Martial Arts Stretching TechniquesFlexibility is not just important in the martial arts that require a lot of kicking but also arts that involve a lot of grappling or wrestling. Awkward body positions are common in the grappling arts, without sufficient joint flexibility injuries can often result. A separate workout
Warming up To avoid injury, muscles should be thoroughly warmed up before they are stretched. I usually shadow box or skip rope for 5 minutes before stretching. The warm up should be enough to make you break a light sweat and raise your body temperature slightly. If you warm up properly, you will find that your muscles will be more flexible and easier to stretch. Martial arts stretching techniques There are many stretching techniques that can be used to improve your flexibility in martial arts. They are:
Static stretching This is a common martial arts stretching technique. It involves taking a muscle to a point where you feel a stretch and then holding it in that position for 30 to 60 seconds.You would then rest for 60 seconds and then repeat the stretch again. When doing this form of stretching it is important to relax the muscle/s being stretched. Do not bounce when you are performing a static stretch. This type of stretching is good because you do not need a partner to assist you. Dynamic stretching Dynamic stretching is when you take a muscle through its full range of motion without any static holding of the muscle. This stretching technique uses momentum to add a quick stretch to the muscle at the end of range. Using too much momentum when performing dynamic stretches can lead to muscle tears. Be very careful when using this stretching technique as injuries can easily occur if you do not know what you are doing. PNF stretching for martial arts I find this martial arts stretching technique to be most effective in improving flexibility. As a physiotherapist, I use this a lot as a treatment technique for stretching tight muscles.
In PNF stretching the muscle group to be stretched is placed in a position where a gentle stretch can be felt. A partner, or an immovable object, holds the muscle in this position while the muscle being stretched is contracted gently for 5 secs. As soon as the muscle relaxes following the 5 second contraction, the partner increases the stretch by a few centimetres, resulting in an increased muscle stretch. This new position is held by the partner for 10 secs. At the end of the 10 seconds, the muscle being stretched is gently contracted again against resistance for 5 seconds. Immediately following the 5 second contraction, the muscle stretch is increased again with the aide of the partner by a few centimetres. This final position is held for 30 seconds before coming out of the stretch position completely. After a 60 second rest, the stretching cycle is repeated again for the same muscle. Although very effective, PNF stretching should be performed very gently at first to avoid injury. As you and your training partner become more proficient at the technique you can increase the intensity of the stretches. This stretching technique can be applied effectively to any muscle in the body. People have reported achieving full splits using PNF stretching techniques within as little as 8 weeks. Important body parts to keep flexible for martial arts There are many muscle groups that should be kept flexible to avoid injury in the martial arts. I have picked the following body parts as I feel that they are commonly injured in the martial arts.
Stay Tuned I will be adding photos and detailed instructions for stretching the above body parts and a lot more in the near future. Check back to this site often or subscribe to my RSS feed if you are interested the stretching instructions.
Return from Martial Arts Stretching Page to Training page Back to Martial Arts Home Page
|
The good thing about martial arts stretching is that it can be a separate exercise session where you only do flexibility or stretching exercises. A daily routine of stretching exercises lasting about 10-15 minutes can produce measurable results in flexibility within a few weeks.
PNF stretching is most easily performed with the assistance of a partner. 