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Greetings,
I would like to know if there are some simple stretches to help with flexibility and kicking. It seems my hips are a little tight and i am wondering if there is anything i can do to loosent them up. I practice my kicks slowly and with proper form. I am working back to getting my kicks were they use to be. I now it will take work. Any suggestions or info will be appreciated.
Humbly yours
Johnny
Do this following stretches 2x a day for the next 2 months.
single leg head to knee:
Sit on the floor with your right leg out in a 45 degree angle out from your body and your left foot on the inside of your right thigh.
raise your hands over your head, bringing your palms flat and thumnbs crossed firmly.
Turn your torso over towards your right side, then lower your body towards your leg. Grab the ball of your right foot with both hands.
Slowly, bring your forehead toward your right knee, rounding your back as you do you.
if you forehead does not meet your right knees, bend the knee to meet the forehead.
Gently push your heel away from your body and round your back as you do so. Bend the elbow to increase the stretch.
take 5-6 deep breathes then come up.
Repeat the process on the left side.
Do not push yourself too hard, avoid straining by knowing your limitations and respecting them.
If you feel an firey sensensations, back off a little and go to the part where the pain is a dark dull feeling.
Practice mindfully and consistanly and you notice improvement.
Hope it helps.
Brian Monnier
San Francisco, CA
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>raise your hands over your head, bringing your palms flat and thumnbs crossed firmly.
Turn your torso over towards your right side, then lower your body towards your leg. Grab the ball of your right foot with both hands.[/quote]
If you find that you're not yet flexible enough to touch the ball of your foot, or even to touch your toes, then don't do it.
Simply reach as far as you can, even if it's just your ankle, knee or even thigh. As Brian said, know and respect your limitations. If you overstretch yourself, you will risk injury. But if you stretch to your limits and work from there, you will gradually become flexible.
As the old Chinese proverb said, "even a journey of a thousand li (3927km) begins with a single step."
Here are some other exercises to help with leg/hip flexibility:
First of all, find an elevated height. Depending on how flexible you are, you can go for a high or low height. Again, do not go higher than you feel comfortable at. If you feel discomfort, then you're stretching too high. Place one foot on the elevated platform (it may be a step, bench or a chair - even a stack of phone books), heel down and toes perpendicular. Placing the same-side hand on your hip (therefore, if you have your right foot up, place your right hand on your hip), reach your opposite side hand out as far as you can, in a similar manner to the exercise prescribed by Brian - again, just go as far as you feel comfortable as - be it the thigh, knee, ankle, toes, or ball of the foot. Do this for about three to four easy breaths. Ensure that your rear foot (the one on the ground) is pointing forwards. Also remember to keep both legs straight, or you won't get the benefit of the stretch. Then switch hands and repeat the same process.
Now pivot your foot so that the sole is facing down, toes pointing sideways. Also pivot your ground foot to point sideways (so your feet are parallel, as they would be in side stance or riding horse, but the difference is that one foot is elevated higher than the other). Place the same side hand out as far as you can, no further than the ankle is needed. The other same side hand is on your thigh, for support (therefore, if you are stretching out the right leg, your right hand is rested on your leg/ankle, depending on your flexibility, and your left hand is on your left thigh). Bend the vertical leg down slowly, lowering your body towards your leg level, so it looks like you're doing a supported side kick. This will help with your sideways leg flexability and will also assist you in doing the splits.
Repeat the same processes for the other leg.
If you feel any pain or discomfort from doing this, or any other exercise, then discontinue immediately.
"Wit is educated insolence." - Aristotle (284-322 BC)
One, if not the best stretching sites on the web.....stretching page
I also recommend the video Bill Wallace Stretching and the book Stretching Scientifically by Thomas Kurz.
neijiachuan