Increasing leg flexibility for range/height - help plz?

[Reala]

Hi there,

I have been kick boxing for about 6 weeks now I believe, I am interested in increasing my flexibility. Long term I would like to be as flexible as possible, to increase the range, height and angle of my kicks.

What kind of stretches do I need to do to increase my power and if possible increase my ability to do e.g. the splits and how long does it take to improve flexibility if working on it?

Thanks in advance

[Yasutsune Makoto]

For leg flexibility it's good to develop any routine you feel comfortable with that stretches all areas of the legs (achilles tendon, calf, hamstring, quadracep, hip tensors and flexors, groin). Then go through this routine as often as possible, making sure you push as far as you can, breathing in while you relax and out while you stretch. It's also not a bad thing to just stretch whatever muscle you can, whenever you can. You can almost always find a way to stretch some part of your body. I'd say you'd notice results within a week, and can become quite flexible in maybe 8 months...but that depends on how hard you work and your body and all that.

[ps1]

The most efficent and safest time to stretch for increased flexability is when the muscles are warmed up. I would suggest a strict routine after every class before you leave the school. The stretches should feel tight, but not be painful. Hold them for 30 seconds to one minute each. Relax, then go through it again. On the second time through I would always try to go a little farther. If you stick to it, you'll be amazed how quickly you gain flexibilty. As Makoto Jin said above, make sure you hit as many muscle groups as possible. Don't forget to stretch the lower back and abs though, many hamstring and quadricep injuries come from an over compensation for an inflexible core.

[Yasutsune Makoto]

Don't forget to stretch the lower back and abs though, many hamstring and quadricep injuries come from an over compensation for an inflexible core.

super point...the core is a very important part. Don't neglect it!

[bushido_man96]

You should stretch every day, after a good warm-up. Work Chinese splits, American splits to both sides, stretch the groin with a butterfly stretch, sit with your legs spread wide and stretch to the front, and then to each side as well. Stretch each leg single as well. Another idea is to use the pulley system I described in another post. You tie a rope to your ankle, and you can pull the rope and hold it to stretch your leg into a side kick/round kick or front kick postition. 30 minutes of stretching a day will yield results.

[Reala]

Thanks for all the help

OK, does anyone have a half hour schedule/plan they can suggest for me? Like "Do such and such for so many minutes" and how many times I should do it.

Then I can get started

[Aodhan]

Thanks for all the help

OK, does anyone have a half hour schedule/plan they can suggest for me? Like "Do such and such for so many minutes" and how many times I should do it.

Then I can get started

If you have not warmed up, dynamic (moving) stretches are good. These include increasing height front kicks, leg swings, arm swings, etc. Anything that moves/slightly stretches the muscle fibers at the same time.

Static stretches (What most people think of when they stretch) should only be done when you are warmed up/after a workout.

Stetch all the muscle groups equally, paying particular attention to anything you worked particularly hard in the workout. When you work a muscle hard, it tends to shorten.

Stretch quads, hamstrings, shoulders, chest, calves, abs, lower back, groin, neck, triceps.

Also, once you get into a routine of stretching every day, look into a stretching technique called PNF stretching, and start using this once or twice a week. It's an advanced stretching technique, so give your self a couple months of stretching to work up to it.

You might also consider having the mods move this into the Training/Fitness section.

Edited to add: Nobody can give you a cookie cutter approach, stretching is highly individualistic. You'll need to experiment and find what approach works best for you.

Aodhan

[jaymac]

Just an observation that i recently made, one of the students in our school felt as an added stress relief, he would join yoga. I noticed last week that his flexibility has increased 10 fold. When I approached him about what a huge difference seen in his flexibility, he said he really attributed it to yoga. Maybe i will look into this too.

[ps1]

Yoga and Pilates are both great ways to gain flexibility.

[Goju_boi]

wow, these are all pretty good words of advice