Stretching only once a week?

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by HairoNoSora, Jul 23, 2015.

  1. HairoNoSora

    HairoNoSora Valued Member

    My weekly program right now is about 3 days of running and 2 days of strength exercises. Also doing JKD lessons & sparring nights with my buddy, but thats a bit variable.

    So I'm thinking that being more flexible might be a good thing for me to focus on, both in general & for M.A., but the fact is that I'm a bit swamped and I don't think I can manage more than a single day with a sessions dedicated to flexibility stretching.

    Can I expect actual gains if I only go for one session a week, and maybe a small bit of flexibility stretching after running or lifting?
     
  2. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    Try it and see. But probably not.
     
  3. El Medico

    El Medico Valued Member

    I don't see how it's so difficult to spend 10-15 minutes on basic flexibility training 3-4 times a week.

    It's not like you need to have "...sessions dedicated to flexibility stretching."-which reads like session= lotta time.
     
  4. HairoNoSora

    HairoNoSora Valued Member

    I was more thinking in terms of an hour or so, probably because everything else takes about an hour or more i guess :p

    But 15 minutes or so should be manageable i guess.
     
  5. zombiekicker

    zombiekicker bagpuss

    Do we even need to stretch? Why kick high and lose balance, i practice low kicks, maximum sternum height if I'm loose
     
  6. Latikos

    Latikos Valued Member

    Because it's fun?
     
  7. HairoNoSora

    HairoNoSora Valued Member

    Well, I prefer having the option when the opportunity arises, don't you? :p

    Nah, it's not just about kicking high for me, I'm physically pretty okay but I've always been very stiff boddied my whole life.. both in a tense muscle way and in a general lacking-flexibility-way. I'm making great progress everywhere else, so why not tackle this? :cool:
     
  8. Hapuka

    Hapuka Te Aho

    Stretching is good for posture, strength development and overall flexibility. It can also help with preventing joint and muscular injuries. I personally don't only stretch for kicking, but also for punching and grappling.

    Also high kicks are awesome

    [ame="http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gvv9urOC7s"]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gvv9urOC7s[/ame]
     
  9. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    Only people who can't kick high make excuses.
     
  10. Damien1

    Damien1 New Member

    Should you take a rest day every once in a while when doing dynamic and static stretches everyday?
     
  11. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    Sounds like me. But if you are this ^ then I'd think the answer to
    this would best be summed up by this v
    I take it that you're considering taking up a weekly yoga class which would last 50min to an hour - which is what you to mean by
    I can't see an all-day stretching marathon. Even Gumby would find that a bit over the top.

    One doesn't go to yoga class and get stretched for the week (as if they put you on the rack and turn the dial) and aside from a few quick and dirty touch the toes and trunk twists, one's good to go till next time.

    The idea of the class is to disseminate the data. Its your job to take the raw data and turn it into information that's of use to you, which you will do by applying the techniques you're being taught to your situation, your MA, your sparring, your goals given where you are presently at. Not just once and a while, here and there, but continuously.

    Which is a mirror into your thinking that stretching is a chore that needs be gotten over and done so that the real meat of things can be then tackled.

    It don't work like that. I know cause that's been my philosophy regarding stretching up until, literally, the last few days.

    I'm suffering as a result of it. Limited range of motion, limited flexibility, limited agility and now, I realise - limited strength gains with maximum recovery time.

    I've really had to come to terms with my unwillingness to accept that I might have to spend a considerable proportion of my alloted training time in the warm-up, cool down stretch phases and even during training, depending on what I'm doing.

    One of the little things that I'm having to do is eliminate the terms "warm-up" and "cool-down" from my training vocabulary.

    It has to be part of it - stenciled right next to 3min rounds on Heavy Bag and 5X5 standing presses - on the chalk board.

    The bone to get over is the idea that ones "training time" could be cut in half, in some cases. It was my single biggest issue with stretching (other than being freaking boring).

    But it occurred to me today that its not as if I'm making any substantial progress for stretching to cut into anyroad, so ...

    why not?



    [​IMG]
     
  12. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    FWIW, the really flexible people I study with take an intensive stretching or yoga class at most 1x or 2x max a week. Other days stretching is just a warmup for class/performance. I can't see myself spending that much time on it. But ballet lessons (particularly adagio) incorporate a lot of flexibility techniques into the steps (like developpe), so I guess you could say I do quite a bit of it looking at it that way. Difference is that technique classes is more about application than just stretching. (hope my ballet rant isn't too off-topic :) )
     
  13. HairoNoSora

    HairoNoSora Valued Member

    People like to laugh at ballet ("lol fancy dancing in tights") but it needs just as hardcore conditioning as M.A. I don't care much for it, but I have massive respect for the men and women in it.
     
  14. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    Is that ranting?

    I wish I'd the talent for condensation but Not everything can ( or need ) be summed up in one sentence or less, especially when it comes to the sort of flexibility found in ballet. If anything you ought to go into a lot more detail as to the paces you're put through in order to get to that level.
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2015
  15. flaming

    flaming Valued Member

    2 lots of 2minutes in the bottom of an overhead squat with a dowel.
    Some windmills with a dowel and warrior 3 pose wouldn't take to long.
     
  16. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    That's a very good one. Takes care of the back, the ****, hammy's and quads all in one routine.

    Check ignition
    and may God's love be with you
     
  17. flaming

    flaming Valued Member

    I've just been doing a deep squat. I tried the overhead with a dowel yesterday and it was much tougher, I'll have to work that myself.

    I put two chairs with a stick across behind me for warrior 3, for my back leg to touch. And touch a wall in front of me to keep my balance. Just for 2 lots of 10 breaths on each leg.

    There some videos of them.

    [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9tvo0gjcko"]Overhead Mobility Squat - Two MInute To-Do - YouTube[/ame]

    [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34saz57cxjs"]Dan John: The Hinge and the Hinge Assessment Tool - YouTube[/ame]

    [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkwfyx8qoQk"]Windmill Stick - YouTube[/ame]
     
  18. viccles

    viccles Valued Member

    I stretch 10-15 minutes everyday. I still find it isn't enough.
     
  19. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    The squat is awesome, both as an assessment tool and as an exercise. Anyone who can't squat below parallel should really fix that first before trying to learn the splits. It isn't necessary, but sure is a hell of a lot quicker and addresses issues that the splits don't fix.
     

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