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'Over stretched'

Far be it for me to be so presumptuous to try and advise the more experienced, and sometimes incredibly more supplier martial artists than myself, on how and how not to stretch properly. Instructors and senior grades in turn impart that knowledge onto their new students, who may then formulate good habits from the very start of their personal training, thereby reducing the risk of injury to joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles. I feel it would however be an excellent idea to offer some sound guidelines to those prospective new martial artists with a lack or absence of professional guidance, to the potential hazards of trying too hard to get supple too quickly. Depending a lot on age and generally how active you have been, it can take many years to reach and more importantly, maintain a high degree of true flexibility. Fast, forced results gained through prolonged ballistic or jerking, bouncing type movements in the stretching exercises are soon lost, or could very easily produce long term damage to that particular muscle group. Correct stretching should be a slow gradual process, but even before you get that far I feel this is an ideal opportunity to quote a few words of wisdom from Bill 'Super Foot' Wallace, and his now infamous phrase 'the three Ts'....Time, Temperature and Tension. In other words you shouldn't rush into deep stretches such as the side splits, or you just might end up stuck in that position. At the very least it will certainly make you walk as if you had an acute attack of piles, once those violated hamstrings reap their revenge for the assault and abuse you placed upon them. You must take your time to warm up the body, the hotter it is the less the muscular viscosity, 'the amount of resistance to it's own movement, or tension in that muscle', and thereby the easier it is to stretch. Remember a muscle will only stretch out properly when it's good and ready, bounce away at it just so you can get your head onto your knee or the floor, is no indicator that you have made any long-term beneficial gains. So that when the time arises for you to defend yourself and you deliver your favorite kicking technique, you end up grabbing the bottom of your own arse in sudden pain and surprise, that wont really help matters a great deal and tends to inspire more confidence into your opponent. You in fact have an array of primary and secondary mechanisms, located throughout the body in order to help you protect yourself from the injuries caused by over stretching. These neurons or nerve endings, warn you through pain and what is known as a 'stretch reflex' that helps you so you don't over stretch or stretch the muscles to fast before they are ready to do so and thereby injuring yourself. You lashing out at an attacker with a high kicking technique, just because you managed to force your head onto your knee the night before, certainly wont give this nerve reflex a chance to intervene and possibly prevent, a worse injury than that caused by the opposition. Believe it or not these reflexes are your best friends when it comes to suppleness, although it may not feel like it at the time, so work with them and don't try to ignore them. As well as, buy some in-depth books on the subject and learn all you can, and make sure you get a bloody good instructor. Above all, be patient and you’ll get there, after all stretching should be a pleasure and not a form of torture.

© 2005 WOFA