A Stretching-Related Question

[NoVice]

Hey there,

I've been meaning to ask this question for quite some time, I've only been practising Karate for about 2 and a half weeks now perhaps and I'm enjoying it to the fullest. There's a few things I'd like to improve though and as I don't quite know all the drills I won't try practising the techniques on my own (it wouldn't be too great if I came in with an extremely rehearsed wrong technique) but there's a few I figured I can't go wrong with which are push-ups / sit-ups and then the stretching.

I'd really like to be a bit more flexible and actually be able to kick atleast high enough so I could actually kick someones head (or hand). We do this practise every now and then which involves a lot of kicking and ofcourse all of the beginners tend to kick alot lower than the others but I'd like to be able to actually do it right with someone. I'm not looking for an overnight solution but merely something I could work on in my spare time. I'd be more than willing on doing some stretches at least a few times per day so my question would basically be, which kind of stretches are best to do for your legs and for how long should I push it each time?

Oh and I also had another question, I've been meaning to ask someone what style it is we're practising but I never got to it, I heard it mention'd ones and all I can recall is that it's somewhere from the South Carribean (I think..) and that it was developed by boat-people if that makes any sense to you so my question is, which style is that?

Hope I'm not asking too much, cheers.

[bushido_man96]

Can't help with the style question. Sorry.

As for stretching, there are so many different stretches you can do, and at this point, any of them will begin to enhance your flexibility. Enhance flexibility's greatest asset is injury prevention. Being able to head kick is a nice side light, but not a necessary one.

That said, I would work on some side splits, and some front splits, both seated and raised up on your heels. Hold each stretch for anywhere from 20 seconds to a minute at a time. Using a bench to stretch your legs will help as well. Reverse hurdle stretches are good for the hamstrings, too. Give these a whirl, and see how you do. Stretch for around 15 minutes to 30 a day. Everyday is great, but even every other day will help.

Welcome to the Forums!

[Wa-No-Michi]

Good advice there from Bushido-man,

As far as the art is concerned, I visited Tobago in the Caribbean a few years back and remember seeing a sort of folk dance / fighting show which looked to me a bit like Capoeira.

I couldn't remember the name so just done a quick wiki search and the name Calinda has come up.

In the words of the mild mannered janitor - "Could Be??"

[Tiger1962]

Hi NoVice - welcome to the forums!

Becoming flexible takes time & lots of practice and I know you're eager (I was too) so be patient with yourself. Speaking from my own personal experience, height in kicking comes on gradually from daily stretches and practicing kicking drills.

What I would do is I would try to get to class at least a half hour early to stretch out carefully & warm up all over, especially my calves and legs. Then during the kicking drills in class, I'd start off kicking low and then by half way through them, I'd attempt to kick higher. The more warmed up your joints are, the easier (I've found) it to kick higher. When you are at home and let's say, watching TV, you could sit on the floor with legs open and GRADUALLY try to stretch further a little each time. Do not attempt to overstretch too much too soon because you could tear something. I've also found that doing some easy yoga poses are helpful as well. All the other suggestions that are mentioned by others are excellent too.

Question regarding your style: when you signed up, didn't the chief instructor or studio owner tell you what style it is that you'd be practicing?

[joesteph]

I'm not looking for an overnight solution but merely something I could work on in my spare time. I'd be more than willing on doing some stretches at least a few times per day . . .

The simplest stretching exercise for legs I know of is what my instructor suggested. I lean on the back of one chair, its seat facing away from me, and I put my other foot up on the back of another chair with its seat facing away from me or on top of a counter (I prefer the counter). It's a simple stretch, just counting to 100 is all I do for each leg, and that's in-between regular stretching.

The only "warning" is that you might need one arm on the chair back that you're using for balance, and the other to lift the leg on and off the chair back that you're using for stretching.

[white owl]

I was told about this stretch when I first started practicing karate, you sit on the floor and slide your but up against the wall with your legs on the wall staight in front of you and then let them fall to the side like a split keep your heels on the wall and your toes pointed away from the wall. I like this stretch and it is a stretch you will feel it, but you are leting gravity stretch you. I just started last week doing it again when I was warming up class and now my sensei is having us do it quite often now he like it a lot, now that I have been doing it a week I can see a little difference. Give it a try. I can recomend a good book it is called Ultimate Flexibility by Sang H. Kim.

[joesteph]

[Y]ou sit on the floor and slide your but up against the wall with your legs on the wall staight in front of you and then let them fall to the side like a split keep your heels on the wall and your toes pointed away from the wall.

I had done this stretch that White Owl is describing some years ago, NoVice. I does give you a good stretch, but I needed to use my arms to keep in good control of my legs, which were flat against the wall, as gravity will really give you a "V"-shaped stretch.

It's sound; it's just something you have to get used to controlling to benefit by it.

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