Hatha Yoga Class

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f.Channell
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Post by f.Channell »

Lately I've been reading "Ultimate flexibility" by Sang H. Kim.

He has lots of great drills and has recommended sets depending on your goals or your particular fighting art.

The type of stretching John and I were discussing is called "passive stretching" in his book. There are lots of great ones.

Two variations of another type of stretching I've been trying lately in my classes.

One is when doing the front kick and side kick in Hojo undo hold your leg fully extended for a 5 count gradually working up to 10. I work roundhouse kicks in with my Hojo undo and do the same. Lots of people have trouble with these.

The other is when doing partner stretches on the wall have them let go and then try to keep the leg up as high as possible for a count.

I still have a long way to go with my stretching to get back to my late teen days. But according to the book you can get there.

F.
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John Giacoletti
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Stretching

Post by John Giacoletti »

Some Notes on Stretching from Ric Martin's Instructor Development Program:

Why Is Stretching Important?

Reduces injury to muscles and joints.
Helps to increase effectiveness of MA techniques.
Increases target opportunities.
Promotes a healthier body.
Allows for more dynamic kata opportunities.
Contributes to high range power by lessening internal resistence.

Learning Points.

Warm-up and Cool Down periods include mild stretching exercises.
No intense stretching exercises until muscles are hot.
Be persistent, be consistent and be patient.
Focus on perfection of form.
Learn to isolate specific muscle groups.
Relax and breath into the stretch.

Instructional Points.

PEP
Praise. Encourage. Praise.
Demonstrate and explain correct form.
Use a softer voice when talking students through the stretch.
Go slow, count slowly.
Consider the age and experience level of the students.
There is much to make of every moment.
Stryke

Post by Stryke »

while static stretching is important isnt dynamic flexibility a more important factor for a striking based MA ?
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f.Channell
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Post by f.Channell »

I've been doing more static stretching as an experiment.

However when teaching beginners and also some more intermediate students I find them dropping their legs down after kicking and not having the ability to hold it up, also see it when they can't knee strike well in kata.
Of course being able to control and hold up their leg certainly helps if their kick is ever caught and they need to escape. I also think having more strength in the middle kicking range is going to influence or help to have more kicking power in the upper range.

I have also started doing more dynamic stretching, it really only appears in the straight leg kicking in Junbi undo and for modern kicking in tournaments etc... it's not enough.

F.
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John Giacoletti
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Dynamic Stretching

Post by John Giacoletti »

Here's what the ACMA (American Council of Martial Arts) Manual for their Instructor Certification Program STUDY GUIDE has to say on Dynamic vs. Static stretching:
Types of Stretching

Ballistic Stretching uilizes "dynamic" movements, such as bouncing up and down to stretch the muscles. This type of stretching is counerproductive since the muscle is forced to stretch against itself. This type of stretchng can lead to injury because the elastic limits of the muscle may be exceeded. Ballistic stretching exercises are not recommended by the American Council on Martial Arts for flexibility development.

Some examples of ballistic stretching include any flexibility exercises that use rapid (dynamic) movement ito the point of the stretch and returning rapidly to the point of exercise origination.

"Static" stretching uses slow rhythmic movements to desired positions to stretch the muscles. Once the position is reached, the position is to be held between 1`5 and 30 seconds, then slowly releassed. The stretching positions should be performed only to the point of stretch.
There is much to make of every moment.
Stryke

Post by Stryke »

That refers to Ballistic stretching which implies a load .

they seem to be confusing ballistic with a dynamic stretch . I guess the terms are confused , there doesnt seem to be much of a convention .

Dynamic stretching is as simple as leg raises , and variations , circling motions , and more motion specific movements , its by far the quickest way to increase flexibility for kicking IMHO .

most proffessional sports use it , it is safer as a warm up than static stretching , and is more motion specific , and more closely mimics actual needed attributes .

http://www.stadion.com/column_stretch5.html

http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/dy ... ching.html
http://www.playerdevelopment.usta.com/c ... goryid=616

Static stretching is of course important .
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f.Channell
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Post by f.Channell »

The way I used to do waist scoops in the 70's to me was ballistic.

I tend to do it as a static stretch now letting gravity do the work.

Just doing static stretches will increase flexibility but not necessary increase functional flexibility.
In other words having a full split doesn't necessarily mean one can kick to the head with any power. This is where bag work and dynamic stretching can come into play.

As an instructor I am sometimes torn when teaching kata when I see my young students kicking head high in the kata. I have decided to let them do it although it sometimes goes against them since it's not the traditional height we have in our system. I think it's easier to later tell them to lower the kicks and let them develop the high kicking skill, not many have it.

F.
Sans Peur Ne Obliviscaris
www.hinghamkarate.com
wes tasker

Post by wes tasker »

For increasing flexibility (which really means increasing the timing of your stretch reflex) PNF type stretching is really good.

One other thing Yoga is really good for is stretching the fascial lines that we have going through our bodies. The sun salutation is a great exercise/stretch for the superficial back line of fascia that runs from the bottom of the foot (plantar fascia) to the top of the head (gala aponeuratica).

One thing to consider about flexibility is why you want to increase it. When a muscle is radically stretched, your stretch reflex fires and the muscle tears - rather than tearing your tendons and/or ligaments. Which are much slower to heal, especially ligaments. If you increase flexibility, then your stretch reflex may not fire, and your tendons and/or ligaments will take the brunt of the injury.

-wes
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John Giacoletti
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Drop Out Rate

Post by John Giacoletti »

Bikram states:
But it makes me sad to know that one year from today, only twenty-five percent of you will still be applying what you have learned here. Five years later, only ten percent.
It's interesting to me to find that the fall off in enrollment is not limited to karate and the martial arts but to yoga as well which has a massive student population and extensive TV distribution and video sales promotion.

There's hardly a YMCA/YWCA, Community Center or College Community that doesn't have at least one ongoing yoga class which survive not on the basis of enrollment retention but on the continual flow of new students seeking self-improvement.
There is much to make of every moment.
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