Stretching Tips 1

Stretch often, daily preferably. 1 day concentrated, 2nd day less.

A well-stretched muscle performs more efficiently, requiring less energy to use.

Tip 1: When you stretch, do not bounce stretch i.e. do not force your body up and down in a bouncing action as though to force the stretch. It is much better to move slowly down to the "tight, limit" position and relax in that position for at least 1 minute, breathing in and out slowly.

Do not tense up when stretching. There is a fine line to understand between training and straining.

If you are experiencing great pain during your stretching then the odds are you are straining and probably damaging or tearing the muscle!

You should think of the muscle as your friend, not your enemy.

Gently persuade the muscle to obey your request. The muscle will have an absolute limit at any one time, which you have to recognize as the absolute limit. To try to go beyond it might result in a tear of the muscle, so be sure to find that limit and respect it.

During your stretch, listen to your body and relax. Remember to breath slowly in and out during the stretch.

What you are about to learn will be used for all of your future stretching sessions.

a/ Sit on the floor with both legs together out in front of you.

b/ Make sure your toes are pointing upwards and towards you as much as possible.

c/ Make sure your knees are not bent! Your start position should be with both legs straight.

d/ If you have to support yourself from behind with your hands, then do so and treat this as your first stretch position until you can feel the muscle in the back of your leg tighten to its limit.

If you can manage this position without supporting your weight from behind then gently lean forward moving your head towards your knees. You can place your hands in front of you, maybe hold onto your lower legs as an anchor. (Do not bend the knees!)

This is what you should check for now as you try it again!

You have not bent your knees even slightly as you move into your stretch.

Your face is not tensing up especially your jaw. Do not squint the eyes or clench the teeth.

All surrounding, supporting muscles are relaxed, chest, shoulders, neck and especially the front top thigh muscles!

It is quite likely that some of the points above are happening as you stretch. It is important to try to relax totally during the stretch.

It is a natural reaction when stretching, that the surrounding muscles tense up to prevent the muscle that you are stretching from stretching! This is the reason progress in stretching can be slowed down or even halted.

It is also useful to train the mind to relax during stretching. Do not approach your stretching with anticipation of pain and suffering, approach it instead with calmness, patience and relaxation!

Believe it or not stretching can be and should be pleasurable.

Be very patient with your stretching and progress. If you stretch gently, consistently and correctly, you will improve tenfold.

You will find that when you reach your limit in the stretch, if you have been tensing up in the past, by following these little tips you will be able to increase your range of stretch by about half an inch each time. Try it again now.

When you get to your limit, go through all the points whilst you are in the limit position, then relax deeply, breathe out and move into your stretch an extra half an inch!

There is plenty to come in the tips and training sections, look out for them in the future.


	The Elite Karate Club \| home Balance Tips Stretching Tips 2 Stretching Tips 1 Stretch after a gentle aerobic warm up. Stretch and train don't Stretch and strain! Stretch the muscle, don't rip it. Stretch with patience and relaxation. Stretch often, daily preferably. 1 day concentrated, 2nd day less. A well-stretched muscle performs more efficiently, requiring less energy to use. A well-stretched muscle improves blood flow. A well-stretched muscle increases range of movement By stretching you will improve stamina levels By stretching you will improve technique Tip 1: When you stretch, do not bounce stretch i.e. do not force your body up and down in a bouncing action as though to force the stretch. It is much better to move slowly down to the "tight, limit" position and relax in that position for at least 1 minute, breathing in and out slowly. Do not tense up when stretching. There is a fine line to understand between training and straining. If you are experiencing great pain during your stretching then the odds are you are straining and probably damaging or tearing the muscle! You should think of the muscle as your friend, not your enemy. Gently persuade the muscle to obey your request. The muscle will have an absolute limit at any one time, which you have to recognize as the absolute limit. To try to go beyond it might result in a tear of the muscle, so be sure to find that limit and respect it. During your stretch, listen to your body and relax. Remember to breath slowly in and out during the stretch. Now try this before moving on! What you are about to learn will be used for all of your future stretching sessions. a/ Sit on the floor with both legs together out in front of you. b/ Make sure your toes are pointing upwards and towards you as much as possible. c/ Make sure your knees are not bent! Your start position should be with both legs straight. d/ If you have to support yourself from behind with your hands, then do so and treat this as your first stretch position until you can feel the muscle in the back of your leg tighten to its limit. If you can manage this position without supporting your weight from behind then gently lean forward moving your head towards your knees. You can place your hands in front of you, maybe hold onto your lower legs as an anchor. (Do not bend the knees!) e/ Hold this position for a minimum of 1 minute (remember not to bounce!) Then relax out of the stretch. Repeat this 3 times. This is what you should check for now as you try it again! Make sure that: You have not bent your knees even slightly as you move into your stretch. Your toes have not started to point away and down. You are not holding your breath. Your face is not tensing up especially your jaw. Do not squint the eyes or clench the teeth. All surrounding, supporting muscles are relaxed, chest, shoulders, neck and especially the front top thigh muscles! You are breathing gently and slowly It is quite likely that some of the points above are happening as you stretch. It is important to try to relax totally during the stretch. It is a natural reaction when stretching, that the surrounding muscles tense up to prevent the muscle that you are stretching from stretching! This is the reason progress in stretching can be slowed down or even halted. It is also useful to train the mind to relax during stretching. Do not approach your stretching with anticipation of pain and suffering, approach it instead with calmness, patience and relaxation! Believe it or not stretching can be and should be pleasurable. Be very patient with your stretching and progress. If you stretch gently, consistently and correctly, you will improve tenfold. You will find that when you reach your limit in the stretch, if you have been tensing up in the past, by following these little tips you will be able to increase your range of stretch by about half an inch each time. Try it again now. When you get to your limit, go through all the points whilst you are in the limit position, then relax deeply, breathe out and move into your stretch an extra half an inch! Good stretching! There is plenty to come in the tips and training sections, look out for them in the future. Elite Freestyle Karate & Kickboxing International