Fundamentals of a Successful Martial Arts Stretching Routine

By Donald Borah

With every one of the myriad martial arts styles out there, there's a martial arts stretching program that's unique to that particular discipline. People who practice martial arts that emphasize high kicking, such as savate, Northern shaolin, or taekwondo, you might want to exercise your hamstrings and hips with your flexibility stretches; grappling arts will need greater core strength and arm flexibility from the results of its martial arts stretching routine. If you're just starting out in martial arts, you'll need a more well rounded martial arts stretching regimen to increase your flexibility in general.

A good martial arts stretching program should include several parts to maximum efforts, as well as maintain safety. Here are tips to help keep your program of flexibility stretches both effective and completely safe.

1. Stretching in the Morning.

Martial arts stretching each morning is a great way to keep improving. These flexibility stretches should be done on an empty stomach and last no more than 30 minutes. Be sure to include a warm up, a few dynamic type stretches and a cool down. Static, isometric or PNF stretches should be set aside for your primary stretching workout because they are too taxing to your muscles and are harder to recover from. Once you get used to starting your day with stretching, you will be very pleased with the results.

2. Warm Up Exercises

There are specific warm up procedures to martial arts stretching, as you have a proper beginning and specific warm up regimen. As you begin your warm up period, start calisthenics, so that your muscles get adequate blood flow and your body temperature rises. In the specific warm up, do dynamic flexibility stretches that start getting your body accustomed to the specific martial art you focus on. In order to properly exercise, especially during the morning, you have to warm up properly, because your body is usually tighter in the morning and requires more stretching. As you finish the specific warm up, start your real stretching routine, as it more specifically focuses on what areas need to be more flexible to properly perform the martial art.

3. Cool Down Period

It is imperative to take the time for a cool-down process as part of your morning martial arts stretching program. The cool down is similar to the warm-up in that it allows additional blood flow to the muscles which speeds recovery of the muscles.

Safety and Injury Prevention.

Martial arts stretching is meant to keep your body limber and safe as you improve your skills in your specific martial art. If you don't stretch properly, you could damage your skeletal system, muscles, or connective tissues, permanently delaying your progress. If you want to make your flexibility stretches safer, be sure to:

* Be sure to check with your doctor before you start this or any other fitness program. Getting clearance from your doctor will help you make greater and faster progress.

* Don't ever do flexibility stretches that cause you any pain. If you feel a sharp pain as you exercise, stop immediately; the most you should be feeling is a warm or small burning feeling in your muscle. Even the smallest amount of pain can be evidence of micro reading of your muscles, making them scar and permanently making you that much less flexible, thereby hindering your progress. If you have any sort of pain as you start stretching, talk to your physician.

* Bouncing, rhythmic and bobbing motions should be avoided when performing your martial arts stretching. These methods are called ballistic stretching, they carry a high risk of injury and that risk is not worthy an potential benefits from using them.

I invite you to use this martial arts stretching information to increase the benefit of your stretching routine by rapidly increasing your functional flexibility. - 30300

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