Tell me your problems, my pretties

Just trying that out, it seems like doing the stretch with the upright spine moves the stretch to the front of the hip rather than the side and glutes. Unless I'm doing it wrong.

 

Boards said he was diagnosed with tightness of the outer hip (gluteus maximus and medius, TFL, ITB). The stretch in that picture has the front leg externally rotated, thus targeting these muscles. I would advise a client to press down with their chest to increase the lengthening action of the exercise. This wouldn't be an optimal stretch for the psoas but it isn't a stretch for the psoas (located at the front of the hip).

 

It took me a full day to figure that one out.

Johnno, you are a bad, bad man.

 

OK VZ, question for you.

I'm experiencing pretty severe hip impingement in my left hip joint. It's been fairly consistent in the last year or so, and its severity varies from almost unnoticeable to severely debilitating (as in barely able to kick over waist). Daily dynamic stretching seems to alleviate it a little, but doing about 500 leg raises a day seems to increase hip popping. Hip flexor stretches seem to help too, but only for a short time.

Any idea what it is?

 

Heres are my questions for karate kicks: I need to raise my knee as high as possible for it to chamber. Raising the knee to where it is almost touching my chest. How would I practice for this dynamic mobility and would static/isometric stretching be something to consider? what muscles would I be stretching exactly. For roundhouses I bring my leg out to the side at first. How should this be stretched? And in addition should I consider doing the splits, or would this take away too much power? Throwing a kick is kind of like sprinting -- before I lift my leg my body moves forward and my back leg is stiff and it has a viscoelastic stretch before I kick. Will stretching too much be bad for this? What stretches should I avoid?

Last question for kicks in savate. Much more recoil is acquired on here. There's a small snappy roundhouse meant for trapping range used on the sciatic nerve. You bring your leg up to your side kick and there's suppose to be so much recoil that the back of your heel touches your ass. Any ideas on stretching or dynamic mobility. I've heard unweight ass to the grass squats with your ass touching the floor helps.

also note in JKD we believe not to kick higher then the waist.

Any ideas on stretching help. I know there are a lot of questions, but there aren't too many places to find answers for these.

 

Hi Van Zandt,

It's great to see you back here!!!

I have finally found someone who able to get to bottom of my kick problems that I have had for nine years now. I have very little internal rotation with both hips, with the left being worse than the right. When I say very little, I have maybe 20 degrees with the right and less than that with the left.

After deep tissue work from him and a lot of glute training on my own, it has improved a little but I am still searching for a good stretch or movement that can help me move along.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Dean...haha

 

I find that on my right leg, bit not on the left lol.

Obviously I'm overly tight somewhere on one side compared to the other.

Having said I'm stretching more than ever now, and my squat looks better than ever, so I'm sure it'll sort itself out.

 

Princess Haru

I can't PM you! So putting yours here.

You're smashing out some serious squattage so I'm surprised you think you have weak knees. If they feel creaky you might want to finish your heavy squats with several sets of the Hindu variation.

Shame your Judo classmates are not supportive about your weight training. Surprising too. I train at a club with a female coach and high number of 48kg and 52kg females. They all smash the weights. And they all kick my ****. Think that says enough really.

Anyway. On to your Judo flexibility question. This is what I'd call an optimal uchi-mata position (blue):



Bear in mind I'm only a yellow belt so I hope that is an uchi-mata!

The throw (and most throws for that matter) requires a high level of flexibility in the calves, hammies, adductors and hip flexors. I'd advise a two phase approach.

Phase 1. Increase static flexibility to reduce resistance in the antagonist muscles.

Phase 2. Increase dynamic flexibility to get killer speed in whipping your throwing leg up and back.

Here's the exercises I'd do:

Phase 1

• Foam roll calves, hammies, glutes, hip flexors, quads and adductors (in that order) for 5-10 minutes.
• Single-leg stiff-leg deadlift to warm up (increase range with each rep)
• Single-leg stiff-leg deadlift with a barbell (stand on a box and go past toes when your range improves)
• Front lunge with a barbell (back foot on ball-of-foot, knee pointing down)
• Isometric front splits
• Relaxed front splits if you really want to do them
• Foam rolling again

Progress to Phase 2 when you're about six inches above the ground in a front split each leg.

Phase 2

• Foam rolling
• Dynamic stretches - front and back leg swings
• Single-leg stiff-leg deadlift
• Front lunge
• Isometric front splits
• Foam rolling

You're pretty clued up on strength training so I'll leave decisions about loads, reps and sets up to you. Let me know if you get stuck. Unless you get stuck while trying to do a front split between two chairs. You'll probably need a spotter (and an orthopaedic surgeon) there.

Best wishes,

Dan

 

Thanks for that. Yes I locked down my settings after a few heated discussions and request to delete my account, haven't quite got to the trolling so I can get permabanned stage just yet

That is an awesome Uchi Mata, at a guess it's white doing the throw. I'm also yellow belt but have been that for quite some time, we don't grade much. I should be going to the gym tonight so will need to remember my foam roller and some notes

 

Hi everyone,

Returning to MAP after quite some time so new account.

Anyway what I was wondering is for some reason I lose a lot of strength in trying to get lower and bend my knees more during throws. I can't isolate specifically where I feel I lose strength, it might even be technique that is the issue.

Are there any specifics I could do please to help me get lower and bend my knees more in my throws? I need to squat more with full ROM I am always sure of that. And I am introducing more front squats into my training. What flexibility might I need to add please?

Cheers,

DB

 

Are you another Judoka? I see a lot of variation in Ippon and Morote Seoi Nage

 

lol. Glad it's not because you think I stink.

White is throwing? Ah. I see. Still, the flexibility will come in handy for lifting your leg up over theirs to avoid the throw. If you have good hammy flexibility already there's no reason you couldn't start the dynamic stretches now (as long as your thighs don't go wider than you can spread them in a front split).

 

Unable to PM you too so here it is.

Forget "stretching."

Holding your leg to your chest in the chamber as you prepare to kick is a display of static flexibility, which is best developed in positions like splits. Heavy squats, deadlifts and isometrics (I consider these a strength exercise, not a stretch) are most effective for this purpose.

Swinging your leg to your chest as part of a full-speed kick is a display of dynamic flexibility. You first need splits, then you need to practice your full-speed kicks with gradually increasing amplitude.

The only reason you would lose power in your kicks as a result of doing splits is if you only did traditional stretches. These cause a loss of strength, which decreases contractile force in the muscle fibres.

JKD practitioners believe in only kicking below the waist because they are not awesome.

To increase recoil in your kicks, apply resistance in the opposite direction to the movement pattern. Attach a resistance band to your foot while your leg is extended in the roundhouse kick and whip it back to the chamber. Do this as fast as you can. Hold the chamber for a second before releasing your foot back to the "start" position (full extension). Perform several reps then take off the band and practice the movement without resistance. Don't do this often or it will disrupt your normal kicking technique.

 

Yes I am but I haven't been doing it for long. Just want to improve my ability to bend my knees more.

 

Thank you. Very well thought out reply . I'll start off with the splits

 

hey, wondering what stretches are good for increasing forward bending from the waist...

when my feet are together I have no problem bending right down adn getting my chest to my knees (assisted with ankle grabbing ofc)

put me in a butterfly position however, and I literately cannot bend forwards more than an inch or two.