Stretching With Thaiboxing

[retired]

starting at your age is fine (i didnt start serious stretching until about 22) but take your time and check out the people in the gym you are going to for a general idea on the standard of their stretching.
when you do any stretching DONT BOUNCE as this has been proven to cause compound tears or pulls when cold.
the best book you can get on stretching is called:

Stretching Scientifically : a Guide to Flexibility Training, by Tom Kurz

or maybe try:
Jean Frenette's Complete Guide to Stretching


here's some of tom kurz info:

http://www.stadion.com/column.html

[dave_UK_MT]

Yeah, Sandy's not exactly the quite retiring type

Met him briefly at an Interclub held at the Bolton gym, good set up they've got over there.

[Guest]

There you go.

By the way, I have the video from which all these stills are taken. So what? So nothing!

[retired]

bri i only put it up as i was tidying me video's & found it at the back of my cupboard, & was the only thing i had with most of the standard stretches on, it was 1993 when made & i didn't like the way some of the stretching was done then with bouncing (but this is removed with still pictures) as iv'e always been told not to do this by instructors & even by a friend who is a physio for the british athletic squad.
and obviously credit sken's gym for photo's (dont wont trouble). i never trained at this gym but my instructor spent a lot of time with master sken & master toddy, he had most of his fights in thailand & hongkong, he spent a long time living in the gym in thailand & learnt the best way (traditionally) & also done the weapon side.

[Guest]

I do rate Sken. He obviously can do the business, and hasn't let himself go to seed like Toddy. But he also comes across as someone full of himself. I have this old video about martial arts, and loads are represented. Sken is part of the Thai section, and it shows him doing a demo. But he struts about like a funky cockerel and, in my view, makes himself look like a right arse.

But I wouldn't say that to his face!

[retired]

Stretching:the overlooked exercise

Keeping muscles, joints flexible may help counter aging

12/12/2002

Stretching may not burn many calories but it’s an integral part of a workout that too many people ignore — and one that can help ward off injuries and the effects of aging, fitness experts say.
“WE TALK about the three elements of physical activity — cardiovascular exercise, weight training and stretching,” says Wayne Westcott, a certified personal trainer and fitness research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Mass. “But very few take the time to stretch.”
Stretching not only helps prevent injury but also counteracts some of the damage that naturally occurs with aging, he says.
Muscle tissue loses elasticity with time, causing the muscles and joints to tighten up. At the same time, people tend to become less active with age, further contributing to stiffness. A body that is not flexible is more susceptible to muscle and tendon tears, aches and pains, and, over time, impaired functioning.
“In our very sedentary society, muscles tend to not only get weaker but to get shorter and tighter,” Westcott explains. “Eventually this can lead to the forward head posture, the rounding of the back — the ‘dowager’s hump.’”
Weakened bones are the major contributor to a slumped posture, but experts say tight muscles are also a factor and stretching can help.
In a 10-week study of 34 middle-aged men and women, Westcott and colleagues found that a strength training and stretching regimen resulted in improvements in posture as well as muscular strength. At the end of the study, participants stood a little straighter and taller than at the beginning. Over time, those benefits should translate into substantial gains that could prevent back pain and disability, according to Westcott.

This article was provided by .. http://www.msnbc.com/news/624091.asp

[retired]

Improve your Flexibility

Special Thanks to Turtle Press for this Article

Sang H. Kim 2/4/2003

Stretch every time you exercise. The only way to improve your flexibility is through consistent stretching exercises. Every muscle is subject to the myotatic reflex (stretch reflex) which opposes changes in muscle length, especially sudden or extreme changes. When a muscle lengthens beyond a certain point, the myotatic reflex causes it to tighten and attempt to shorten. This is the tension you feel during stretching exercises.

The myotatic reflex is desirable because it prevents, in many cases, muscle strains and tears. Without it your muscles would be allowed to overextend and tear easily. But it is also undesirable in cases where it prevents you from fully using your body.

Through stretching, deconditioning of the myotatic reflex takes place. Little by little, you teach your muscles a new limit of safe extension. This is why stretching must be slow and consistent. If you overstretch and injure the muscle, you have to go back to a lower level of flexibility and start over. Set your stretching goals over a period of weeks or months, not days, for best results.

There are three types of stretching: static, dynamic and ballistic.

Ballistic stretching means bobbing, bouncing or using some type of moving pressure to stretch the target muscles. Ballistic stretching is not recommended because it activates the myotatic reflex and causes the muscles to tense, rather than relax. Ballistic stretching has a high risk of injury.

Dynamic stretching means moving the muscle through its full range of movement. Dynamic stretching leads to greater flexibility in movement but should be done with caution so it does not become ballistic stretching. To maintain a correct dynamic stretch, focus on smooth, even movements that do not shock the muscle. Examples of dynamic stretches are knee raises, leg raises, arm circles, and trunk circles.

Static stretching is a controlled stretch. A specific muscle or muscle group is extended to the point of feeling slight pain and held in that position for ten to sixty seconds. During static stretching, concentrate on relaxing the target muscles and breathing deeply.

Begin your flexibility workout with several minutes of gross motor activity to increase your blood flow. Increased blood flow improves the suppleness of the muscles. Then move to joint loosening exercises followed by dynamic stretches to the get the muscles moving freely. If you are working only on flexibility, do static stretches next. If you are training, interspersing periods of static stretching throughout the workout works best because the range of motion increases as the body warms up. Do some light static stretches at the end of every workout to relax and refresh your muscles.

CAUTIONS

Do not overstretch. A mild sensation of burning or pulling should be felt in the target muscles. It should be uncomfortable but not unbearable.

Avoid bouncing during a stretch. Bouncing causes the muscles to tighten and heightens the risk of injury.

Follow instructions for exercises carefully. There is right and wrong way to stretch every muscle. Good flexibility exercises are designed to provide a maximum stretch with a minimum risk of injury.

Do gravity assisted stretches with caution and only after fully warming up. Gravity assisted stretches are exercises like splits that use the force of gravity to increase the pressure on the stretch.

You should never feel pain in your joints during stretching exercises. If you do, stop immediately and discontinue that exercise.

When doing flexibility exercises that require bending at the waist, always bend from the hip, not the lower back. The lower back is extremely vulnerable to injuries.

Always increase strength and flexibility together.

This article was provided by .. http://turtlepress.com/

[retired]

limbering up
i always start with these working my way down the body.

1. rotate arms backwards trying to touch ears then rotate forwards (or sometimes one foward & one back at same time which can be harder than it sounds-try it).

2. fold arms over (like a straight jacket) then swing outwards at head high until reaching limit (like crucifiy with thumbs upward & next time forwards) & push chest outward, swing back to straight jacket position with opposite arm on top.

3. bend legs into squat and rotate torso left then right looking over shoulder (hands out in front, palms down with elbows sticking outward).

4. legs apart (to judge distance hold your arms out & your feet should be directly below your elbows), now with your arms out lean to one side (left) so your left arm slides down your left leg which may go to 45' with right almost vertical & your right hand (both straight) goes straight up or further towards left (but keep palm on a parallel to other) like pic 9 but with arms straight.

5. feet close apart then lean forward but try to roll your body downwards starting at stomach until reaching tuck position to keep back straight & put fingers to floor then straighten up and stretch palms toward ceiling, then palms to floor, then between legs if ok like pic 1.

6. like pic 3 but dont tuck head in, instead imagine trying to place your chin onto your instep.
7. 15 straight leg swings on each leg (3 times) making sure the swinging leg is completely locked with body upright & dont lean into the leg when you swing it as this takes tension off calf.

8. same as above but with outward cresent swings (the leg goes up and then outwards in a big circle locked until back to start).
(i like to do ballet swings on bars for more swing with dynamic stretching with standing leg changing from side to backward and swinging leg changing from toesup to sidekick).

followed by either warm-up exercises for training or floor stretching for other.

this is just a basic but essential start to class.

[retired]

This can be done by putting your elbows on knees & pushing them down, or push down with hands.
And has another variation where you lie on your back and put feet in same position & get partner to push them down/outwards.

This picture is just the end result of this stretching exercise.

[retired]

Gravity assisted stretching against a wall is good & doesn't require much effort although you need to take note of what your body is telling you & learn to relax & take deep breaths but stop if to painfull.
The easiest is to lie on your back with your bum against the wall & your legs going straight up the wall toward the ceiling with toes back, from here let your legs open out but still stay in contact with the wall until they wont drop down any further (dont use your muscles or force them down), now from hear take nice deep breaths & after a short period of time (sometimes after the first breath) you will feel your legs drop a little & after a while they should sit at or be slightlly further than your maximum (you can aid this by wearing trainers as the weight pulls them down).
I dont care what any instructor or expert tells you but the fact is "stretching is painfull" because at the end of the day you are trying to stretch your parts beyond their current limit but only over time does your body adapt to try to beat it & the hardest part is learning to understand when your body is telling you either 1. I'm in pain because your damaging me Or 2. I'm in pain because you are putting me through things i dont feel comfortable with & i want to resist you.
It is important to try to relax & control your breathing so that when you exhale you concentrate on relaxing your muscles because if you cant relax then your body wont stretch any further.

The addition to this stretch is when you get to a point where after a few sessions you feel you can go further but the legs dont drop (but your still pretty low) try moving the legs away from the wall & toward you & raise your arms up to your legs and pull them slowlly outwards & backwards (as if over your shoulders) & this should give you the extra stretch that you may need if you are already resonablly flexible.

[retired]

This next stretch you need to get into the upright starting position from Pic 9 (straight up not leaning)
The leg your leaning towards you must turn it's foot 90' so it points directlly to the side (both legs stay straight not bent) then when you lean over to that side let your lowest hand (the same as the side your leaning) follow down the inside of your leg towards your foot with your hand turned 180' so as your palm is facing forward & your thumb is towards your toes & your other hand raises straight to the ceiling & you look up at the high hand while you tilt over (try to get both arms to form a straight line).
Then do same on other side.
The advanced version of this means you just bend the leg your leaning towards for more stretch (1 bent & 1 straight).