Tips on increasing flexibility?

[Kenlee25]

AFAIAC you are doing lots of stuff wrong.

For stretching, do a search on PNF stretching. It will build strength as it increases flexibility in those areas. Do this AFTER - not before training since if you do it right your muscles will be fatigued whcih will lead to injury.

For explosive speed check out Plyometric exercises. These are stressful on the body due to the impact nature. Don't overdue it.

For overall strength. Your sets should not exceed 10 reps. If you are not going to failure at the 10-12th rep, you are wasting your time. Ad more weight. A simple way to do this with free weights is get a dozen or so very small plates. 1-1/4lb. If you can do more than 12 reps ad 2 plates to the dumbell / barbell. USe that until you have increased your strength to do 12 of those then ad more.

3 sets minimum each exercise.

Like I said earlier, home workout. I don't have access to a lot of things right now, But I'll try everything I can with the highest amount of weight I can currently put on there ( 16 pounds ). But since even then, i still won't reach failure at only 10-12 reps I'll still have to do higher reps to get the same effect. I'm going to go pick up some new shoes tommorow, Maybe then I'll see about looking into some heavier equipment.

I'm taking all of your suggestions guys, It's helping, but everyone keeps saying i'm doing things wrong...but I've gotten results. My biceps for example have gotten compliments and I look pretty fit, even for a skinny guy. I can see my abs just fine without flexing, and I've noticed my calves getting bigger from the running/squatting. But my results have slowed down as of late, so It's probably time for a change anyway. I'll load up my app and seeing about changing up the routine.

As for the flexibility, i'll make sure to look that up. Maybe I'll do it on my off days instead of after the workout. The same day I go running.

 

[ACJ]

For overall strength. Your sets should not exceed 10 reps.

Closer to 6. MAYBE 8 if you're doing 2-0-2 tempo but really you should be doing a 2/4-0-x

3 sets minimum each exercise.

I don't know if you're saying this for strength, but that is not really the case.

 

[Gnarlie]

Is PNF the method advocated by Mr. Thomas Kurz?

Kurz advocates a mix of PNF and relaxed stretching, in various positions, but mostly concentrated on a very low horse stance with the thighs parallel to the ground and the knees bent. He recommends against PNF with the legs locked out straight due to joint load / meniscus risk. I found it took a significant amount of time to build up enough leg strength to be able to actually hold that position for long enough to have an effect, even without the PNF added in. Now, after a few months away from TKD, I'm back at square 1, starting over with flexibility. It sure goes away quickly.

Personally, I've found that PNF every other day is still too much for me on top of a training schedule - the resulting soreness actually hindered my TKD performance at times. I found I made better progress only doing PNF once or twice a week.

Would absolutely recommend 'Stretching Scientifically'. It's an eye opener.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Is PNF the method advocated by Mr. Thomas Kurz?

I read his books a long time ago. I believe that is part of what he advocates. I think he has some other stuff as well. (The mind is the second thing to go.)

 

[Earl Weiss]

but everyone keeps saying i'm doing things wrong...but I've gotten results.

No doubt. Increasing activity will oftne lead to reuslts. The issue is maximizing results efficiently. Think about this. Perhaps with O weight you could do 1000 repetitions. You would probably see results. With the right amount of weight you would see the same results in 8-12 repetitions. Which would you rather do?

 

[Kenlee25]

No doubt. Increasing activity will oftne lead to reuslts. The issue is maximizing results efficiently. Think about this. Perhaps with O weight you could do 1000 repetitions. You would probably see results. With the right amount of weight you would see the same results in 8-12 repetitions. Which would you rather do?

Good point sir. Yesterday I tried the hammer curls with 16 pounds rather than 8 and I reached fatigue in my biceps at about 14 reps. That's much closer to what you said. I've changed it to do about 4 sets of 12-14 reps each arm for now.

Also, I lowered the reps and increased the weight/sets on all of my exorcises except obviously for the ab exorcises that don't use any weights.

 

[mastercole]

Stretching can be person specific. What works well for some, might not be the best choice for others.

Look to see if you have a good speed, strength, conditioning place relatively close by and consider getting some one on one advise and methods that will help your particular situation.

 

[Buka]

AFAIAC you are doing lots of stuff wrong.

For stretching, do a search on PNF stretching. It will build strength as it increases flexibility in those areas. Do this AFTER - not before training since if you do it right your muscles will be fatigued whcih will lead to injury.

For explosive speed check out Plyometric exercises. These are stressful on the body due to the impact nature. Don't overdue it.

For overall strength. Your sets should not exceed 10 reps. If you are not going to failure at the 10-12th rep, you are wasting your time. Ad more weight. A simple way to do this with free weights is get a dozen or so very small plates. 1-1/4lb. If you can do more than 12 reps ad 2 plates to the dumbell / barbell. USe that until you have increased your strength to do 12 of those then ad more.

3 sets minimum each exercise.

Nice. Quoted for truth.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

Stretching can be person specific. What works well for some, might not be the best choice for others.

Look to see if you have a good speed, strength, conditioning place relatively close by and consider getting some one on one advise and methods that will help your particular situation.

It is definetely person specific as you say. Flexibility is also not the be all and end all for high kicks either. Some of the most unflexible people I know kick head height with ease while some of the most flexible people I know struggle to kick high. Actually the guy I started training with originally has extremely poor flexibility due to a motor bike accident which damaged his hips and lower back, and he is a lethal head kicker, but cant touch his toes (or do many other stretches for that matter).

 

[ACJ]

It is definetely person specific as you say. Flexibility is also not the be all and end all for high kicks either. Some of the most unflexible people I know kick head height with ease while some of the most flexible people I know struggle to kick high. Actually the guy I started training with originally has extremely poor flexibility due to a motor bike accident which damaged his hips and lower back, and he is a lethal head kicker, but cant touch his toes (or do many other stretches for that matter).

Well that's because people aren't flexible, their joints and muscles across those joints are flexible. And by flexible I mean strong in an extreme range of motion. So the flexible people who can't kick high? Barring any medical anomalies, they are actually just inflexible in certain areas compared to others.

Not saying you didn't know this, just some people are acutely aware that I can train in such a way that I have the most flexible hip in the world and not be able to move my elbow behind my shoulder; for example.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

Well that's because people aren't flexible, their joints and muscles across those joints are flexible. And by flexible I mean strong in an extreme range of motion. So the flexible people who can't kick high? Barring any medical anomalies, they are actually just inflexible in certain areas compared to others.

Not saying you didn't know this, just some people are acutely aware that I can train in such a way that I have the most flexible hip in the world and not be able to move my elbow behind my shoulder; for example.

I think technique plays just as big a part in high kicks. The more I train the more I realise people with good technique seem to have good flexibility and people with poor technique seem to have poor flexibility. Then I realise the reason that guys kicks are so high is because of a)good technique and, b)heaps of practice.

 

[Tai-chi-kit-cat]

If it helps i can tell you waht i do. When i do the straddle split i flex my feet and my whole leg. Then I lean my torso forward (back straight!!) until i cant take it anymore hold for 10 seconds then go up for a break. THen i try again only stretch farther and i keep doing this til i can touch my head to the ground. Also you keep moving your legs out more to the side each time.
Can you do a front split? I could help more if you told me how flexible you are!
But if anything work on doing the cobra pose and getting your feet to touch your head it will strengthen your back and loosen it. But if your main focus is taekwondo then you should learn more stretches that loosen your groin area and hamstrings and lower back.

 

[ACJ]

I think technique plays just as big a part in high kicks. The more I train the more I realise people with good technique seem to have good flexibility and people with poor technique seem to have poor flexibility. Then I realise the reason that guys kicks are so high is because of a)good technique and, b)heaps of practice.

While I definitely agree that technique will help you get height on some kicks, I don't think it's a big a part as you say, for instance for axe kicks, there isn't much technique will do to boost the height of your kick. While it's great to have a good axe technique, the height you are going to get is the same if you just fling your leg up there. The main reason that the people that do the technique well kick higher? They've been training to get it that good, which means they'll have been doing the strength exercises, the stretches and most importantly the kick itself which is a fundamental strengthening and stretching exercise. So I would put it to you that the people who are kicking highest are the people who are most flexible through the assosiated joints.

 

[ralphmcpherson]

While I definitely agree that technique will help you get height on some kicks, I don't think it's a big a part as you say, for instance for axe kicks, there isn't much technique will do to boost the height of your kick. While it's great to have a good axe technique, the height you are going to get is the same if you just fling your leg up there. The main reason that the people that do the technique well kick higher? They've been training to get it that good, which means they'll have been doing the strength exercises, the stretches and most importantly the kick itself which is a fundamental strengthening and stretching exercise. So I would put it to you that the people who are kicking highest are the people who are most flexible through the assosiated joints.

Yes, through practice. Whenever someone asks my instructor how to improve flexibility so they can increase the height of a particular kick, he always says "go home and do that kick 500 times a day for a month, then it will get high". He says this because in most cases the problem is lack of practice, not flexibility. I agree with what you say though.

 

[ACJ]

Yeah, it will work, it's just not the most efficient way.

 

[lifespantkd]

It is definetely person specific as you say. Flexibility is also not the be all and end all for high kicks either. Some of the most unflexible people I know kick head height with ease while some of the most flexible people I know struggle to kick high. Actually the guy I started training with originally has extremely poor flexibility due to a motor bike accident which damaged his hips and lower back, and he is a lethal head kicker, but cant touch his toes (or do many other stretches for that matter).

The example you provide is representative of Kurz's performance-related fitness concept in the context of stretching. Gymnasts, for example, need a high degree of flexibility for static poses. Taekwondoin need a high degree of flexibility for dynamic motions. Kicking to the head is dynamic. Touching the toes is static. According to the research reviewed by Kurz in Scientific Stretching, these are two very different performances requiring two very different types of training.

Cynthia

 

[ralphmcpherson]

The example you provide is representative of Kurz's performance-related fitness concept in the context of stretching. Gymnasts, for example, need a high degree of flexibility for static poses. Taekwondoin need a high degree of flexibility for dynamic motions. Kicking to the head is dynamic. Touching the toes is static. According to the research reviewed by Kurz in Scientific Stretching, these are two very different performances requiring two very different types of training.

Cynthia

I love his book, I keep a copy handy at all times

 

[Poomsaeguy]

This is one I do.

 

[andreynort]

The best tips to increase flexibility by Pavel Tsatsouline http://goo.gl/BXND2. This man trained russian commandos...