Flexibility????? anybody really flexible???

[15-lisa-newbie]

I'm not flexible, at all.. haha cant even touch my toes im about 4 inches or so away when i try, and when i kick, my legs are only about 90 degrees apart, front and sideways. i dont want to buy an expensive stretching machine, but, does anyone have anything that could help??

 

im kind of new at this forums thing.

[senna_trem]

We do this stretch where we put our back against the wall and we have a partner lift up one of our legs up as far as possible. The end goal is to be able to put our toes against the wall with our leg being straight up. Our sensei looks at me the other day and says "I want your toes to be touching the wall by August!" Ha! My leg rests on a short person's shoulder right now, but what he says I must do, so now I get my mom to help me stretch at home now. Machines do not do anything you can't to by yourself or with a partner.

[15-lisa-newbie]

thats a good idea, but is there any i could do on myown???

[Muaythaiboxer]

im quite flexible, part of that being that im just naturally so but i also stretch alot thats the key nothing comes with out practice.

[Harmony]

There are several good resources available to show you adequate stretching techniques. The secret to results is consistency it training. You should develop a streting routine, and give it the same reverance you would any MA technique. Tension is also a problem for beginners in alot of cases. Try to remember your breathing, and relax with each stretch. When you reach a point where you begin to feel the stretch your body will naturally tense up to protect against injury. This is a neuromuscular response that cannot be avoided initially. When your feel this tension, you can however, recognize it and attempt to release some of the tension. try getting to a nice point in a stretch that feels tight. Then take a deep breath in through the nose. Exhale through the nose as well and relax the abdominal region or trunk if you will. Then as you exhale relax and you should be able to move deeper into the stretch. Once you reach your max hold that for several seconds. DO NOT BOUNCE, just hold. Doing that will ensure you get the most out of your stretches, then the rest is repeating them often with consistant training. good luck! and stick with it.

[krzychicano]

my flexibility sucks but im getting there

[battousai16]

http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=6186

 

check that out. i haven't actually read through it, i have my own stretching routine. but i'm sure there's plenty of good stuff in there. dynamic stretching every other day (your splits and the like) should do the trick

[Firdes]

I can almost do a full split. Though it hurts when I get very low. I mean it hurts. But If you keep streching to do a split you can be able to kick pretty high. This is what my sensei has tought me, I have pretty nice kicks he says. But I have to keep my balance more steady.

[karatekid1975]

I'm not flexible, at all.. haha cant even touch my toes im about 4 inches or so away when i try, and when i kick, my legs are only about 90 degrees apart, front and sideways. i dont want to buy an expensive stretching machine, but, does anyone have anything that could help??

 

My God!!!! You just gave me a flash-back as a white belt. I am flexible now, but when I started I was just like you. It took me 2 or so years to even do a split (right leg out). Then I injured myself and had to start from scratch I can now do the split again, but it took another year.

 

battousai16 posted a good thread (which that thread is loaded with more threads) on stretching. Take a look there. There's some really good advice in there.

[scottnshelly]

try laying down on your back with your legs and bottom pushed all the way up against a wall. let your legs fall apart to the sides, like doing the splits but with your feet up in the air against a wall. the gravity will help pull them down and stretch them, but the weight isn't as bad as when you do the same standing up.

 

other sitting stretches are very good also.