Stretching - tips and advice!

poconnor16

Hi all,

given the diversity of forum members, range of MA and experience on here I would be fascinated to get your input on how to increase flexibility. I myself train in TKD, am 29 and would not be 'naturally flexible'. I train 3 nights a week in class but I'm wondering what I can do outside of class to increase flex? Especially the flex. required for side and roundhouse kicks.

It just makes it so much easier to roundhouse to the head when you can place it there as opposed to using momentum.

Thanks all!

FruitLover

Thomas Kurz has done decades of research on flexibility and strength training (they're related) specific to martial arts. He's got a book out, but the essence of it is available for free at the above link.

leonkickboxing

google Brad Appleton, he has some fairly good routines as well:)

kravicecreama

This is a good place to start.

http://www.morrisnoholdsbarred.co.uk/archives_training_tips_get_twitching.html



If you find it a bit heavy then just backtrack through his posts on his own blog. Steve Morris is not for everyone. But his blog posts are pretty indepth and give you an angle that few people can give. And no...I am not affiliated to Steve Morris.No one is. I just think that his sh**t works.

His blog is here.Enjoy....or get confused:D
http://stevemorris.livejournal.com/

yomchi

Or www.elasticsteel.com

Other than that you should try stretch out every morning or take up a yoga class once a week.

corkma

I've been doing tkd for years, there's no secret to it, just discipline. I'm constantly correcting people on form when stretching. It could be worth taking a few steps back. smaller stretchs with better technique. stretch everyday and gradually increase the stretch. if you do some light stretching everyday, and actually stick to it, you will see results. don't try anything fancy, just do the normal stuff you do in class with proper technique.

Its also important to keep your body relaxed. guys who look like they're giving birth when they stretch usually don't make much progress. know what you should be stretching and focus on that muscle only. if you have time for a big stretch, you should stretch, try to relax while holding the stretch then push it out further. obviously this would be after a warm up.

If you want to improve kicks, watch you're posture while you stretch. some people slump too much when they stretch. also, slow motion kicking is great for strength and flexibility. good kicking is about a mixture of flexibility and strength, getting a kick at head height is easy, being able to control your leg enough at that height so that you can throw a proper kick is difficult

yomchi

guys who look like they're giving birth when they stretch usually don't make much progress

giving birth is probably a bit easier than PNF stretching! :eek:

poconnor16

corkma wrote: »

I've been doing tkd for years, there's no secret to it, just discipline. I'm constantly correcting people on form when stretching. It could be worth taking a few steps back. smaller stretchs with better technique. stretch everyday and gradually increase the stretch. if you do some light stretching everyday, and actually stick to it, you will see results. don't try anything fancy, just do the normal stuff you do in class with proper technique.

Its also important to keep your body relaxed. guys who look like they're giving birth when they stretch usually don't make much progress. know what you should be stretching and focus on that muscle only. if you have time for a big stretch, you should stretch, try to relax while holding the stretch then push it out further. obviously this would be after a warm up.

If you want to improve kicks, watch you're posture while you stretch. some people slump too much when they stretch. also, slow motion kicking is great for strength and flexibility. good kicking is about a mixture of flexibility and strength, getting a kick at head height is easy, being able to control your leg enough at that height so that you can throw a proper kick is difficult

Thanks - I've read about the posture thing before. We practice the slow motion kicking sometimes in the club; I find it really really hard to do - well, do properly anyway. I find it easier to extend a side kick slowly when rotating my shoulders more but I've been told this is incorrect.

Thanks to all for your input here - I've plenty of reading material now while practcing my box splits

corkma

If you work on the shoulder rotation thing you'll start using you're core more when kicking. A big mistake I see with slow motion kicking is people make these mistakes but still finish the kick. The point of the slow motion is to spot the mistakes and take the time to correct them.