high kicks need no stretching

[muayThaiPerson]

when i first began MT, i could only kick as a high as a rat. now, 3 months later, without even stretching, i can kick over the head. i always thought that it required major stretching.could it be that it has to do with the amount of lifting muscle?

 

[artful dodger]

The actual act of lifting your leg up that high is a stretch in itself, if done slowly, or an example of a dynamic stretch if done at speed.

 

[MartialArtist]

Ballistic stretching. But I still suggest you static stretch as it'll make you kick even higher, make you faster and more agile, and it prevents injuries.

 

[Chiduce]

Martial Artist made a very good point. Stretching definitely helps flexibility, leg muscle strength, and range of kicking motion. In kicking you would want to immediately change from one range of motion to the other. I prefer the low too high range and medium to low range kicking flexibility for street combat. This way the low kick can set-up the high range kick by breaking the opponent down to a lower /(medium range) and create a almost zero error margin. Or using the jumping knee (say to a trapped elbow) transformation into the flying/jumping front kick to the trapped side rib cage.
Sincerely, In Humility;
Chiduce!

 

[lvwhitebir]

Originally posted by MartialArtist

Ballistic stretching. But I still suggest you static stretch as it'll make you kick even higher, make you faster and more agile, and it prevents injuries.

According to some "experts" this is not Ballistic stretching, but Dynamic stretching.

http://www.bath.ac.uk/~masrjb/Stretch/stretching_4.html
Dynamic stretching, according to Kurz, "involves moving parts of your body and gradually increasing reach, speed of movement, or both." Do not confuse dynamic stretching with ballistic stretching! Dynamic stretching consists of controlled leg and arm swings that take you (gently!) to the limits of your range of motion. Ballistic stretches involve trying to force a part of the body beyond its range of motion. In dynamic stretches, there are no bounces or "jerky" movements. An example of dynamic stretching would be slow, controlled leg swings, arm swings, or torso twists.

Dynamic stretching improves dynamic flexibility and is quite useful as part of your warm-up for an active or aerobic workout (such as a dance or martial-arts class).

Kurz believes that Dynamic Stretching is more important than Static Stretching in order to increase your kicking range. I think it has to do with increasing the muscle strength more in Dynamic Stretching, while in Static Stretching you're completely relaxed.

Congrats on noticing your improvement, muayThaiPerson. It's important to recognize such things so that you see what MA is actually doing for you. I was the same way. One day I just kicked up and, boom, it went up to my face. Shocked me...

WhiteBirch

 

[karatekid1975]

Good point, Ivw. I can't do splits, but I do dynamic stretching. I can kick someone in the head. I don't think it (doing splits) is required to kick high. I think you just have to just "train" those kicking muscles, work on properly executing a kick (technique), and dynamic stretching.

 

[muayThaiPerson]

i kick more with my right. does this ballistic stretching also apply to my left?

 

[theneuhauser]

people really need to learn how to stretch properly. there are all kinds of stretching methods and they have different reasons for existing. its not a matter of, "dynamic stretching is good, but static stretches are not" or anything of that sort. there are dynamic and static methods to aid you before workouts and there are static and passive methods to help your flexibility and prevent injuries and soreness for afterwards. there are also supplemental stretching methods (ballistic, pnf, isometric) to aid your stength and flexibility when you are not training. there is not one kind of stretch that will do it all for you.
this bugs me alot actually, because i have rarely seen an instructor that correctly advises students on stretching, this can be crucial for older students and people with chronic ailments.

 

[Shinzu]

i always stretch before training..especially my legs. i know that if it were not for my stretching techniques, i would not be able to perform the high kicks i do. i believe in it 100%.

if you are very flexible to begin with, then stretching can only make you that much better.