Th)? Stuff like PNF and the beginner hamstring stretch (with Jefferson curls)? Will it hamper my recovery in any way?

[@nickyphiri2004]

I have the same question

[@bikeomatic8005]

This video should be titled “greasing the groove”...

[@BodyweightWarrior]

The greasing the groove is the cherry on top. The cake is the intense focused sessions ;)

[@rayres1074]

The zoomer (or maybe millenial?) Kit Laughlin. Excellent stuff flexibility wise, Tom.

[@ThaUnpronounceable]

Do your morning mobility routines work as greasing the grooves? I have a hard time inplementing a daily 15minute routine, but having been doing the morning mobility daily now for a while. I could do the 2 or 3 weekly intense, that time i do have Cheers

[@BodyweightWarrior]

ThaUnpronounceable certainly helps 👍

[@ThaUnpronounceable]

@@BodyweightWarrior Haha well that's the least I hoped yeah! Just to maybe pinch my ambition, though. Would you reckon there is a big gap in effectivity as compared to daily 15 minutes medium stretches? Because having your opinion make a rigid statement about it might influence my level of devotion

[@rnonthenicschannel4820]

Hello Bro

[@fredrikbystrom7380]

I think it would do you well to recheck your color balances. The blacks in this video are way oversaturated.

[@selurnomis220]

greasing the groove? tell me more, tell me more

[@brunettezprettyr4296]

He is hot and informative. Thank you for this channel.

[@laser9259]

Can you make a discord community, please