Martial Arts Stretching – The Fundamentals of an Efficient Program
The body must first learn to perform the proper techniques at an extended range of motion comfortably and without excessive effort and strain. The graceful power demonstrated by those proficient in martial arts is comprised of flexibility, focus and strength.
Designing a well balanced martial arts stretching routine is essential to making rapid progress in any martial art. Create programs which combine light stretching workouts in the morning, light stretching in the evening with more intense main workouts during alternate days. This type of focused, intense martial arts stretching training is not easy. But it can increase your flexibility in one half to one quarter the time of a less aggressive program. When your body reaches a certain degree of flexibility, the schedule of the routine will seem easier.
When deciding what flexibility stretches to do during your morning and evening stretching workouts, you need to include active stretches, as well as methods that will loosen your muscles and joints. You do not have time to incorporate strenuous passive stretching, isometric stretching, or PNF stretches. Due to the fact that stretching on a full stomach is not good, you need to perform your morning flexibility stretches prior to breakfast. You need to have your blood supply either concentrating on digesting your breakfast or focusing on your physical activity. It is not beneficial if it has to do both at the same time. With this in mind, you need to do your evening stretching workout at least an hour after you have eaten your evening meal. However, it also has to occur at least an hour prior to going to bed. You need to do your morning and evening stretching workouts six days a week. Be sure that each workout is short, only lasting 15-30 minutes.
Your main martial arts stretching routine should be a more intense workout which is completer no more than two to four times weekly. It is important to provide the body with enough time to fully recuperate between stretching workouts. Always begin with a general warm-up including some cardiovascular elements and simple dynamic stretching. Increase the intensity gradually as your muscles loosen and warm. Progress to a section which is designed to closely mimic the movements of your particular style of martial art. Continue with the primary portion of your martial arts stretching routine by utilizing modern stretching methods like isometric, PNF and relaxed stretching techniques. Follow with a cool down period during which only static forms of flexibility stretches and less strenuous forms are used.
How often you do you main martial arts stretching workout, how long each workout is, and how much time you need to spend on each part of the workout (warm-up, main routine, and cool down) depends on how experienced you are and what your proficiency level is. If you are a beginner, you should have longer warm-up and cool down periods, accompanied by a shorter main routine. If you already have a fair level of flexibility, you can spend more time on the specific exercises and flexibility stretches in the main routine. If you have a high level of flexibility, you are able to have a shorter workout all together. Your main focus is to maintain your level of flexibility. The type of flexibility exercises you want to have in your program will depend on your experience level and the type of sport or martial art you are practicing for.
If you are a beginner, it is important to focus on generic flexibility exercises. For the intermediate and advanced level students, isometric, PNF and relaxed stretching methods are more important.
You need to design these stretches on the muscle groups you need to perform the specific technique you need to use. For example: if you are do a lot of high kicks, you need to concentrate on hip and leg stretching; if you are a grappler, you need to work on the flexibility in your arms, shoulders, back and torso; etc.
Developing an effective martial arts stretching regimen requires that you consider your experience and the requirements of your specific martial art, and if you are dedicated to following your regimen, your flexibility will improve dramatically and you will quickly have the range of motion necessary for you to perform your martial art.
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