Not Stretching Before Martial Arts..

Sometimes, we do not stretch at all and go right into difficult kicks and jumps.. My instructor says that when you are out on the street you will not have any time to stretch before you fight! Sounds good to me, but is it wise to do in class?

NO! You won't be able to do much of anything in class if you aren't there due to a pulled muscle...I arrive for class about 15 mins. prior to class start just so I can do some additional stretching - which I'm gonna go do now...

 

 

NO NO it`s bad cause you are not ready and like kickbutt said pull a muscle or even worse i always go like 45 minutes early to weight train and stretch a bit before!!

Most injuries in any sport or martial arts are due to the participants failure to warmup properly. As with any exercise, the appropriate warm of for whatever activity you are going to be doing, is that same activity in a slower and more controlled manner. Keep in mind that the warm up should be some sort of cardiovascular movement that will gradually elevate your heart rate, while increasing your body's core temperature. For instance, a kickboxer would shadow kickbox starting with low kicks and short, slow punches...in tae kwon do one would do a series of rising kicks gradually increasing height and speed.

 

Another misconception is that one should stretch before he/she warms up. I don't know if any of you know about the "spaghetti theory" but here is is:

 

Let’s say you pull a box of spaghetti out of the cabinet and pull out a few strands. What would happen if you immediately tried to bend the pasta? It would break. So what would happen if you put that same pasta in a pot of warm water for five minutes and tried to bend it? It would give a bit, but if you tried to bend it all the way ... it would still break. So what if we left that same pasta in the pot to boil for ten minutes and then tried to bend it? It would be all over the place right? Totally flexible. Well, that is exactly the way your body works. If you attempt to stretch out before an appropriate warm up, you are very likely to pull or tear something. Once you do warm-up however, keep in mind that the preliminary stretching is for injury prevention only. It is not a time to try and gain flexibility. Just like the spaghetti, if you go too far ... you may break! Once you have completed your workout (boiled), then you will want to stretch for the purposes of gaining added flexibility.

 

In my kickboxing class that we teach at the school we do exactly as stated above...gradually working up the heart rate...with kicks & punches, lunges, working up to rapid jabs/hooks, switch & jump kicks.

 

I just recently returned to TKD training. After my first class I was so unbelieveably sore I couldn't walk down the stairs! Both interior muscles of my legs were so strained. Its not like I'm outta shape! I train both at home and during week but unlike the kickboxing class I teach and attend regularly ...in TKD we fail to warm-up prior to stretching and go right into static stretching and then do rising kicks and go up and down floor with non-stop techniques.

 

_________________

 

Tae Kwon Do Blk Belt 1st deg./Fitness Kickboxing Instructor

 

(KarateForums Sensei)

 

 

 

[ This Message was edited by: KickChick on 2001-11-06 08:22 ]

Wow Kickchick, the more of your posts I read the more of my respect you earn. It is not everyone who is so well versed in anatomy, physiology, kineseology, and sports medicine training theories.

 

I too am mystified at the lack of intense kicking activities in class without adequate warmup.

 

One location I trained at was in a fourth floor room. We allways joked about that as the workout before the workout. But, it really did help with the warmup.

Thank you SaiFightsMS ... I have learned so much over the course of my training but most of all since we started the fitness kickboxing at our school. I've learned much of what I know from certification and from researching on my own. I don't want anyone to injure themselves in my class and so I feel it is my responsibility to learn as much as I can.

 

Might I also add that now...(at least in my area) It is starting to get colder! We are finding an increase in muscles strains due to the fact that it takes a much longer time to warm up!

 

 

The Student has become the Master... WAHHH!

Anyone heard of adreniline? It's what gives u that extra pump when you're in a street fight. Trust me, i know all about street fights, and the adreniline can let you do ANYTHING! Sorry if someone has already mentioned this, i just saw the inital post and didn't read the others. I've gotta go out to dinner with a lovely WOOOOOOOOOMMMMAAAAAANNN in a sec.

 

C ya's.. and, uh, don't wait up for me :brow:

 

Angus

 

 

unless you want to lose time training due to injuries like a pulled groin muscle which is not plesant at all..or torn hamstring..or tendon strains...both also very painful..then go ahead.. jump right in there and go for it...if you are smart you will take the time to warm up and strecth properly....flexibility takes a while to develop..over time you need less and less to warm up and get those muscles ready..as far as getting caught in a combat situation..theres nothing to say that you will not pull a muscle however in these types of situations youre worried about alot of other things..i think a pulled muscle is not up there on the list..and also the more you warm up and strecth the more flexible you will become and remain even when not warmed up...( example i can walk out onto the dojang floor and jump into a full split without warming up only because after years of strecthing i remain flexible at all times )

 

 

Are you implying that adreniline in the bloodstream will protect you from strains and other injury?

 

I have found that after the event, and the body has returned to a tired but normal state, then the pain starts, and I start to realise what damage has been done, and say things like "Damn how did that cut get there?"

 

Then the next day I start saying things like "Damn that really freeking hurts".

 

Have you got adreniline mixed up with Chi?