How can I improve my flexibility?

[Rodders]

Hi All,

I'm 8kyu in Shotokan and my kicks are improving, but I still feel my flexibility is holding me back.

Does anyone have a good stretching technique I can do daily to improve my flexibility?

I want to do the splits one day like my sensai so I'm thinking maybe I should be doing more stretches at home.

Rodders

(28 year old Karateka from England)

[Dobbersky]

Do what you do in class at home the warm up should include stretching. So you need to warm up you legs first before you stretch. Also there's plenty of tips on you tube (I'd a a link or 3 but I'm on my Blackberry)

[AlwaysInTraining]

Superfoot Bill wallace has some very good books and dvds on Amazon whihc are very good for streatching

[Zaine]

First let me welcome you to KF Rodders. The Bill Wallace suggestion is a good one. After attending a seminar of his my flexibility improved greatly.

[sensei8]

I echo Zaine...welcome to KF!!

Time is on your side...yes it is. Rushing into stretching can lead into over stretching, and you might hurt yourself if not careful.

In time, you'll be able to kick as high as you'd like. Patience.

I'm sure your sensei will guide you properly with your stretching as well as every other aspect of Shotokan.

Please let us know how your progress is doing.

[Rodders]

Thanks for getting back to me people. I appreciate there is no short cuts to getting maximum flexibility so I shall continue to follow my sensai's teachings.

Great forum, glad to be aboard.

Oss

[DWx]

Welcome to KF Rodders.

Ask your sensei first, they'll be able to start you off and get you doing some basic stretches and more importantly get you doing them in the right way so you don't injure yourself!

But for further reference, YouTube is good, don't forget to search through non-martial arts stretching videos too (such as gymnastics and dance).

This site is always good for advice one stretching, it's aimed at trickers and XMAers but its all good advice for flexibility in general:

http://www.trickstutorials.com/content/flexibility

[JohnnyB]

Having the same flex problem and went through watching quite a few flexibility exercises on youtube.

I found very useful to start my warm up with dynamic streches and then move down to static streches. Also another important thing is to static strech again after you finish your MA training.

[xo-karate]

I am seriously thinking of Yoga - I allready bought a DVD - "Yoga for old men" free translation - DVD is in finnish language - kind of yoga for not so flexible...

[ZenGuitar]

Hi Rodders, I've been training Shotokan for a year and a half and am 27. In the same sort of boat as you. I'm not very flexable in the hips at all but from my own practice, trial and error and the research I've done on the subject I'm aiming for strength in the hips first. A stronger muscle that gets used often can also expand and contract more efficiently. If we just stretch a muscle that isn't really getting stronger then it doesn't really help us that much. Or I'll re-word that and say it doesn't really help me that much

Holding my leg out in a side kick and front kick position, holding it for 10, 20 seconds or more helps to strengthen the hips. Also, performing the kicks all the way through very slowly with perfect form is worth more than throwing loads of fast but sloppy kicks. Doing around 50 slow Yoko Keage each side, aiming to keep the heel up and the proper sokuto position (say 10 reps at a time) is a workout for sure.

I totally don't mind being wrong on this as well and I'm also really interested on opinions from more experienced members but from what I've seen and experienced, strength seems to be the key ingredient in better and higher kicks rather than just stretching ability ?