Greetings. Flexibility

**Can Chaser** · Posted On: 2/06/2005 1:01am

Originally Posted by Mr_Mantis

Or better yet, put your back against a wall and have a partner lift your leg up as high as possible and hold it for a few.

Gaa, not unless you maintain proper alignment!

Alignment is teh important, peoples.

There are a serious lot of people that can do half-ass-misaligned splits, and then I raise them, rotate their hips properly, and let them back down, holding their hips, and they are writhing in agony when their calf hits the ground.

When doing something like MM's exersice, keep your hips level and your toe pointed straight, or even a tad to the outside - don't let it point in, because that brings the hip up, forward, and around, and is all around bad.

For straddles, alignment is not as big of a deal to mess up - it's more about proper posture.

I don't feel like explaining various partner stretches, but PM me if y'all actually want them.

Also, like Lexiepoo said, be sure and hold whatever you're doing for at least a couple minutes.

**lifetime** · Posted On: 2/06/2005 8:38am

Don't jump into static stretching until you're warmed up and have finished your regular dynamic stretching routine. In fact it's a good idea to go through a portion of your training before attempting to stretch your legs fully, so as to give them time to warm up and to loosen up. Don't attempt on a cold day; warm with decent humidity should be ideal.

EDIT: 1000 posts! woot!

**patfromlogan** · Posted On: 2/06/2005 10:19am

I heard that static stretching before a workout is really bad. Both weakens and makes injury more probable.

I don't know but I can kick side or front 6 feet cold and I hardly ever do static stretch at all anymore.
Things that have worked for me:

1. Ignore classic side kick, do more of a back angle hip allignment, thrust or mule as the Kajukenbo guys called it. Keage/Side snap kick only to ankle or maybe knee, Kekomi/side thrust kick/with hips turned so the butt is toward the target, target being the higher side of the body. I often do this close to the opponent as I'm too close to hit the body I turn my upper body down and go to the head.

2. Hit bad, starting low and soft going to high and hard. This teaches proper technigue, specially on a moving hung large bag.

3. Before class when most of the people are doing slow static stretches and chatting I hit bag (but sometimes feel that's a bit intrusive to the quiet chatter - I've noticed that there are always in every school I've been in the major group that slowly stretches and chats and the other ones hitting bag or doing dynamic type stretching and the second group is mostly the better people) or more usually do ten can can lifts each leg, ten turning back raises and ten sides lifts, alternating between having the foot forward of the body and back sllightly.

The back leg stretch is good. My back kicks really improved after a month or two of these. In a square stance (one leg forward at least shoulder width, feet in corners) turn and swing the back leg up, not kicking, just swinging.

**Mr. Mantis** · Posted On: 2/08/2005 10:54pm

It sounds like this guy want stretching to be the workout. He doesn't want to warm up, he want to get really flexible.

**parthenon** · Posted On: 2/08/2005 10:59pm

How do you do the front splits (the one where you stretch hams and hip muscles) without hurting the knees. I get this dull pain on my knee joints when holding this position with my body weight. Is this pain normal? Also when doing side splits my glut (butt?) muscles cramp up. Is this also normal?