What are some of your favorite stretches to help you stay limber and what are your least favorite for me it is the split they just kill my upper thighs now and my favorite is the bow and arrow.
Stretching
- Thread starter terryl965
- Start date
I'm with searcher on this. I have a lot of respect for Kurz' work; what I've taken away from what he says is, do the dynamic stretching as the warmup prior to the training session, and do the static stretches as part of the cooldown phase. For TKD, I do 20 reps of right and left leg front stretch kicks, and then 20 reps of right and left side kicks, before every workout. Once I've done those, I find that no movement in our training sessions, no matter how demanding, is excessively difficult.
tkd_Jaz
Orange Belt
I love to do front and side splits, I'm still working on getting down all the way but that what makes it fun because it kind of gives me a challange. Also I bought the "Ultimate Flexibility" Book and DVD. It's pretty good and it has 3 different 20 min exercises (beginner, indermediat, advanced). I don't know if there is an exercise that I don't like.
Hawke
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I found the following books helpful
Stretching by Bob Anderson.
Facilitated Stretching by by Robert E. McAtee and Jeff Charland. The PNF stretches are awesome.
Active Isolated Stretching: The Mattes Method by Aaron Mattes.
I haven't heard of Kurz. I took a look at the cover art at Amazon and I notice that his feet are rolled in. I definately would like to check that book out. Always cool to discover new theories behind stretches.
Stretching by Bob Anderson.
Facilitated Stretching by by Robert E. McAtee and Jeff Charland. The PNF stretches are awesome.
Active Isolated Stretching: The Mattes Method by Aaron Mattes.
I haven't heard of Kurz. I took a look at the cover art at Amazon and I notice that his feet are rolled in. I definately would like to check that book out. Always cool to discover new theories behind stretches.
What is the significance of having rolled in feet? Since you brought that up, it made me wonder.
- Ceicei
Hawke
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As for a stretching routine. A short cardio such as jumping jacks or jumping rope to warm up the muscles.
Here are a few that may not be well known:
I stretch my lower back by lying down face up. Bring the right knee up to the chest slowly and have my right arm under the knee as I slowly lift my head up toward the knee. Hold for 5 secs. Go back down and rest. Do the same motion then hold for 10 secs. Repeat until I can hold for 30 seconds comfortably. Now do the same motion except use the left arm under the right knee as you go through the motions again. Then change sides and repeat the whole thing for the left knee. The ground under you should feel flatter like more of your mass is making contact on the ground.
The Butt Stretch. Since your still lying on the ground cross your right ankle over your left knee (makes a figure 4). Now raise your left knee toward your chest. Brace both hands under the left knee. You should feel the stretch on the right glut muscle (right butt cheek). Hang out for 30 seconds to 2 minutes and breathe. Now switch with the left ankle over the right knee and repeat.
Speaking of butt, place your butt against the wall while you are still lying down on your back. You should be facing the ceiling, lying on your back, and your butt against the wall. Open your legs as wide as you can, but maintain contact with your butt against the wall. Make sure your knees do not roll toward the ground or the ceiling. Breathe and relax. This will help with the splits. After 20 secs see if you can go further. Keep this up for two minutes. Slowly. Slowly. Very slowly pull your legs in together.
TKD is the only art I'm aware of where we stretch for a cool down. I also recommend stretches after getting a massage (drink lots of water) if you want the work done on you to hold longer.
Here are a few that may not be well known:
I stretch my lower back by lying down face up. Bring the right knee up to the chest slowly and have my right arm under the knee as I slowly lift my head up toward the knee. Hold for 5 secs. Go back down and rest. Do the same motion then hold for 10 secs. Repeat until I can hold for 30 seconds comfortably. Now do the same motion except use the left arm under the right knee as you go through the motions again. Then change sides and repeat the whole thing for the left knee. The ground under you should feel flatter like more of your mass is making contact on the ground.
The Butt Stretch. Since your still lying on the ground cross your right ankle over your left knee (makes a figure 4). Now raise your left knee toward your chest. Brace both hands under the left knee. You should feel the stretch on the right glut muscle (right butt cheek). Hang out for 30 seconds to 2 minutes and breathe. Now switch with the left ankle over the right knee and repeat.
Speaking of butt, place your butt against the wall while you are still lying down on your back. You should be facing the ceiling, lying on your back, and your butt against the wall. Open your legs as wide as you can, but maintain contact with your butt against the wall. Make sure your knees do not roll toward the ground or the ceiling. Breathe and relax. This will help with the splits. After 20 secs see if you can go further. Keep this up for two minutes. Slowly. Slowly. Very slowly pull your legs in together.
TKD is the only art I'm aware of where we stretch for a cool down. I also recommend stretches after getting a massage (drink lots of water) if you want the work done on you to hold longer.
Hawke
Master Black Belt
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Hi Ceicei,
If the feet are rolled in, good chance that the knees are rolled in as well, and if the chest is not rolled in the same direction may cause strain on the ligaments.
Hope these pictures better explains what I mean:
http://www.howtostretch.com/advancedstretches.html
Scroll down to where he shows you how not to stretch. The books I mention may be at your local library. The stretching book by Bob Anderson goes over the ways not to stretch.
If the feet are rolled in, good chance that the knees are rolled in as well, and if the chest is not rolled in the same direction may cause strain on the ligaments.
Hope these pictures better explains what I mean:
http://www.howtostretch.com/advancedstretches.html
Scroll down to where he shows you how not to stretch. The books I mention may be at your local library. The stretching book by Bob Anderson goes over the ways not to stretch.
Hawke
Master Black Belt
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Cool Stretching website based on STRETCHING by Bob Anderson.
http://www.shelterpub.com/_fitness/_office_fitness_clinic/OFC_how_to_str.html
http://www.shelterpub.com/_fitness/_office_fitness_clinic/OFC_how_to_str.html
Hawke
Master Black Belt
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Here's another stretching link:
http://www.cmcrossroads.com/bradapp/docs/rec/stretching/stretching_5.html
Google is going to take over the world....a little mouse told me this and his buddy...Pinky.
http://www.cmcrossroads.com/bradapp/docs/rec/stretching/stretching_5.html
Google is going to take over the world....a little mouse told me this and his buddy...Pinky.
