Do stretching machines give extra flexibility for martial arts training e.g. Versaflex machines?
Believe it or not things like yoga actually help to stretch you better than the stretching machines do. The problem with the machines is that they can very easily pull muscles and snap tendons before you have realised that you have been pushed too far. Therefore it is really important that you stick to the old fashioned methods of stretching and if you want to increase your flexability take on yoga or pilates as they helped me. You could always take on something like a ballet class but that would depend on how serious you were about building strength as well as flexibility. I know a number of people that studied gymnastics and went on to achieve gold in national championships.
