Flexibility

[umbrella]

Hi there, first post :icon_lol:
I'm not sure if this is in the right section... so mods, feel free to move it around :wink:

For a Kyokushin Karate promotion, I'll need to improve my flexibility. I need to be able to touch my forehead to the ground while sitting with my legs apart.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can achieve this in about two months?
I also lift, so I find my muscles getting kind of tight (shortened???).

Also, does improving flexibility to this degree have any negative effects on fighting and stability? Does it make me more injury prone to be this flexible? I need to be able to kick people in the head, but also to avoid a debilitating injury somehow

Thanks in advance.

 

[The Pirania**]

I cant even imagine

 

[Deleted member 429137]

check out Relax into Stretch by Pavel. Do it as often as you can since it won't tax you physically (his method of stretching is to detrain the neural inhibitions to deep stretches in your CNS instead of the actual physical tissues). You might be able to make a lot of progress in two months if you're diligent.

 

[umbrella]

Thanks for the replies so far.
Does anyone else incorporate flex training into their training?

 

[KimuraKid]

check out Relax into Stretch by Pavel. Do it as often as you can since it won't tax you physically (his method of stretching is to detrain the neural inhibitions to deep stretches in your CNS instead of the actual physical tissues). You might be able to make a lot of progress in two months if you're diligent.

Found some Youtube vids. Awesome.
Starting Muay Thai soon and definitely need help in this area. :icon_chee

 

[Deleted member 429137]

Found some Youtube vids. Awesome.
Starting Muay Thai soon and definitely need help in this area. :icon_chee

Wow, had no idea the entire video was on youtube. Everyone should watch it before it gets taken down.

[YT]srnPzEdDOmU[/YT]

 

[Deleted member 429137]

Thanks for the replies so far.
Does anyone else incorporate flex training into their training?

For the past six months I've been training flexibility every day.

On strength-training days I pair each strength exercise with a mobility exercise (resting only long enough between strength sets to do the mobility exercise) and on off-days I skip rope and do ginastica natural.

Prioritizing flexibility and mobility is the best thing I've ever done. My BJJ abilities are skyrocketing and, strangely, so is my strength. It seems to be a combination of two things (warning, bro-science): I am now able to exert my full strength in a much wider variety of directions and it seems like my body has pulled the brakes off my strength because the chances of me injuring myself have been diminished. The second point directly relates to what Pavel talks about in several of his training modalities. I attribute this to the fact that I've stopped weight training and started gymnastics training through Coach Sommers. Best decision I've ever made in terms of my BJJ training.

 

[Miiiiiiighty]

For the past six months I've been training flexibility every day.

On strength-training days I pair each strength exercise with a mobility exercise (resting only long enough between strength sets to do the mobility exercise) and on off-days I skip rope and do ginastica natural.

Prioritizing flexibility and mobility is the best thing I've ever done. My BJJ abilities are skyrocketing and, strangely, so is my strength. It seems to be a combination of two things (warning, bro-science): I am now able to exert my full strength in a much wider variety of directions and it seems like my body has pulled the brakes off my strength because the chances of me injuring myself have been diminished. The second point directly relates to what Pavel talks about in several of his training modalities. I attribute this to the fact that I've stopped weight training and started gymnastics training through Coach Sommers. Best decision I've ever made in terms of my BJJ training.

Very interesting..

I am currently considering making a full year commitment to gaining my mobility and flexibility back, and I'm also considering dropping powerlifting style training in favor of more BW/calisthenics/gymnastics training complemented by 2 or 3 short sessions of Oly weighlifting for explosivness

Could you enlighten me on your routine and mobility exercizes selection ?

 

[Tug]

i've started to do the stretches we do in class in the morning and in the evening before. it has helped a lot. it's probably not the most intense and thorough programme but i imagine doing a little bit all the time is better than big sessions infrequently

 

[apizur**]

I heard stretching makes you weak.

 

[bowlie]

'for karate'.... sure it is

 

[BruMeisterSmith]

I heard stretching makes you weak.

I have heard this before but I have always been told the opposite. I have heard stretching unlocks strength. I guess I can't personally say as I have never done a consistent stretching routine with lifting. But, I have been told by someone much more knowledgeable in this stuff than me that stretching is extremely important to increasing strength. In addition he said that if don't have time to stretch and lift, that I should do the stretching.

For what it is worth I recently acquired a TRX. I know there are various opinions on these, and without wanting to turn this to a TRX debate, all the workouts begin with a mobility phase. They say that if I don't have time to do the entire workout that I should do the mobility phase and not the main workout, similar to what I was told about lifting and stretching above.

 

[lpaulgib]

Odd, because I quit stretching and started lifting with full ROM and now I'm very flexible.

 

[BruMeisterSmith]

Would be nice if someone with a kinesiology degree, or something similar, would chime in here and explain the physiology of stretching and and impact on strength.

I am quitting weights and going full BW/TRX/Yoga/Stretching so it will be interesting to see the transition my body makes in terms of strength to body weight ratio and flexibility. I began lifting weights when I was 17'ish and that is all I have done since (mid 30's now). I have transitioned to more BW stuff in the last two years and dropped weights to a degree. But squats, deadlift, and bench have always remained a foundation. Be weird not doing these things but it's a needed change.

 

[livingdeadmoose]

TS, you might be tight from not training through a full range of motion. Lifting through a full range of motion will help improve your flexibility. Check out the FAQ. A lot of good info there.

 

[livingdeadmoose]

I heard stretching makes you weak.

One of the biggest fitness myths out there. Static stretch before strength training may weaken you temporarily, but outside of that flexibility is import

 

[NurseKnuckles]

Would be nice if someone with a kinesiology degree, or something similar, would chime in here and explain the physiology of stretching and and impact on strength.

I am quitting weights and going full BW/TRX/Yoga/Stretching so it will be interesting to see the transition my body makes in terms of strength to body weight ratio and flexibility. I began lifting weights when I was 17'ish and that is all I have done since (mid 30's now). I have transitioned to more BW stuff in the last two years and dropped weights to a degree. But squats, deadlift, and bench have always remained a foundation. Be weird not doing these things but it's a needed change.

So you want to get stronger by doing BW exercises? Why is it a needed change?

 

[JoeToProAthlete]

Static stretching immediately before a training session can decrease muscle performance during that particular workout (a dynamic warm-up might be a better option pre-workout), but flexibility training won't make you weaker long term.
In fact, training for proper mobility and flexibility will allow you to reach a higher strength potential. There are lots of studies out there to back it up. This one, from the NSCA, details an experiment based on unilateral calf training. One calf is stretched and strengthened. The other is strengthened, without any flexibility training. The calves receiving flexibility work in addition to strength training increased 1RM in the calf raise by more than twice as much as with strength training alone:
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/F...etching_Program_Increases_Strength_in.33.aspx
The first step for developing mobility is strength training through a full range of motion, at least some of the time. Then try a dynamic warm-up with moves that challenge your flexibility before each workout. Static stretching can be done after your training session is finished, as part of your cool down.
More specifically, if you're looking for a program to increase flexibility enough to pull the move you mentioned for your karate test, I tried a great one by Eric Wong. It's called his Hip Flexibility Solution Program and it's available through his site www.ericwongmma.com It really helped me improve my high kicks.

Hope that helps!
Joe Pascale
www.joetoproathlete.com

 

[BruMeisterSmith]

So you want to get stronger by doing BW exercises? Why is it a needed change?

I don't want to get stronger regarding the type of lifting I have been doing. I honestly don't care at all what I can bench, DL, or squat anymore. This has been a gradual change for me over the last two years with it culminating in the last few months to the point I'm at now. In addition I regularly feel beat up from lifting. My back and joints feel worn out and fatigued more often. To add, I have always had trouble maintaining lifting and BJJ/MT. Always been a challenge and led to me taking about a 10 mo break from them. At this point of my life I want to be more involved with martial arts. I have a physically demanding job and my body can only take so much. I guess my goal is to be able to go to BJJ 3x a week while doing a physical routine that doesn't fatigue/stress my body to the point I feel worn out and unable to do martial arts.

I apologize for a bit of a ramble

 

[Deathnever]

Thomas Kurz Stretching program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRF8MYtYZgo

I used this stretching program, and I've shown it to several others. We have all had pretty good success using it. Obviously I'm a scumbag and i used the torrent online and i didn't pay for the DVD.

I seen one guy be able to do the splits after 6months of training with us and he started as a total beginner.

its a really good program i highly suggest it
He has a couple good videos too he has an old one from the 70's where hes talking into the camera and talks about all the muscle groups and what you ahve to do then he goes through all the exercises how to do them, the most comfortable, and the best most efficient way.

He also outlines
Morning afternoon, night time stretches
pre workout stretches
workouts to improve stretching muscle groups

I am like srsly advocating this DVD for some reason, maybe because i actually think its really good and you should give it a shot. (theres a torrent out there)

Hi there, first post :icon_lol:
I'm not sure if this is in the right section... so mods, feel free to move it around :wink:

For a Kyokushin Karate promotion, I'll need to improve my flexibility. I need to be able to touch my forehead to the ground while sitting with my legs apart.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can achieve this in about two months?
I also lift, so I find my muscles getting kind of tight (shortened???).

Also, does improving flexibility to this degree have any negative effects on fighting and stability? Does it make me more injury prone to be this flexible? I need to be able to kick people in the head, but also to avoid a debilitating injury somehow

Thanks in advance.

Also, it dependson your level of flexibility now, if your a beginner and you want to do that in 2 months its possible but you need to be careful overstretching can work against you. and not doing it right can cause permanent damage. improving flexibility would only effect you if you don't train the flexible kicks.

You will need hip strength and lower back strength for flexibility to give yourself the power and balance to raise your leg in the air during some kicks (spinning hook, Hook, (that karate flipping kick), Hapkido scissors, axe kick). I come from a taekwondo background and the reason a lot of emphasis is placed on flexibility is because efficient and fast kicking depends on your legs being able to flex and smoothly turn and move.

Dont rush yourself like i said if it hurts and you feel overstretched you should wait till your muscle's heal because overstretching will just work against you!!! i can't emphasize this enough.