What can I do to become more flexible with leg kicks?

Question

I am not very limber, and I am looking to be able to do some very basic leg kicks just for exercise purposes. What streches can I do to be able to get my kicks to shoulder or head height?

Answer 1

First Rule: take your time.

Sit, with legs extended in front, and bend forward - slide your hands down your legs to help guage how you're progressing. When you feel the pull, STOP and hold for a few seconds. Over time, increase the time and your bend toward your toes.

Stand, with feet together, and slowly bend from the waist, trying to touch your toes. When you feel the pull, STOP and hold for a few seconds. Over time, you'll be able to bend further forward, and eventually be able to put your hands flat on the floor.

Stand, with feet at shoulder width. Bend to one side, then the other, as far as is comfortable. Bend forward with the goal of placing hands on the floor. Take your time, and be gentle. As with all exercises, if you overdo it, you'll injure and discourage yourself.

Answer 2

Ok well do a static hamstring stretch. stand against a wall heels touching the wall and get someone to lift your least flexible leg first e.g left leg. Ensuring that your back is straight and your toes ares pointing toward your forehead, lift it slowly untill you cannot go any higher and hold it for about 1-2 mins. after that time bring the leg down to about 90 degrees turn your foot thats on the floor 90 degrees e.g left foot 90 degrees left. and lift it again making sure that your back is straight your fot is pointing up and your foot on the floor is touching the wall. hold this for about 1-2mins and repeat the process on the other leg. Unfortunatly its painful but you WILL see improvements in your flexiblity very quickly.

i started Kung fu last July nd my leg was at about 90 degrees from a standing position now its about 150+ ish all because of the kicks we do nd this stretch. Im 6ft and i kicked someone in the head who is 6,7 Enjoy :D

Answer 3

just forget the head kicks. you cant reach everyones head, but you can reach everyones legs and torso. heads are so damn hard to kick, because they can move out of the way faster than the lower body. if you have trouble punching the head and impacting every time (for example), how will you do better at the kicks which will take longer to execute and the distance between foot and head further apart?

the shortest distance is the shortest distance. you have better odds of impacting something a meter away than 2 meters away. and everyone expects to have the head hit so everyone is semi ready for head attacks, so attack low with multiple strikes that use less energy to perform.

Answer 4

There is a stretch i like to use called the frog stretch that as increased my flexibility dramaticly. Here is how you do it.

1. Go down on the ground on both knees

2. lean forward so you are on your knees and your elbows

3. Start by spreading your legs out a little bit and then moving your body back.

4. make sure you keep your shins pointed outward while doing this.

5. spread your knees out as far as you can

6. after a little while move forward so you legs are facing straight out from your hips. Then continue to stretch out your legs a little more

7. after that move forward so your knees are now behind your theighs and continue to spread your legs out.

8.Then finish

This is a VERY painful stretch but by far is the most effective. If you need any help with the explaining email me and ill be happy to help you out
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Answer 5

Dude, on the grand previous age of 15 you're hardly outdoors the window of having the flexibility to realize a great stretch or good technique. lots relies upon on what you recommend by skill of "extra effective kicks." while you're bearing on top on your kicks, then flexibility is a ingredient, yet so is rest. the two pass hand in hand. Stretch whilst your muscle tissue are already heat i.e. mid-day to night - not interior the morning. Stretch to the ingredient of reasonable soreness yet to not the ingredient of discomfort. carry each and each stretch for a minimum of two minutes. gently annoying the stretched muscled after your 2 minutes to advance the stretch, yet returned - NO discomfort, in basic terms reasonable soreness. game particular stretching is a superb option, i.e. stretch your legs interior a similar variety of action and way wherein they are going for use for the period of your game i.e. front kick, ingredient kick, awl kick and so on. PNF stretching is likewise broadly used and accompanied as a functional technique, that's non-static yet takes the leg returned contained in the direction of the variety of action you will use whilst actuall executing technqiue. good good fortune Ken C 9th Dan HapMoosaKi-Do eighth Dan TaeKwon-Do seventh Dan YongChul-Do

Answer 6

If you have access to a swimming pool, tie a pool noodle around your foot, and allow it to float in the direction of the kicks you'd like to do. I would stand with my side to the wall and push out in side kick position. The noodle pushed up and gave me a split-type position. It works for most kicks (crescents, high front, high round). The important part is to be in complete control while it's in motion. This was part of my rehab to regain flexibility. After I maxed out in the pool, I was a little more effective on the mat, and could push a little harder.

You can also be a true masochist and buy a leg stretcher. I bought one and they work well; just be careful not to tear up your knees while using one. It's rather easy to do we have learned.

Best of luck to you.

Answer 7

Whenever I am sitting being lazy I do the splits ( i know more its sissy but Im not the one with a nose broken becus of a kick to the face) remember once you can get to the floor add nice high mats and put your front leg on that

Answer 8

find a high horizontal bar. and place on of your heels on it. if you keep your leg straight, you will stretch out your calves, and thighs. I do this every day and one time my sensei even had to hold a small bag for me to kick while he was standing on a chair at 6 feet tall. I swear I am not lying.

Answer 9

try scissor splits with diaphramic breatheing and relaxing into the stretch as best as possible u could also try Colagen tablets too.

Answer 10

do straddle push-ups, ( which is a push-up but in straddle form, it's a shoto-kan and judo stretch work-out) and do alot of straddle stretches and split stretches.