Any tips for increasing flexibilty: side splits; frontal splits to progress faster in your training. It seems my advancement is slow and sometimes I think it's regressing! Are their exercises, stretching or techniques for assisting me [and other beginners] for achieving lower, more impressive flexibility?

The best way to increase flexibility is to stretch everyday. Get a leg stretcher, use daily 10 minutes a day, everyday. Then sit on the floor and practice front splits side splits. Goal should be 180 degrees. Perseverence is the key to your success.


[QUOTE]Originally posted by Magnum:
Any tips for increasing flexibilty: side splits; frontal splits to progress faster in your training. It seems my advancement is slow and sometimes I think it's regressing! Are their exercises, stretching or techniques for assisting me [and other beginners] for achieving lower, more impressive flexibility?[/QUOTE]

Not just everyday, but every morning and evening.

I agree, every morning and every night!!!

May I recomend looking at www.stadion.com .
This site is very useful in helping increase your flexibility and strength hand in hand. The book by Thomas Kurtz called Dynamic Stretching is excellent as well.

Sorry USTCtkd but Magnum, please do not purchase a stretching machine!!!

Buy a few books or read the free articles that are on this web site or at www.stadion.com as Swordfish suggests.

I can achieve front splits (toes up and down) and side splits with the rear leg pointing to the side and pointing down and I have never been near a stretching machine, I only stretch a maximum of 10 minutes each day extra to my training and about 5-10 mins before training and about 10-20 after (depending on the type of workout).

Torturing yourself with a legstretcher is not necessary, I've seen many people increase their flexibility to kick head height within weeks of beginning stretching with Kurz's methods.

(I sound like a TV ad! [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG] )

[QUOTE]Originally posted by USTCtkd:
The best way to increase flexibility is to stretch everyday. Get a leg stretcher, use daily 10 minutes a day, everyday. Then sit on the floor and practice front splits side splits. Goal should be 180 degrees. Perseverence is the key to your success.


[/QUOTE]

I tend to recommend that people stay away from the machines. One of our instructors is a long-time yoga practioner with an inhuman range of flexibility even in his 50's. His advice is to look inside, see the muscles, and concentrate on relaxing them.

The ground is cheap and it travels wherever you go [on earth].

[QUOTE]Originally posted by taebot:
I tend to recommend that people stay away from the machines. One of our instructors is a long-time yoga practioner with an inhuman range of flexibility even in his 50's. His advice is to look inside, see the muscles, and concentrate on relaxing them.

The ground is cheap and it travels wherever you go [on earth].[/QUOTE]


I agree (I enjoy Yoga myself).

But this post illustrates that most Martial Artists conceive stretching as just passive relaxed.

If you employ dynamic stretching (for morning and pre-workout) isometric stretching and then passive relaxed stretching for post work-out you will see great results (still on cheap earth).

Then to improve more get weight training, strengthen your back, stomach and legs (especially your adductors) and use dynamic strenght exercises, such as lunges and adductor pull downs.

Basically the reason why people can't do the splits is because their legs aren't strong enough - most people can stand with one leg on the floor and the other to around their waist hieght - thats the splits, well sort of, but basically there are no muscles that connect your legs together so therefore you should be able to do a split - except that your legs won't let you if they don't think they are strong enought.

I don't feel I am explaining myself well.

Best to refer to Kurz's articles for a better discription/advice.

you should stretch everyday at least twice if not three times. there have been times that i could not do this due to work schedules or what have you and found that the time off actually made me more flexible the next time i went to stretch. so maybe you just need time off.

hello,
i come from italy, sorry for my english.
browsing this forum i was able to find good answer for my stretch activity. in the 7 years of my krav maga training i have never done stretch ativities that much, now that i started taewondo and hapkido in parallel, i am having some difficulty to stretch in my own time. anyone could help me out in giving me a manual whihc show good stretch activity in my free time, a guideline on which stretch to do and how in few word.
and another thing, is it necessary to warm up before stretching ?
thank you in advance

[This message has been edited by antonio inoki (edited 03-17-2003).]