Flexibility training

[DWx]

Some good points so far. One of the flexibility tests for the splits is to stand and put your leg up on a surface at least hip height. If you can do that with both legs then there is nothing with your hip structure that will prevent you doing box splits, only your flexibility.

I know it's an ad for his DVD series but this article from Elastic Steel which highlights the muscles involved: https://elasticsteel.com/blogs/the-science-of-kicking/how-to-do-a-perfect-side-kick-from-poor-side-kick-to-great-side-kick

I'd also recommend this video:

[shortyafter]

Hey all. I have read and considered all of your responses, as well as watched some of the video resources you have provided. Everyone has a slightly different angle but it appears that the consensus (or at least the one I'm taking from this) is that slow and steady wins the race.

As for achieving those kicks, it seems like technique seems to be most important thing. I am not the most flexible cat but I am also not one of these tin-man type guys, lol. I think I am doing OK in that department. And with patience and perseverance I only see improvement in my future.

Thank you.

[Spartacus Maximus]

There are a lot of well-meaning yet ill-informed martial arts practitioners who confuse warming-up with stretching or flexibility exercises. There is a difference between the two and warming up light to be done thoroughly before any sort of flexibility exercise. This makes them much more effective with greater results.

[Shizentai]

I agree with what the OP's sensei said about stretching having two kinds: prepping for a workout vs becoming more flexible.

I am absurdly flexible, to the point where it is a medical situation. My tendons and ligaments are quite lax and it's causes me a variety of problems. That being said, if I don't stretch for 10-20 min before I train I can still get hurt. This is getting more and more true as I age. Even if you have enough length in your muscles, tendons and ligaments to do what you want, your muscles can always become stiff and fatigued when you use them a lot. It's important not to jump right into quick snapping motions when they are in this state to avoid injury.

I think more important than pushing yourself as far as you can possibly go in a stretch is focusing on activating the correct muscles when you do each stretch. For instance, when I spread my legs and stretch to the front, I can add extra length to my reach by curving my back a little, but what I really NEED to be doing right before class is slowly stretching my hips and lower back by keeping a straight back and bending at the pelvis. This helps my hamstrings and lower back out a lot (which I tend to get all bunched up). After doing this stretch entirely for the purpose of pre-class hamstring prep for about a year, I find that I can actually bring my upper body right to the ground now, laying the side of my face and my chest on the floor comfortably.

SO, using this as an example, even if you are stretching just to protect your muscles form injury it can help you achieve more flexibility over time. It just depends on the situation. For me though, the former is the only thing I'm really after.

I also really like doing some isometric stuff with my most problematic muscle groups (shoulders, ankles, etc.) before training.

In any case, I wouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater on stretching. It is frustrating when the stretches that you need to get ready for training are not the ones being done in class, but you can always arrive early and work on those yourself using methods that work best for you.

[shortyafter]

Shizentai, thanks for the insightful and well thought out post. Good stuff there. Part of me wishes I had your flexibility problem! But you'd probably advise me against it. Which just goes to show that the grass is indeed greener on the other side. So I'll take what I can learn from the rest but at the end of the day I'm going to continue focusing on my challenges and my karate. Thanks!

[singularity6]

Shizentai, thanks for the insightful and well thought out post. Good stuff there. Part of me wishes I had your flexibility problem! But you'd probably advise me against it. Which just goes to show that the grass is indeed greener on the other side. So I'll take what I can learn from the rest but at the end of the day I'm going to continue focusing on my challenges and my karate. Thanks!

I have loose joints, yet I also lack flexibility. People frequently associate loose joints with flexibility, but really, they are two separate things. The hyper-mobility in my shoulders makes me look flexible (grabbing elbows behind my back in weird ways) but in reality, it's the shoulder dislocating slightly instead of my muscles stretching. I'm rather prone to injury these days, and I have to be very careful when training.