Martial Arts...HiiiiiiiiiiiiYA

[Aquabella]

Anybody out there into Martial Arts of any kind? Are there any tips on how to get ultra flexible? I want to be able to nail those high kicks like the black belts!

ME...I'm grading for my WHITE STRIPE belt on thursday...hold the applause please... :korean:

 

[Raven C]

Go girl.

I haven't fooled with Karate in a while. 2nd Degree Green belt is as high as we went. Lots of stretching. Don't bounce though. Just stretch and flex and practice. Good Luck Raven

 

[Aquabella]

Green belt! You're my idol...

Patience, right? You're right. Thanks Rav.

LOL I'm in the midst of making my own DoJo at home!

 

[ManSteak]

Yo Aquabella, congrats on promoting. The only way I've found to become more flexible is to stretch regularly, i.e. every night if possible. I'm assuming you mean you want to stretch your legs, which basically amounts to your hams and groin. Do as many variations on these stretches as you can.

There are also two gym machines that are incredibly helpful at increasing your flexibility and strength -- the hip abduction and aduction. (push your legs out into a straddle and pull them inwards from a straddle, can't remember which is which though...) On the one where you start in a straddle and pull your legs together, try setting the machine so that it's wide enough to stretch your groin a bit (be careful though...) then complete the full range of motion with each repetition. You'll get both a good workout and stretch out of it. Having the strength to control your new flexibility will also improve your form and help reduce the possibility hurting your newly limber joints. Good luck!

--ManSteak

p.s. Osu RavenC!

 

[pdoege]

5x a day on weekends. At the time I could split and straddle.

Be sure to warm up before attempting a really high kick.

It turns out that high kicks are contra-indicated in actual fights. They leave the knees vulnerable to breakage. This may be a good way to meet a cute orthopedist.

Be careful, have fun.

Peter

 

[O-ring]

pdoege once bubbled...
5x a day on weekends. At the time I could split and straddle.

Be sure to warm up before attempting a really high kick.

It turns out that high kicks are contra-indicated in actual fights. They leave the knees vulnerable to breakage. This may be a good way to meet a cute orthopedist.

Be careful, have fun.

Peter

...high kicks have limited usefulness in a real fight. In addition to the knee vulnerability, you are also seriously reducing your stability/balance opening you up to being taken to the ground. Also, if you are kicking at anyone worth his/her salt, there is a good chance they will catch your leg. For that reason, I only play around with high kicks and actually only train in a variety of low kicks.

They do look cool though... :tease:

 

[Aquabella]

hmmm...that does make sense. I wondered how you would make those 'hammer' kicks useful in a real fight(where you shoot your leg straight up and brind your heel down on them!)

There is also the forms aspect though. After I grade I guess I get to learn my first 'kata'. That's when you can use the cool looking kicks.

Frequency seems to be key in regards to the stretching then. I taught myself how to do the splits as a kid...so why not now? I am finding I have to go slowly though. Not a strong suit of mine.

I'll have to check out those machines Mansteak...I never thought of using them that way.

Thanks guys

 

[dcostanza]

Aquabella
Congratulations on pursuing an activity that will impact your life in many positive ways.

Regarding the cool kicks... well, they do "look" cool. What "looks cool" and what is "effective" (depending on what you deem "effective") are on opposite ends of the spectrum.

Depends on what you are going for. If you want to do cool stuff, there are a number of styles out there that have that as their foundation. If you want to learn self defense, that is another thing. You have to look at "ranges", leg,knee,arm,elbow and then grappling. In a real-life situation, the "encounter" occurs in all of those ranges very quickly. Unlike a sparring match where kicks are exchanged (by two people following rules of engagement) then backed off then engaged again. I don't want to get off on a rant but there is a BIG difference in actual self-defense and "pretty" stuff. There is also the element of age. Our bodies have a tendency to revolt against us as we progress in the years thus limiting how high one can kick and how much impact our joints can withstand. On the other hand, (by performing the higher kicks) you will be working one of the largest muscle groups in the body so from a cardio-perspective, it is one of the best exercises to be involved in.

Without knowing more about your goals, I'll refrain from getting into specifics. Feel free to pm me if you would like to discuss further.

Regardless of what path you decide is the right one, have a great time at your test!

Best Regards
Don

 

[BEM]

Don’t know what “Martial Art” you are in, but I suggest practice and self discipline. Having taught Gung Fu I believe that the mental part is the most important.

In our sparring, the high kicking guys were usually the first ones to get put on the floor.

Stretching is critical and not fun when you start out.

Good luck..

 

[scuberd]

those "hammer kicks" or "axe kicks" are good in theory against someone on the ground. I got my first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do a few years ago, so I'm that flexable anymore. A good swift kick to the head can be quite useful if done corectly, depending on who you are fighting of course too.