Increasing flexibility.

In my experience on the mats, I have come to realize that I am not very flexible in my hips. I plan on working my dexterity to increase flexibility so I can better utilize my legs on defense, specifically for guard maintenance. Google has a lot of techniques but I wanted to ask you members what has worked for you and others in your experience. I want anything and everything from exercises and stretches to diet. Help me become JCVD-like! 

mobilitywod.com

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Look into kinstretch. It has helped me immensely.

Yoga has helped quite a bit. I went years believing my back was destroyed. My first month of yoga showed me that while my back does have problems, a lot of it is caused by my hips. I've been doing it pretty regularly for about 10 months now and my day to day back pain is nearly gone and I can now move like someone much younger than I actually am when I'm on the mat.

Philip Proctor - mobilitywod.com

This. The book is good too ("Becoming a Supple Leopard")

XmmaAddictX -

Look into kinstretch. It has helped me immensely.

I've heard of it. What makes it effective?

I have yogaforbjj. Im not consistent though

Keep it coming!

 

fjennings - Yoga has helped quite a bit. I went years believing my back was destroyed. My first month of yoga showed me that while my back does have problems, a lot of it is caused by my hips. I've been doing it pretty regularly for about 10 months now and my day to day back pain is nearly gone and I can now move like someone much younger than I actually am when I'm on the mat.

What yoga are you doing and how often? Thanks.

I've been doing the Gymnastic Bodies Foundations and Handstand courses and they're pretty amazing. they've solved problems with my body that years of physio never realy helped with. They pair every strength move with a mobility move.

 

The other things I'd recommend are Pavel Tsatsouline's Relax Into Stretch and Paul Chek's Elastic Steel For Grapplers. Scott Sonnon has some mobility products for grapplers, but I've never used them.

I like the elasticsteel material. 

 

https://bjjprehab.com/

Yogaforbjj is another good source. I have a set of his from bjjfanatics. SebastianBrosche, a Bb Judoka and bb bjj european.

 

You specifically said hips, for day to day movement I like the shinbox type movements, for stretching I like the pigeon and warrior type lunge stretch. From the elastic steel guy I liked how he gets in the lunge position then does small circular movements in the stretched range. This way you're hitting the entire area vs 1 or 2 muscles. This seems to increase overall flexibility vs 1 movement, possibly strength in full room vs just flexibility.

PhilDaru the att coach from youtube uses a CARs type flexibility system, essentially going through rom with intramuscular flexion... he does a full extension but full rom using flexing using tension. 

Ginastica was another cool one or Sonnens grappler s toolbox. 

Check those out. 

 

 

Strangleu -
XmmaAddictX -

Look into kinstretch. It has helped me immensely.

I've heard of it. What makes it effective?

I find it has increased my active range of motion within my joints as opposed to just increasing it passively. Consider standing in one spot and raising one knee up toward your chest. You can always pull it up higher with the use of your hands. I've found, since regularly practicing kinstretch, that this increase of range of motion is acquired without passive assistance (the use of your hands). This is just one example. Simply put, my joints feel stronger and like i actively own my range of motion within them. Like anything though, it requires regular training. Check it out on Instagram. Some good practitioners put out some great info.

Meatgrinder- big proponent of Prehab that have used for many years.  I think it is important to mix dynamic stretches with static stretches.   Another is acupuncture which has significantly eliminated issues with overuse/cumulative injures .  Acupuncture fxed these type of issues other techniques( PT, chiropractor, ART(Active Release Therapy), Prehab had no significant impact on.  

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XmmaAddictX -
Strangleu -
XmmaAddictX -

Look into kinstretch. It has helped me immensely.

I've heard of it. What makes it effective?

I find it has increased my active range of motion within my joints as opposed to just increasing it passively. Consider standing in one spot and raising one knee up toward your chest. You can always pull it up higher with the use of your hands. I've found, since regularly practicing kinstretch, that this increase of range of motion is acquired without passive assistance (the use of your hands). This is just one example. Simply put, my joints feel stronger and like i actively own my range of motion within them. Like anything though, it requires regular training. Check it out on Instagram. Some good practitioners put out some great info.

This really has me interested. I have read in the past that the difference between flexibility and dexterity is what you describe as the active phase and the passive phase. I don't want to be able to just stretch to a position, I want to be able to work my muscles to these positions rather than have assistance through pressure only. 

 

All of this material has been helpful. Thanks A LOT.

In

I am a big fan of Kinstretch / FRC (Functional Range Conditioning) for improving mobility. FYI I am a doctor of physical therapy and use this system EVERY DAY.

Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) is the system that kinstretch is based on. Kinstretch is the class taught in a group setting.

Key points why I like FRC:

  • Address specific joint mobility: When someone has a mobility restriction is it the joint or is it tight tissue? The morning routine is taught to improve isolated joint mobility via CARs (controlled articular rotations).
  • Mobility vs. Flexibility: The goal is not just passive stretching but to to have ACTIVE usable ranges of motion. 
  • System: Clear progression on whether you need to focus on enhancing tissue length or enhancing motor control.

A lot of these principles can be applied to any program.

 

I also frequently write posts about mobility and how I refer it back to martial arts on my social media accounts.

https://www.instagram.com/doctor_kickass/

www.doctorkickass.com

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Strangleu -
Michael Piekarski -

I am a big fan of Kinstretch / FRC (Functional Range Conditioning) for improving mobility. FYI I am a doctor of physical therapy and use this system EVERY DAY.

Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) is the system that kinstretch is based on. Kinstretch is the class taught in a group setting.

Key points why I like FRC:

  • Address specific joint mobility: When someone has a mobility restriction is it the joint or is it tight tissue? The morning routine is taught to improve isolated joint mobility via CARs (controlled articular rotations).
  • Mobility vs. Flexibility: The goal is not just passive stretching but to to have ACTIVE usable ranges of motion. 
  • System: Clear progression on whether you need to focus on enhancing tissue length or enhancing motor control.

A lot of these principles can be applied to any program.

 

I also frequently write posts about mobility and how I refer it back to martial arts on my social media accounts.

https://www.instagram.com/doctor_kickass/

www.doctorkickass.com

Where are you located

Sacramento

 

you can also check the website: https://functionalanatomyseminars.com/find-a-provider/ to see if there is someone close to you.

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Believe it or not... many of the warm-up stretching routines REGULARLY done in many martial arts (karate, judo, Bjj of course, wrestling etc) work very well for improving flexibility.

The key is to do them REGULARLY. That’s, don’t do them every once in a while, rather do them EVERYDAY, for the best results…