I promised to add more martial arts stretching exercises before, and here they are.
Hamstring Stretch
To do this exercise you must sit on ground with right leg extended to front and foot pointing up.
Then bend your left leg with the sole touching to the inside of your right thigh.
Next, have your training partner to kneel behind you with his hands on your shoulders .
Now you must slowly bend forward from your hips over the right leg and reach your hands toward your ankles till you feel the stretch (and you will!).
Hold this for 10 to 15 seconds.
Your training partner will then apply downward gradual pressure, allowing you to adjust your stretch.
Hold for 10 to 15 seconds and repeat.
Alternate legs and positions after two or three sequences.
Butterfly Stretch
Sit on ground with the soles of your feet together, close to the torso.
Next, hold your ankles with your hands, and have your training partner kneel behind you with his hands on your knees as shown in the illustration.
Your training partner places his hands on top of your thighs at the knees.
Your shoulders support your partner's weight while placing little weight on your thighs.
Then, he'll increase the pressure (downwards) on your thighs until you feel the stretch.
Hold for 20 seconds, then alternate positions.
Back Stretch
To start this martial arts stretching exercise, you must stand back-to-back with your training partner and interlock arms at your sides.
Then, bend forward at the waist and pull your partner up on your back over your hips.
Your training partner then allows his back to arch and tells you when an adequate stretch is felt.
Hold this position for 20 seconds, and then, change places.
This concludes the basic list of stretching exercises for martial arts and self defense training.
Remember: always check with your physician to see if these exercises are suitable to your own circumstances.
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