# Best Martial Art For Flexibility



## runnerninja (Aug 6, 2008)

Before I begin I realise there isnt really a "best" art for improving flexibiliy. Im just wondering which arts are good. I did a bit of Taekwondo and found the high kicks helped my leg flexibility.

Im now doing taijutsu and other than the stretches I do at the beginning of class I dont find it much use for improving flexibility.

Any ideas?


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## Kacey (Aug 6, 2008)

If you want to improve your flexibility, you need to stretch_ after_ you work out, not before.  Stretching before is to warm your muscles and joints, to reduce the risk of injury.  Stretching after, when your muscles are hot and tired, will do much more to improve flexibility - no matter which art you are studying.  If it's flexibility you're truly after, I'd suggest Yoga.


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## lemon_meringue (Aug 6, 2008)

Well as you said, there is no "definitive" art for flexibility. However, I do Japanese Ju-Jitsu, and find I can now bend in very bizarre ways. I also seem to have developed new joints in places where I thought no joints existed. Of course, Ju-Jitsu also greatly enhances flexibility of the mind as well as the body. I also recommend Stretchido as the most important art when seeking flexibility.


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## kaizasosei (Aug 6, 2008)

taekwondo, chinese martial arts and pentyaksilat-

different ma will train in different ways, for example capoeira also promotes great flexibility in many ways.

but i think all round taekwondo because of the kicking, cma because of the versatile,vaste material and chigung teachings,  pentyaksilat has very low stances which promotes flexible hips.

im sure im forgetting some like taijutsu based jujutsu etc...but im thinking realistically, if you take a tkd lesson, you're in for plenty of exercise,kicking and killer stretching..
kickboxing can be good also for flexibility, it depends on the person and the ideas that they wish to express.
probably the best would be gymnastics or a kind of ninjutsu style taihenjutsu training...but that could be counted as separate from martial fighing techniques.



j


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## Brian S (Aug 6, 2008)

runnerninja said:


> Before I begin I realise there isnt really a "best" art for improving flexibiliy. Im just wondering which arts are good. I did a bit of Taekwondo and found the high kicks helped my leg flexibility.
> 
> Im now doing taijutsu and other than the stretches I do at the beginning of class I dont find it much use for improving flexibility.
> 
> Any ideas?


 
 Easy, XMA!!!


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## bowser666 (Aug 6, 2008)

I must fo course Chime in and say Shaolin Northern Longfist is great for flexibility.  Most martial arts will improve felxibility but the most important thing to improve flexibility is your dedication to improving it.  If you only do it once a week it might not happen,   do it everyday if you want it to work. You can also look into stretching for acrobatics and gymnastics as well.  Gymnast are typically quite flexible as well.


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## terryl965 (Aug 6, 2008)

Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu if you was to ask me or do the next best thing and just strecth everyday for about thirty to forty minutes.


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## jks9199 (Aug 6, 2008)

Gee... Nobody's mentioned YOGA.

Yoga has a long history of use by martial artists and warriors to prepare and heal the body.  There are numerous systems, and not all are quite as "New Agey" as many of them are...


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## Kacey (Aug 6, 2008)

jks9199 said:


> Gee... Nobody's mentioned YOGA.
> 
> Yoga has a long history of use by martial artists and warriors to prepare and heal the body.  There are numerous systems, and not all are quite as "New Agey" as many of them are...



Hey, what am I?  Chopped liver?  I mentioned Yoga way up here.:ticked:

I took Yoga for a year, and I was never that flexible before, and I've never been that flexible since.  I'd like to get back to it... if my schedule ever opens up...


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 6, 2008)

For flexibility it all depends on what you are after.

If you just want an MA (kinda) that stresses flexibility look to Modern Wushu not much actual MA but you sure as hell have to be very flexible. But many wushu peopel also train sports sanshou so you can get MA there.

Also one of the most flexible MA people I ever meant did a Drunken style of CMA, but then he was literally from a family of South American Acrobats (I kid you not) so he was likely very flexible before he ever got to CMA.


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## jks9199 (Aug 6, 2008)

Kacey said:


> Hey, what am I?  Chopped liver?  I mentioned Yoga way up here.:ticked:
> 
> I took Yoga for a year, and I was never that flexible before, and I've never been that flexible since.  I'd like to get back to it... if my schedule ever opens up...


Nah -- you're not chopped liver.  I'm just blind!  Guess I oughta slow down and actually read ALL the words, huh?


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## terryl965 (Aug 6, 2008)

yes yoga is great but it hurts to much, so stick with something less painful, like my wife strecthing routine.


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## Hawke (Aug 6, 2008)

Ballet is also great for stretching out and a pretty hard workout.

Checkout your local community college.

If you do take yoga see which style of yoga/instructor you prefer.

I heard good things of Yoga for the Regular Guy (I have not done this method).
[yt]J8DrRmFVqBs[/yt]


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 6, 2008)

Kacey said:


> Hey, what am I? Chopped liver? I mentioned Yoga way up here.:ticked:
> 
> I took Yoga for a year, and I was never that flexible before, and I've never been that flexible since. I'd like to get back to it... if my schedule ever opens up...


 
Yoga is great for flexibility...see







Paulie Zink and his Taoist Yoga.

He is also big on monkey forms of CMA


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## girlbug2 (Aug 7, 2008)

Not exactly a martial art, but Pilates gave me noticeable improvements in my overall flexibility. I practiced it for about 4 months but noticed results in the first week. The only reason I eventually quit was because I had enormous time constraints and I had to choose between spending time practicing a MA and practicing pilates -- you know of course there was no contest


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## MJS (Aug 7, 2008)

runnerninja said:


> Before I begin I realise there isnt really a "best" art for improving flexibiliy. Im just wondering which arts are good. I did a bit of Taekwondo and found the high kicks helped my leg flexibility.
> 
> Im now doing taijutsu and other than the stretches I do at the beginning of class I dont find it much use for improving flexibility.
> 
> Any ideas?


 
Its good to same some flexibility for any art.  I really don't think its the art per se, but how much you do on your own.  Also keep in mind, that some people, just due to their body, will only be so flexible.  Some things you may want to try would be to make sure that you're really warmed up before you stretch.  Once you are, you should fine that you'll get a much better stretch.  Keep in mind to, that nothing happens overnight.  Doing a regular stretching program, over time, you should see some results. 

Mike


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## JadecloudAlchemist (Aug 7, 2008)

Though Martial arts and flexibility go hand and hand I think you should practice flexibility seperate. Flexibility like Cardio should be a daily thing to enhance your martial training.  As said before Yoga certain Dao-yin stretches or the good ole' P.E. stretches will have you bending more. You can also try training in Gymnastics.


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## Dark Gift Concepts (Aug 11, 2008)

one word YOGA


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## pete (Aug 11, 2008)

Dark Gift Concepts said:
			
		

> one word YOGA


another word: BAGUA


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## Dark Gift Concepts (Aug 11, 2008)

pete said:


> another word: BAGUA



Another few words.. Respond to the question not me!


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## Kacey (Aug 11, 2008)

Dark Gift Concepts said:


> Another few words.. Respond to the question not me!



He _did _respond to the question - which was


> Before I begin I realise there isnt really a "best" art for improving flexibiliy. Im just wondering which arts are good. I did a bit of Taekwondo and found the high kicks helped my leg flexibility.
> 
> Im now doing taijutsu and other than the stretches I do at the beginning of class I dont find it much use for improving flexibility.
> 
> Any ideas?



Several people have suggested Yoga; Bagua strikes me as a reasonable alternative.  If you have problems with a post or poster, please use the RTM button 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 rather than taking people to task within the thread; this derails conversations instead of encouraging them.


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 11, 2008)

Yup looks like he is flexible

And so does he but then he does here too


Bagau, Yoga and Monkey style


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## shihansmurf (Aug 12, 2008)

I would think that any sort of grappling training would help with total body flexibility.

Mark


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