How to stretch our leg so we can do a beautiful high side kick?

Question

I wonder how do the traditional martial artists do their stretching exercises without the aid of modern equipment and still got the result similar to the one show in the martial arts magazine like the ability to do a perfect split and do a beautiful high kick. Any traditional martial artists, can you share me your secrects?

Answer 1

A good way to open up and make flexible your hips to have better form in your side kick (also known as a back kick) is to get on all fours on the ground (make sure it's on something soft, your knees are valuable!) and then lift one of your legs with the knee bent out to the side as high as you can, and then fully extend that leg out behind you as far back and high in the air as you can go. If you do this slowly and steadily then you will notice your tailbone muscles getting very tired. It's a strange sensation but it means you're doing it right. And the way to cultivate balance is just to do an actual side kick, but slow it down and try to keep in balance the whole time, from the time you lift your leg up from the ground, kick, and then retract.
I hope this makes sense, it would be a lot easier with pictures, but I don't have any on hand...

~Good luck, and Namaste

Answer 2

All kicks utilize your hips. All of them. There are a lot of muscles in your hips. Each contributes something to your kick, be it stability on the support leg, or the muscles that rotate your hips for various kick types. Just lifting a foot off the floor will strongly engage your hip muscles. The primary muscles involved in pretty much every kick are: Gluteus Minumus Gluteus Maximus Gluteus Medius Psoas Piriformus Your hips will also be limited by the flexibility of your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles. They will effect how far you can extend your leg. If these muscles are tight, it doesn't matter how large an angle you can elevate your hips, you will never be able to extend your foot far enough out to call it a kick.

Answer 3

First I go down into a lung position, then hold there with my arms in the air. After I do both legs, I move over to the wall. There I have a partner stretch my leg with my toes pointing towards the wall, and my leg in the air. After this stretch I practice my middle splits. Middle split for side kick of course.

Good luck.

Answer 4

I just happen to be a traditional martial aristist and i can try to set you straight. The streching exercises are not very diferent from tho ones you did in gim class. However they are more intense. You have to take it gradualy ,and don't rush it. Train daily and strech a little more each time.You will realise after a while that you have greater mobillity than before. The key to this ,and martial arts in general , is patience...

Answer 5

The Traditional martial aritists use forms of yoga and stretching that helps the muscles be firm as well as flexible.. There is no need for any sort of equipment ..

There's also various forms of martial arts.. depends on which tradition you want to pick it from..

http://mchenry.homeip.net/TangSooDo/

Answer 6

the easiest way to stretch your legs is to do a standing splits. once you get to the farthest you can go hold it. then you push your self down or have some push on your shoulders and go down a little by little. you could also sit with your back to a wall and then do a seated split. then have a partner put their feet on the inside of your legs and push your legs further part slowly little by little at a time. if you do this your ability to be more flexible will be there then you just have to work on your kick to reash the hieght at which you would like it. then slowly work on getting it higher,

Answer 7

Just the old-fashioned, basic stuff:

- Sit with your legs straight, spread open as far as they'll go, and reach for your right toes, hold for 10 seconds, repeat on other side, then reach forward and push your chest down to the floor, hold, etc.

Just keep going as far down in the splits as you can, and hold it for at least 10 seconds - do this daily and you will see great results in your flexibility!

Answer 8

this is something we do in my dojo...you need to have a partner and a wall to lean on. you and your partner need to face each other, at least a foot apart (the farther the better), lean on the wall and ask your partner to bend his/her knees until his/her shoulder is at your torso level. then place your foot on his/her shoulder then he/she must slowly stand up to his/her full height.

Answer 9

Ever you never took Gymnanstics...now is the time.