Forward Fold Progress 2023-2026
45 y/o male. My current goal is to get my head-to-toe in my forward fold. I’m very limited by lack of ankle dorsiflexion…it’s been stubborn, but improving. Flexibility isn’t the only thing I’m working on so I have to balance all my other goals. I also practice calisthenics, weightlifting, yoga, and handstands.
Just for context, I took the first picture in Dec 2023 but didn’t really start any designated mobility work until September 2024. I imagine my forward fold didn’t change at all for those 9 months. There was also a time when I couldn’t touch my toes, but I don’t have any pictures from that time. At some point I made it a goal to just be able to touch my toes (which is a worthwhile goal!) and that’s where I stayed for many years.
Routine:
Sept 2024-March 2025: I started doing flowy mobility work, like animal flow type stuff.
April 2025-June 2025: I started doing light stretching daily, specific to my flexibility goals, which at the time were pancake and front splits. I saw some, albeit minimal progress.
July 2025-Feb 2026: I switched to only working on front splits during this time, stretching at a high intensity 2x/week using different strategies like PNF, active, and passive stretching. I think the increased hamstring flexibility helped carry over to my pike/forward fold during that time.
March 2026-June 2026: I purchased a program I found online and have been sticking to it, focusing on my forward fold and my side splits. I stretch 2x/week.
Final Thoughts:
I’m happy with my progress, and I wanted to share, to hopefully inspire others. I know at the beginning I had intrusive thoughts like: “Am I too old to start stretching?”, “I’m not a naturally flexible person”, “Flexibility is something you either have or you don’t”.
You’re not stuck in your current state. Flexibility is something you can train and improve. Every body responds differently to stimulus. It takes consistency at the right intensity over time. I hope you can find a method that works for you and your goals, and stick with it and feel better in your body. Thanks! ☺️