Flexability? how do you improve it?

[Rich_2k3]

Flexability is a huge part of karate and of any martial art. Now I know you cannot become ultimatly flexable in a matter of days (or weeks and months) but what are the best ways to keep yourself supple and improve on it. Also the spilts, what are the best stretching techniques to help your go all the way, Discuss.

 

Important: Do not give information about stretching unless you know what your talking about, it is very dangerous.

[tommarker]

There are so many schools of thought out there, that all swear that their system is the most effective and injury-proof that we may as well be debating which martial art is the best.

 

Being able to do the splits may or may not have any effect on your ability to move dynamically. I have very high dynamic flexibility, but still have trouble touching my toes.

 

Stretching for flexibility and stretching for warmup differ greatly in duration, repetition, etc. Stretching for flexibility will require multiple repetitions of the same stretch for a longer period (45 seconds to 1 minutes) This should be done only after your muscles have been warmed up properly. Otherwise, you're probably wasting your time (and getting poor results too.)

 

Some people swear by yoga, others use PNF stretching, partner stretches, etc.

 

I like this guy's site, and have found his stretches (and the order he does them in) to be helpful.

 

http://www.trickstutorials.com/tutorials_flexibility.htm

[Rich_2k3]

thanks tommarker gr8 site.

[karatekid1975]

Yes, I can do splits, but it took me almost three years in two arts to do so. Lotta hard work and patience

 

See this thread. Lotta good stuff in there

 

http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=6186

 

P.S. Good link, tommarker

[SaiFightsMS]

I can do the splits after a warm up. And I didn't actually achieve full splits the first time until after 40.

 

It comes a little bit at a time and the last few inches take the longest. And after you get there you have to work at it to maintain the ability.

[wrestlingkaratechamp]

I can do a full split

[mArTiAl_GiRl]

I can't do anything, because I'm ill....

[Sepultura]

i cant split only after warming up very well.i have beeen training 3-4 times a week for abt 3 months and it finally paid off.

[ninjanurse]

I have lost a lot of my flexibility after a long hiatus. Now I am having trouble with my old hamstrings...aging sucks!

 

[SaiFightsMS]

It does take so much more time to stretch out now than it did even two years ago. It seems the amount of effort needed to maintain flexibility increases exponentially rather than mathmatically after 40.