Flexibility? - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

Ray433 · 03-14-2006, 01:25 AM

So I am looking to get into Muay Thai come the summer, I've been working hard in the gym to get my body ready for it with cardio and weight training and what not.

But what I have realised is that my legs are no where near flexible enough to be throwing high kicks (or anything above low) and whatnot.

Any suggestions on things I can do at home, types of stretches or exercises?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks

[Danny] · 03-14-2006, 08:06 AM

Work on your splits and hamstring streches.

Master Jones · 03-14-2006, 11:01 AM

One thing that helped me was streching 3 times a day. Morning, first thing strech. An I mean strech, a complete routine. Mid day, same thing, along with the night, right before bed. An of course before any kind of exersice. Like I said, it works well for me. You might find that something else works bests for you.

SmashingMachine · 03-14-2006, 05:22 PM

I like those....uh....lol, I'm drawing a blank here...those leg stretching machines/devices where you sit on them and then it uses a ratcheting device to stretch you into the splits. It also has a grab bar in the middle so you can pull yourself forward and stretch your low back and hamstrings. I gained a lot of range of motion with one of those. So much so that I went out and bought my own. Century Martial Arts sells all kinds of variations of them. "Sticky Foot" is another good exercise to help out. You start out kicking low, on a floor bag or post, pause for 5 to 10 seconds at that height. Then you re-chamber the kick and kick a little higher and hold for 5 to 10 seconds...all the way up to the end of your range of motion. It's really a strengthening exercise, but making yourself stronger at your end range of motions will make reaching higher kicks easier.

lwbfl · 03-15-2006, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray433

So I am looking to get into Muay Thai come the summer, I've been working hard in the gym to get my body ready for it with cardio and weight training and what not.

But what I have realised is that my legs are no where near flexible enough to be throwing high kicks (or anything above low) and whatnot.

Any suggestions on things I can do at home, types of stretches or exercises?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks

Me too brother! I've been trying to stretch twice a day and progress is slow, but there is progress. I have to keep telling myself that I've been tight like this since I was a kid and progress will be slow. You can't undo years of anything overnight. By the way, I hate to stretch!

Ray433 · 03-16-2006, 02:45 PM

Thanks for the suggestions. And lwbfl it is cool to here that it will improve, because at the moment it doesn't seem that way.

lwbfl · 03-16-2006, 10:17 PM

It's like a long jouney, you have to take it one step at a time but you'll keep getting closer and closer to your goal.

Crashsti · 03-20-2006, 07:50 AM

there are many ways to stretch. i am no wordsmith so here is a link to a site that explains the many ways to stretch.
http://www.cmcrossroads.com/bradapp/...etching_1.html

sitnspin · 03-20-2006, 10:32 AM

You always stretch more productively when you're warmed up, so do even five minutes of light cardio to get your body temperature and your heart rate up a bit. Especially if it's first thing in the morning.

SmashingMachine · 03-20-2006, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sitnspin

You always stretch more productively when you're warmed up, so do even five minutes of light cardio to get your body temperature and your heart rate up a bit. Especially if it's first thing in the morning.

Well said, Young Grasshopper, warming up is always key before doing anything...especially when stressing your joints, tendons, and muscles are involved.

Ray433 · 03-26-2006, 01:34 AM

As always, thanks for all the help