for those of you who kick

I have noticed something frustrating, about my flexibility. oh this is going to be a nonsensical post I can already tell...

We all know that weightlifting will increase your flexibility, although is is only within the range of motions that you lift.

We all also know that many people feel that weightlifters are stiff and inflexible... Some of this has to do with ignorance, some of it is accurate in terms of Giant Pros (however that is due more because of their sheer bulk, and not inflexibility).

However I feel for myself personally that squatting might have contributed to some side kick inflexibility.

The style of side kick that I use, requires me to open my hip in the opposite way that it opens for squats... if that makes any sense.

I feel like I am extra tight in the butt, and the back side of my hip. I feel like these are supporting muscles, and stabalizers for my squats, and deads and cleans for that matter. I feel like I have been programing the tightness for years.

Now there are stretches I can do, and I have kick drills I can do... and I do work on it that way...

However, I feel like this inflexibility is created by weight training, there for to counter it properly, it requires a weighted response... but for the life of me I can not think of what would do it....

Any body have any suggestions... does it make any sense... any of you kickers have this problem ?

My front kicks are brilliant, cross kicks my fav, the rest are at some stage of development or another.... but side kicks just lagging, and my style does not kick above chest height, so it's not like I am studing some crazy acrobatic form, I should be able to pull off a side kick that desn't look like a low kick.... jeeeze

I would disagree that weight lifting increases flexibility, seeing as it directly shortens muscle fibres which in turn leaves less flexibility?

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Hmmm...I'm pretty inflexible when it comes to kicking too.  Like people in my class can do kicks to the head with absolutely no problem, I can only get a side snap kick to maybe chest height on a 6 ft tall person.  I definately disagree that weightlifting is the problem though.  But maybe you are right.

However, the only way I believe to fix this issue is to stretch your leg out to simulate the kick, and hold it in the extended position.  Gradually try and hold the kick higher and higher (which would be the stretch).  That's what I'm doing.  Of course, straddle stretches are good ones too, but not as good as the actual range of motion (the actual kicking position) stretch.

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I'm not suggesting weightlifting is a problem... I disagree with Virt, when it comes to increased flexibility with in the range of motion with in a lift, lifting increases the flexibility... (other wise lifting certainly does not help...)

When I throw a side kick the muscles/hip need to open in the exact opposite way, that my hips open when I squat.... Sort of the equivalent to bench pressing but never rowing... ya get what I mean.... the weighted counter of the movement is not there. But, I don;t think that weighted exercise (counter), even exists, because, it would be a f'all on your knees... but this is all just my conjecture.

Since starting to squat heavy I've noticed a substantial DECREASE in the flexibility of my legs when it comes to both the side kick and roundhouse.  My front kick, crescent kicks, and axe kicks have not suffered as bad.

I really think it has more to do with tight fascia than the joints or muscles themselves.  Having that said, I noticed that I regained a lot of my flexibility back by working with my foam roller twice as much as I was previously.  I also go to my uncle, who is a physical therapist that also specializes in myofasical release (which the foam roller simulates), twice a week.

I wouldn't doubt that you have a good amount of muscle knots in your legs, which is a result of overly tight fascia.

The trouble spots for me were my quads, and the inner and outter bands running from my hips to my knees.

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Oh, and just to give you's a heads up: fascia is a thin layer of connective tissue that encases everything inside of your body.  Fun fact: pound for pound, it's actually stronger than steel.

Bri, what you were suggesting... the stretch through the range of motion for the kicks is good.  But, it only stretches the muscle through that range of motion and does not address the issue of tight fascia.

You can have loose muscles but tight fascia.

"But a true champion, face to face with his darkest hour, will do whatever it takes to rise above. A man fights, and fights, and then fights some more. Because surrender is death, and death is for pussies."

I have found that stretching after lifting not only helps increase strength, but it allows me to keep my flexibility. I wish I could find it but there was a study done on the strength portion.

Lifting within a certain exercise will increase flexibility within that specific lift, especially doing warm ups. Kind of like stretching within a kick will only increase your ROM within that specific kick.

I noticed a similar problem while sprinting and oddly enough when we have to be physical and take someone out of the bar, my posterior chain in general was getting tight.

devoting a good 5-10 minutes after your workout to getting some good stretching in really helped me, I would highly suggest you try that and see how you feel in a week or 2 of following it. Your strength should jump up a little bit as well as your flexibility.

I spend about 25 seconds holding each stretch and hit the entire body, stretching my glutes, hip flexors and hammys extra for my own situation.

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@ Bill Yeah the foam rollers... I really do need to pick some of those up. They have been recommended to me before, for bruising, they seem like a general win win... but with a side of pain. I don't even want to talk about roundhouse kicks... My next test has one of those... getting the spin to happen correctly is one thing, add the flexibility issue... *the horror*

@ nm0ney I'm catch as catch can with stretching after lifting sometimes it happens, often it doesn't, and the best rounds of stretching I have ever had followed weights... so thanks for the kick in the pants.. Although my strength right now is going nowhere but down, some stretching is not going to fix that....


Really interesting input all around. I'm kinda glad it's not just me...

I have found weight training has increased and kept me flexible, but then again I also stretch fairly substantially.  Can almost do the splits.

I would suggest doing some form of exercise, standing and raising your leg up and to the side, there are machines that have a sort of pivot that allows you to do this motion but i am guessing you still do your lifting at home. 

Or lay on your side and do leg lifts as far up as you can go.  And of course splits stretching.  Any form of leg adductor? i think that means opening your legs.

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I bet you have improper squat mechanics as far as foot placement that exact reason is why u squat with feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight, when u dont you create a muscle imbalance between adductors (muscle on the inside of leg) and abductors(muscles on outside of leg)..

also foam foaling ure IT band, LFT, adductors and calves will greatly help with this as well.

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Ok, I was putting off replying to you creation, until I had worked the spar night kinks out of my body so I could actually really squat and double check my feet.... It's not going to happen... I am moving around like an arthritic 65 year old....haha

 I am self aware of my squat posture, and I am not sure that is it... I front squat exclusively (I include overhead squats regularly as well, but not the past few cycles). Seeing as I front squat, the foot posture is more straight and shoulder wide, by design, and function anyway. I know where you are coming from... you know where I am coming from, you have your sources for sqaut form I have mine and they differ... but not when it comes to front squatting (or at least I don't believe they do).

I will say that my feet to naturally turn out and have since I started to walk, so doing anything with feet "totally totally" straight ahead, cause knee pain, and knee noises... but the degree that they turn out, when I squat I really feel is rather negligable, but worth looking at again, so I will check them tomorrow, when I am moving around better.

and more votes for foam rollers, ok, ok I am getting some! Thanks guys!

It all depends how you train.

How does a heavy weigh boxer get so huge and muscular ... yet be so quick and fast

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It all depends how you train.

How does a heavy weigh boxer get so huge and muscular ... yet be so quick and fast

Who said who, to the what, now????