Stretching for high kicks.

[Azmook]

I am not a flexible person and I find that my front (straight kicks) are limited to knee or on good days thigh height. I have seen my Dai-Sifu plant a foot into into the center of my chest. I have no lofty goals of kicking this high, but I would like to think that having the ability to kick higher would make my low or mid kicks more effective. Can you guys suggest any exercise/stretches to limber me up for these kicks. Maybe post some videos..

 

[donald1]

Perhaps have something to kick (would recommend asking instructor for what to get)

First it would be good to make kicks effective, I'd say practice, practice and keep at it. It will get higher just keep trying

I don't think the video idea will help, in person teaching is much better so they can point out corrections and tips to help get better

One last thing, do plenty leg stretches

 

[mook jong man]

I am not a flexible person and I find that my front (straight kicks) are limited to knee or on good days thigh height. I have seen my Dai-Sifu plant a foot into into the center of my chest. I have no lofty goals of kicking this high, but I would like to think that having the ability to kick higher would make my low or mid kicks more effective. Can you guys suggest any exercise/stretches to limber me up for these kicks. Maybe post some videos..

What you are talking about is a close range thrust kick , sometimes seen in chi sau and a few applications.
You can try and stretch but if genetics aren't on your side then it is always going to be an up hill battle I'm afraid , if it is any consolation it is a technique that to be perfectly honest would not have to be employed very often.

Your actual maximum range , without pivoting your body 45 degrees is with your leg parallel to the ground using a medium heel kick to the bladder region.

As you target higher on the body you also lose range , that's not to say that a heel in the solar plexus against a charging opponent doesn't have stopping power , because it does.

But if you can do a thrust kick to the chest , you are also usually in range to do a low heel kick to the knee , which in the case of multiple attackers , the more you can minimise the time that you are standing on one leg the better it is for you.

But having said that , the ability to plant a foot in someones chest at chi sau range is a beautiful thing , the main exercise we used at our academies apart from normal stretching was to just alternately raise each leg whilst in the stance and try to bring the knee back into your own chest .
Now the tendency is to sort of hunch over while you are trying to lift the knee up and bring it back into your chest , beware of this and make sure to keep the back straight.

 

[Vajramusti]

I am not a flexible person and I find that my front (straight kicks) are limited to knee or on good days thigh height. I have seen my Dai-Sifu plant a foot into into the center of my chest. I have no lofty goals of kicking this high, but I would like to think that having the ability to kick higher would make my low or mid kicks more effective. Can you guys suggest any exercise/stretches to limber me up for these kicks. Maybe post some videos..

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If you have been shown how to do a basic/proper wing chun front kick---- if you practice that a lot without

artificially striving for power- it can help you. The kick itself is a stretch.

 

[geezer]

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If you have been shown how to do a basic/proper wing chun front kick---- if you practice that a lot without

artificially striving for power- it can help you. The kick itself is a stretch.

I was taught the same thing ...namely "stretching by doing". You work your steps and kicks, lightly without forcing them, and gradually kick higher as your muscles warm up to the task. Never force the muscles though, whether using this method or other stretching techniques.

Probably the best program would be a routine that combines approaches. I just hate spending a lot of our limited class time on stretching and calisthenics. That's what a fitness gym membership is for. In class we do WC.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

"stretching by doing".

That's just the "dynamic stretch". You will need "static stretch" as well. The TCMA has 4 stages of static stretching. They are to touch your toes to your:

1. 顶 (Ding) - top of your head,
2. 扣 (Kou) - fore head,
3. 吻 (Wen) - mouth, and
4. 拂 (Fu) - chin.

Here are dynamic stretch.

 

[geezer]

That's just the "dynamic stretch". You will need "static stretch" as well. The TCMA has 4 stages of static stretching. They are to touch your toes to your:

1. 顶 (Ding) - top of your head,
2. 扣 (Kou) - fore head,
3. 吻 (Wen) - mouth, and
4. 拂 (Fu) - chin

These particular stretches and that degree of straight-leg flexibility aren't generally necessary for WC. However, the close range thrust kick delivered to the chest or chin does require unusual flexibility and few really master it. My old Chinese sifu did this technique very effectively, but in order to do so he would pull his knee back along his side (much like a side-chambered elbow) so his foot could be lifted straight up, close to his chest and released like a punch. He confided that, even with his flexible joints, it took him many long hours of training in his youth to master this skill.

 

[Transk53]

I am not a flexible person and I find that my front (straight kicks) are limited to knee or on good days thigh height. I have seen my Dai-Sifu plant a foot into into the center of my chest. I have no lofty goals of kicking this high, but I would like to think that having the ability to kick higher would make my low or mid kicks more effective. Can you guys suggest any exercise/stretches to limber me up for these kicks. Maybe post some videos..

I don't know if this is true or not, but going through the minefield of different flavours of Yoga, the Bikram hot Yoga is apparently very good. Yet to do a taster, but is supposed to be really good.

 

[mook jong man]

I am not a flexible person and I find that my front (straight kicks) are limited to knee or on good days thigh height. I have seen my Dai-Sifu plant a foot into into the center of my chest. I have no lofty goals of kicking this high, but I would like to think that having the ability to kick higher would make my low or mid kicks more effective. Can you guys suggest any exercise/stretches to limber me up for these kicks. Maybe post some videos..

Another exercise you can do is to stand in front of a brick wall , or something similar.
Measure your stance out , put both your arms directly to the front with your fingertips touching the wall.

Start trying to get your knee up and back into your chest , and touch the wall with your heel.
Do not cheat , make sure you stay at fingertip distance to the wall.

It will be very difficult and it is going to take alot of practice but eventually you will be able to do a thrust kick at this range.

When you are comfortable with this , the next step is to shorten the distance even further by closing both your hands into fists and having your fists touch the wall.