Warming up and stretching

[andychu]

Hello everyone, this is my first post here. I have been given a fabulous oppurtunity to impact the kung fu club that I go to. I have been asked to change the warm up routine. Including streching and general muscle warm up.

My question to you is this. What are your most fav stretches or warm ups excercises. Also, what are your least fav stretches and excercises

Any opinions or thoughts would be greatly appreciated
Thank you
Andy

[Serpent]

Oh man, are you in for some differeing views with that question!

The most important thing is to make sure that all the joints and muscles are warmed up, so working through the body from top to bottom (or bottom to top) is essential and your routine should make a point of this.

I'll let others suggest their favourites though, as I have to go now. You could try posting this in the Health & Fitness forum; you might get better results.

Welcome to the madhouse, by the way!

[SevenStar]

First things first - what is the current routine?

[andychu]

the routine right now is as follows
neck stretches
shoulder rotations
wrist rotations
arm circles
elbowing backwards
side bends
pre side splits (kind of a warm up befo the stretch)
knee rotations
sides of the feet
one knee bent and the other locked and touch the floor
right leg over left and touch the floor (vice versa)
left leg up kicking forward (then switch)
left leg up kicking side to side (then switch)
pull left leg to chest (then switch)
quad stretches
up on the toes, back on the heels
arrow stance and switch
side splits on both sides then the center, then forward on elbows
sit on bum in splits and reach left right and center
butterfly strecth
push ups (10 front knu, 10 back knu, 10 fingertips)
sit ups (crunches 30)
push ups (10 wrist or diamond 10 regular)
sit ups (lower ab leg raises)
wall stretches : axe kick, side kick, and round kick

thats about it
but it usually only takes 20 min to do all that, and my sifu decided that he wanted to change the warm ups. He wants them to take longer, and he wants the stucents pushed

Thank you for your quick responses to my question. Its good to see such vigor and enthusiasm in a forum
Thank you
Andy

[SevenStar]

If you're trying to push them, I take it that you want more of an aerobic/strength workout, not just a warm up, correct? I so, you can add jump squats, one legged squats, stance training, footwork drills, etc. check out www.trainforstrength.com and see what you think of some of their routines.

[45degree fist]

You should include dynamic stretching into the mix. This will assure that at any moment they can move effectively without warming up first. Say like in a street fight situation. Static stretches are very important too but the ying needs the yang to be affective.

[red5angel]

This is all I have to say, stretching is easy, but most people tend to neglect actually warming up the joints as well. Make sure you do things to warm up and lubricate the joints, arm swings, shoulder rotations etc......


Also, Kathy, I am starting to wonder if you are working for this company or what? Everytime I see your post it has the videotape and the nycballet site....

[Sasha]

Avoid anything which involves bending or putting strain on the back (esp. the small of it). I've seen a few teachers do things like that, and I just ignore them and do my own thing.

Basically if it's the sort of technique that they say 'people with bad backs shouldn't do', it means *nobody* should be doing it.

One thing I do think is handy, which you don't see at many clubs is just arm rotations with the arms going in opposite directions. Helps co-ordination quite a bit, I think.

[yenhoi]

Your back, esp. the small of your back, is very important to address because if you dont, it doesnt get stronger, and then you get more hurt eventually. Dont ignore it, just be careful.

Once you start pushing people, then you arent just warming up anymore. But since you asked:

lots of jumping rope or something similar.
lots of pushups.
lots of situps.
lots of squat like activity.

and the people will love you.

[red5angel]

I have to agree somewhat with Yenhoi here. I don't think that because you shouldn't be doing them if you have a bad back, you shouldn't do them period.

Here is my take on back problems, most of them are out of stupidity or laziness. For instance I would say about 75% of the people I know who have back problems live a generally sedentary life. I know less people who are active and have back problems.
I have been doing some of those stretches they say you shouldn't be doing if you have a bad back, for years, since I was about 11 and I haven't had a lower back problem yet. I thin stretching the lower back properly is important as well as exercising it, you just have to be smart about it.

[rubthebuddha]

a little warmup, and then once or twice through the sun salutation should be nice. it's my favorite warmup.

[Ming Yue]

My class has a nice lil warmup routine.

tight fast jumping jacks (between 100-300 depending on Sifu's mood)
pushups - standard, hands in close, hands wide, some of each and isometric, too. (occasionally we get to do pushups on bricks)
situps/sitbacks/crunches - about 80 in different positions
leglifts - about 60 and some isometric there too

then we proceed to stretching - similar routine as described by others on this thread.

then we'll proceed on alternating days to an internal routine or stance training. Then we start curriculum.