Martial arts high kick stretches ?

Question

Does anyone know the best stretches that will make it really easy to do high kicks

Answer 1

What kind of high kick?  Rising? Front snap? Roundhouse? Side?

You really need to develop your overall flexibility.  I don’t recommend that you start out trying to do splits or spreads.  Even if you manage to get that far you’re likely to damage your muscles and tendons – then you’ll be sore and probably set back to where you started.  

Try stretching several times a day – when you get up, at lunch, before and after you workout.  

My favorites are toe touches (legs in positions from closed to as wide as they’ll go.) and I reach in different directions)  Also, butterfly and inverted butterfly. (inverted butterfly is the  same position as spreads, but your knees are bent behind you to avoid stressing them – so you’re balancing on your knees instead of your feet.)  And instead of splits I lie on my back and have someone push one leg toward my shoulder while I keep the other on the ground. If you can’t get a partner you can pull on it yourself and use a strap if you can’t reach.

BE SURE TO ALWAYS USE PROPER TECHNIQUE SO YOU DON’T STRESS YOUR JOINTS!

And keep in mind that some people’s anatomy just doesn’t allow them the range of motion that others enjoy.

Happy stretching!

Answer 2

There's one exercise that we do in class that I think helps me a lot. It's just a simple front stretch kick. Stand in a front stance with the front knee bent and your hands up in guard. Then take your back leg and swing it straight up in front of your body without bending your knee. Come straight back and set your foot down where you started.

If you do try these, don't try to swing your leg up as high as you can. Start off by going belt high and then go from there. You could also try 'side stretch kicks', which is the same idea, just a different stretch kick.

Answer 3

To really answer this, I suggest you do some reading. There's a lot of controversy about stretching. Check out a book called "Relax Into Stretching" by Pavel Tastsouline. You won't regret it.

Answer 4

Trying to do the split works the best.

You can also do the ol' reach for your toes stretching.

Reaching for your toes on a bag helps increase fron't kick flexibility.



Split helps side kicks and hook kicks.