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There is much confusion out in the world surrounding the
issue of flexibility. Contrary to popular understanding, stretching alone does
not create flexibility, nor is hyper-flexibility a desirable state, no matter
how good it may look to those of us made of less rubbery stuff. Leg stretching
exercises should be performed with proper support and understanding of the
different roles of muscle, ligament, fascia, and bone tissues, and an awareness
of one’s own body type, to avoid weakening knee and hip joints through
imbalanced or over-stretching. Flexibility in kicks is a combination of articulating
both halves of the pelvis (yes, it comes apart), strength and activation in the
supporting leg, and proper sequencing i.e. the supporting foot and leg initiate
the sequence and the knee, shin, or foot of the kicking leg finish the action. For those of us not-so-flexible types, we can
rejoice in our stability, fight close and low, learn to cheat the angles, and
when confronted with the flexible opponent -
keep our hands up!
Sensei Michelle
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