Source: kwunion.com
These three simple ways will make you more flexible instantly!
Fighters need to have an optimal amount of flexibility to kick, punch, take down their opponent, and even escape submission holds. Your body has to be able to move through ranges of motion effectively, and that requires your muscles to stretch and contract functionally. In order to create flexibility, you have to wrap your mind around that it is more than just stretching a muscle.
Alignment and stability optimize flexibility. The joints must be in the correct position for muscles to stretch and contract properly. When joints are not aligned well, it compensates stability that limits and restricts mobility and flexibility; leading to dysfunctional movement. This also affects the contraction, range, and speed of your motion because your muscles lose pliability and resiliency.
For example, when the glute muscles are weak, the hip tilts forward. This causes the quads to tighten, resulting in a loss of flexibility to compensate for the weakness of the glutes. When the quads are tight, they will not stretch effectively because they are now stabilizing the hip instead of the glutes. So, the neuromuscular function for the quads must switch.
The solution is, to restore gluteal strength, in-turn, restoring stability to the hip. When stability is restored, the quads will be pliable and resilient and have the ability to stretch and contract effectively again. Stability is essential to maximize flexibility.
Do these three things to create instant and dramatic flexibility and range of motion.
Contract then Stretch
By contracting the muscle that opposes the stretching muscle, it sends a relaxation signal for the muscle being stretched. For example, your glute and quads, back and chest, or quads and hamstrings. It is called Reciprocal Inhibition.
- For example, when you lunge, contract the glute first before you stretch the quads.
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