How to make your body parts flexible especially the leg for doing better kicks in Tae Kwon Do?

Question

I recently continued my Tae Kwon Do, i'm a blue with red stripe. However I started TKD a bit too late, now I am 15 years old and i know my body isn't as flexible as the other TKD practitioner that starts much younger. For daily stretching, i usually do the same stretching as in the TKD classes, but maybe there are other ways especially since I am in Indonesia and Indonesia's TKD isn't as good as other countries esp.Korea. What daily exercise or stretching should i do to make my body esp. legs very flexible in the shortest period of time, so my kicks will be better?

Answer 1

You have to be careful with this, but get someone else to stretch you while you relax the muscles. The more relaxed the muscle is the more it will be able to stretch. The problem is we tend to use the muscle when we stretch. Getting someone else to help stretch you just a little bit more while you relax will help speed up the process. Again be careful. If you pull a muscle etc. it's going to set you back.

If you're doing any weight lifting, I'd stop. The larger your muscle mass the less flexible you become. You'll build plenty of muscle just stretching and exercising within class. Also, your exercises should consist of motions that require a full range of movement. Using weights and most exercise machines limit your range of movement. If you're willing, check out some books on kung fu. The movements are much more fluid than tae kwon do and a great warm up. Other arts also help with flexibility such as judo. Have someone put you in an arm bar every day for a few weeks. Your elbows will get much more flexible.

Don't do all your stretches at set times. Continue to do them through out the day. Spending five minutes four times a day is more effective than one twenty minute session.

Make sure you have a good diet with plenty of potassium (potatoes and banannas) and above all keep hydrated. Think of a green leaf on a tree compared to a dry one on the ground. The one with the water is much more flexible.

Finally, be aware of your posture in every day routines. Bruce Lee says it well in Tao of Jeet Kune Do when he talks about using every day routines to increase our physical abilities. When you go to the store, park further away from the entrance a few more steps can't hurt. If you're sitting watching TV, how are you sitting? Are you sitting in a way that will help you stretch, or are you vegging out on the couch?

The only real way to get more flexible is to stretch. There's nothing else that will do it better. If you're 15 years old your body is in the prime time to increase flexibility for the next few years.

Hope this is of some help.

Answer 2

Dude, at the grand old age of 15 you are hardly outside the window of being able to achieve a decent stretch or decent technique.

Much depends on what you mean by "better kicks." If you are referring to height in your kicks, then flexibility is a factor, but so is relaxation. Both go hand in hand.

Stretch when your muscles are already warm i.e. mid-day to evening - not in the morning. Stretch to the point of slight discomfort BUT NOT to the point of pain. Hold each stretch for a minimum of two minutes. Gently tense the stretched muscled after your two minutes to increase the stretch, but again - NO PAIN, just slight discomfort.

Sport specific stretching is a good option, i.e. stretch your legs in the same range of motion and manner in which they will be used during your sport i.e. front kick, side kick, axe kick etc. PNF stretching also is widely used and adopted as a useful technique, which is non-static but takes the leg again through the range of motion you will use when actuall executing technqiue.

Good luck
Ken C
9th Dan HapMoosaKi-Do
8th Dan TaeKwon-Do
7th Dan YongChul-Do

Answer 3

Hi there

There's only one real way and that's stretching your ham strings. This means practicing the box and side splits. Your hip joints have to be more flexible too so any exercises that involve opening up the hip joints will help. It only takes about a month to do the full box splits if you stretch safely and properly. However my concern would be your age because your muscles and joints are still developing and you could do yourself some long term damage if your not careful.

So seek advise and consult a qualified person who can draw up a routine for you.

If stretching is the way to go make sure you do 5 mins a day to keep your flexibility. Been doing the splits for nearly 15 years now. They call me Mr Bendy down at my local gym.lol

Best wishes

idai

Answer 4

When I was into Korean Arts like TSD & TKD I stretched every morning for at least a 1/2 hour, stretched at class and again before going to bed, so that made it sometimes 3 times per day.. I stretched even longer and harder when getting ready for tournaments, being loose helps alot with your speed.

Also, if you take a long hot bath or shower it helps when stretching, it relaxes your muscles more. You can even try a muscle cream (on your thighs, inter thighs helps) a felow black belt truned me onto that some 20 years ago.

Answer 5

You are still young, you are probably more flexible than you think and it will be easier for you to increase your flexibility than someone older than you.

Try doing straddle stretches (spread legs as far apart as possible, stand on the balls of your feet w/ toes pointed in the air, plant your hands in front of you to support your weight) We do these stretches at my TKD school and they are very good for the hamstrings and increasing flexibility in the hips.

Good luck! just make sure to stretch a lot, any stretch is good, but don't overdo it, injuring yourself will only push you backwards, but stretching correctly and just getting that tiny bit more flexible each time will push you forwards.

Answer 6

There is a method of stretching called PNF - Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation.

It involves slow progressive stretching combined with muscle contraction and relaxation.

Do a google search and you will find some sources.

Answer 7

Stretching will help. Also work on your kicks. If you want to be more flexible just stretch. ask your instructor to show you some stretches. They are there to help you out.

Answer 8

Stretch, and do some work on the muscle groups.

Answer 9

Stretching and relaxing to get your body loosened up.

Answer 10

stretching exercise