Stretching For The Older Martial Artist
Anyone that has been involved in the martial arts knows how important stretching is.
In order to be able to perform to your maximum potential you need to be loose.
Tight muscles slow you down and are more prone to soreness than loose muscles.
It is also necessary to be loose, or stretched out, to do high kicks.
While some styles of martial arts don't employ high kicks, many others do.
And hey, how are you ever going to get that big brake in Hollywood if you can't do the high kicks? There are many benefits to stretching for the older martial artist.
It is the best known way to become more flexible, increase joint mobility, prevent training injuries and improve circulation, posture and relieve stress.
A recent study by the American Journal of Sports Medicine has shown that flexibility reduces the chances of muscle soreness.
The study has shown that stiff, less-flexible muscles undergoes more muscle fiber damage in intense weight training resulting in loss of muscle strength.
When you exercise in the presence of muscle damage, as you know, the exercise intensity and effectiveness drastically reduces.
And, as older martial artist, it would be nice to be able to bend over and tie our own shoe laces when we are in our eighties wouldn't it? So the need and benefits should be motivation enough for us.
I'm fifty-eight years old at the time of this writing and I still stretch out regularly.
Granted, I don't stretch out the same way I did when I was in my twenties and thirties.
I have learned the hard way that proper stretching techniques are crucial.
A few years back I got it in my head that I was going to be able to do a full side split.
I kept "blowing out" my knees.
I could get about two or three inches from the floor but never could touch it.
My knees wouldn't go out on me while I was stretching, it was when I started putting the pressure on them during a workout.
I'd be out of action for a couple of weeks every time I blew one out.
I finally figured out I was not using a good stretching technique.
Long story short, I no longer care about doing a full side stretch.
I've changed the way I stretch and I'd be willing to bet that I'm still looser than 95% of people my age.
No one likes getting older but it is a hard core fact of life.
As a result we sometimes have to change the way we do things.
As an older martial artist I've learned to slow down my stretching exercises.
This is especially important if you are just starting out.
Take your time and don't get in a hurry.
You can still get your flexibility much better than it is now.
It just takes an older martial artist a little longer.
Of course one of the benefits of being an older martial artist is that we usually have more patience than the young guys and gals.
Make sure that you use proper stretching techniques and form.
Hold your stretch for at least ten seconds, longer is even better.
Don't bounce, this can cause injury.
Push yourself to the point of pain and stop there.
Pushing beyond that can do damage and put you out of action until you heal; and that is counter-productive.
Lastly, stretch on a regular basis.
You need to be consistent, regular.
Your muscles will develop "memory" as you continue stretching.
If you are irregular, inconsistent you will not see the positive results you want.
If you are doing things right you will notice a little improvement each time you stretch.
In order to be able to perform to your maximum potential you need to be loose.
Tight muscles slow you down and are more prone to soreness than loose muscles.
It is also necessary to be loose, or stretched out, to do high kicks.
While some styles of martial arts don't employ high kicks, many others do.
And hey, how are you ever going to get that big brake in Hollywood if you can't do the high kicks? There are many benefits to stretching for the older martial artist.
It is the best known way to become more flexible, increase joint mobility, prevent training injuries and improve circulation, posture and relieve stress.
A recent study by the American Journal of Sports Medicine has shown that flexibility reduces the chances of muscle soreness.
The study has shown that stiff, less-flexible muscles undergoes more muscle fiber damage in intense weight training resulting in loss of muscle strength.
When you exercise in the presence of muscle damage, as you know, the exercise intensity and effectiveness drastically reduces.
And, as older martial artist, it would be nice to be able to bend over and tie our own shoe laces when we are in our eighties wouldn't it? So the need and benefits should be motivation enough for us.
I'm fifty-eight years old at the time of this writing and I still stretch out regularly.
Granted, I don't stretch out the same way I did when I was in my twenties and thirties.
I have learned the hard way that proper stretching techniques are crucial.
A few years back I got it in my head that I was going to be able to do a full side split.
I kept "blowing out" my knees.
I could get about two or three inches from the floor but never could touch it.
My knees wouldn't go out on me while I was stretching, it was when I started putting the pressure on them during a workout.
I'd be out of action for a couple of weeks every time I blew one out.
I finally figured out I was not using a good stretching technique.
Long story short, I no longer care about doing a full side stretch.
I've changed the way I stretch and I'd be willing to bet that I'm still looser than 95% of people my age.
No one likes getting older but it is a hard core fact of life.
As a result we sometimes have to change the way we do things.
As an older martial artist I've learned to slow down my stretching exercises.
This is especially important if you are just starting out.
Take your time and don't get in a hurry.
You can still get your flexibility much better than it is now.
It just takes an older martial artist a little longer.
Of course one of the benefits of being an older martial artist is that we usually have more patience than the young guys and gals.
Make sure that you use proper stretching techniques and form.
Hold your stretch for at least ten seconds, longer is even better.
Don't bounce, this can cause injury.
Push yourself to the point of pain and stop there.
Pushing beyond that can do damage and put you out of action until you heal; and that is counter-productive.
Lastly, stretch on a regular basis.
You need to be consistent, regular.
Your muscles will develop "memory" as you continue stretching.
If you are irregular, inconsistent you will not see the positive results you want.
If you are doing things right you will notice a little improvement each time you stretch.
