Unable to kick highz

[GhostFighter]

Im unable to kick to headlevel, what kind of stretching do i need to do so i can one day?

[ninjanurse]

Everything from your shoulders to your toes! Hamstrings, hip flexors, obliques, back, abs, calves-anything that engages when you kick. Set a routine everyday and stick to it-you will see results soon!

[JusticeZero]

Gentle stretch kicks before anything else, then lots of stretches at the end of your exercizes/before bed works well for me. Nothing to the point of pain, just discomfort. lift and hold your leg as high as you can for thirty in each direction when you can to increase your static, which probably helps control the high kicks once you can do them. Then, as with cooking, the secret ingredient is always time.

[tonydee]

I don't know much about Krav Maga's kicks, so not sure what stretches you'd need. Thai boxing seems to use the turning kick almost exclusively, but it's very different from my tang soo do turning kick in that the hips aren't generally rotated over at contact. Therefore, can only offer some very generic suggestions. I normally do a lower-back, groin, buttocks, calf, hamstring stretch sequence...

lower-back: lie flat on your back with one leg out in front, toes upwards, knee almost straight, other leg's knee brought towards your shoulder... wrap the inside of your elbow around the upper shin - just under the knee - then grab your wrist with the other arm and squeeze

groin: I like to prop my back against a wall actually, then bend both legs bringing the feet sole to sole in front of my groin, and as close as possible, then put the palms on the knees, straighten the arms gradually, lowering the knees to the floor.

buttocks: sit on the floor, one leg bent 90 degrees in front, foot flat on the floor, knee towards the ceiling. Bend the other leg so the outside of the ankle is across the lower thigh of the resting leg. Put both hands on the floor behind you to push your upper body forward.

calf: in a forward/walking stance, push against a wall/post with the rear leg, body and arms forming one long linear incline from floor to wall. Lower your hips as far as you can / reach the back leg further away / without raising the back heel.

hamstring: best on a bench... can use the ones at the gym you see people lying on for benchpressing etc., though I'm lucky my dining table has 2 chairs on one side and a bench on the other. Sit on the bench with the leg to be stretch out in front. Allow the ball of the foot to relax forwards (you want to isolate the hamstring without stretching the calf again at the same time). Reach your hands along the side of the bench, and use the grip to pull your upper body forwards - keeping the back straight - so your chin moves towards your ankle. As you get more comfortable, wrap your forearms under the bench, pulling your head down to first your knee/shin and later the bench.

As always, increase the intensity of exercise gradually, and stop if you feel anything beginning to tear. Once you know the basic stretches, you'll get better results if you use PNF stretching techniques to regulate your breathing and contractions. There are lots of good web sites explaining that: very roughly, deep breaths as you stretch down, then hold yourself at the limit of your stretch, clench the muscle being stretched for 7-10 seconds, take a deep breath, then sigh it out as you stretch further. Be even more careful with this kind of thing... read a bit more first. And anyone with bone density issues or under 18 shouldn't do it at all.

Cheers,

Tony

[bushido_man96]

These are all good suggestions, so I won't repeat any stretching ideas here. What I will suggest, is that muscle strength is just as important as muscle flexibility. So, do some leg workouts like squats, with or without weight, and if you can get into a gym, do some leg presses, curls, extensions, squats, abductor and adductor exercises, dead lifts, or a combination of all of them to build some leg strength. Then keep stretching.

[DWx]

Good stretching ideas. I wouldn't be too hung up on kicking head height though, some people's bodies just can't and won't let them attain that level of flexibility. I second Brian's suggestion of strength training too.

[RichardZ]

My question would be why should you kick high? In other words, what s the primary reason to do so?

[bushido_man96]

My question would be why should you kick high? In other words, what s the primary reason to do so?

A head kick is a tool, like anything else. With careful planning and setup, it can be a valid technique. I do agree that it is not the highest percentage of moves, but it can be used, if trained properly.

On the other hand, high kicking is a wonderful and rewarding physical challenge.

[RichardZ]

I havent seen a high kick to the head in real fighting. And it is rare in competiton. I have seek kicks to the head medium height or near ground level. High kicks are not practical. Wonderful to watch. Wonderful to say one can do it. Flash Pizaz-cool.

[bushido_man96]

They may not be as practical as other moves, but they do have their pros as well as their cons.

There have been reports of them being used in fights, too. It may be rare, but it does happen at times.