starting kickboxing and mixed martial arts next week

[DyingEnd]

Hey guys,

I might be starting kickboxing and mixed martial arts next week, do you have any tips or things that I should look out for?

Any help would be appreciated, haven't done any martial arts since i was like 6, so I'm a bit nervous

[white owl]

Just enjoy yourself and do not over do it. If you do you could make yourself vulnerable to get and injury.

[tallgeese]

Just enjoy yourself and have a good time. Take the training seriously and listen to your instructor on the fine points.

Free roll and spar as soon as they'll let you and you'll get more out of it.

[DyingEnd]

thanks for your feed back guys, one problem with the kickboxing is that my legs aren't flexible do u know any way to make them more flexible? my upper body is alright but its my legs that will bring me down

[bushido_man96]

The instructors should be able to show you some stretching routines to help your legs out. Stretch regularly, every day if you can, and you will see improvement.

And I agree with the others; go out there and have fun....and keep your hands up!

[DyingEnd]

would you be able to tell me of any stretches that i could do to start?

i don't think keeping my hands up will be a problem!

[JusticeZero]

Stretch kicks in the morning. Kick each leg forward/side/back 5-10x through your comfortable range of motion; you will note that your comfortable ROM will get noticably larger for each kick, and near the end you should be somewhere near the highest you'll be able to kick that day. Do not kick to push your stretch, just to move through the range you can do comfortably; in stretching, the core principle is 'no pain, no pain'. This should be in your warmup.

Then go find a wall. This should be during cooldown after you've done whatever exercizes you plan to do for your little stretch session, be it pushups, situps, or nothing. Put your tail end against it laying on the floor, and spread your legs out against the wall, using the wall to stop your legs from opening further than the point where your muscles say 'ok, that's as far as I want to go.' Hold 15, see if you can go a bit futher, hold 15, pull away and rest a minute. Next turn to lay on your side with one leg behind you and the other leg stretched out along the floor to the wall, try to lean forward. 15 extend 15. Switch sides.

Don't worry if you don't get around to doing any of that before you start.

[white owl]

I agree with bushido_man the instructor will give you exercise to do at home and show you how to do them correctly. I am saying this if you are not familiar with them you could do your self more harm than good. Here are some basic stretches that you have done in gym class such as bending down and touch your toes keeping your legs straight hold for 10 to 15 seconds, set on the floor and with one leg out and the other one in kind of like a half Indian sit reach and grab your foot and hold 10 to 15 sec. and switch and do the same thing on the other side. Sit Indian style with your back straight and take your hands and push down on your knees the idea is to make your knees touch the floor.

[DyingEnd]

thanks JusticeZero and white owl, ill try doing the stretches you said . I ever go past the point of it hurting cos i don't want to injure my legs ^^

[white owl]

Just listen to your body.

Edited March 9, 2009 by white owl