Hi,
Kurz says that when performing side leg raises(dynamic),that the body may move forward.I find when performing dynamic leg raises to the side that my body tends to lean back(towards my supporting leg).
Sometimes the end position of a side leg raise can look almost like a back kick-supporting heel facing the "target",kicking foot pointing slightly down.
If i try to keep both feet parallel and lean forwards rather than backwards i can't get my leg higher than hip height.
Watching other martial artists throwing an actual side kick there seems to be variety in body position-some can remain upright,others lean back.
My questions are-will my body/leg positions hinder my advancment in flexibility and can it cause harm to my joints?Is this simply genetic make up that makes me favour this position?
side leg raise advice
Hi dragon,
I had the same problem when I started doing leg raises to the side. Because I had always been taught a certain way to do side kick by body always leaned back whan I was doing dynamic side leg raises and went into more of a side kick position as done in Taekwondo.
Using Kurz's method, by keeping the feet in the same direction when I fist started I could not do side leg raises past my hip either. However he says this is this case in both his book and his video and with time you will improve.
What I do to compromise the situation is I do both forms of the side leg raise one after the other. First I do a set of Kurz side leg raises followed by a set of conventional side kick raises. By combining them both together you can make both leg raises go higher and improve your dynamic flexibility. But remember dont fatigue yourself. Your goal is just too warm up.
Hope this helps.
I had the same problem when I started doing leg raises to the side. Because I had always been taught a certain way to do side kick by body always leaned back whan I was doing dynamic side leg raises and went into more of a side kick position as done in Taekwondo.
Using Kurz's method, by keeping the feet in the same direction when I fist started I could not do side leg raises past my hip either. However he says this is this case in both his book and his video and with time you will improve.
What I do to compromise the situation is I do both forms of the side leg raise one after the other. First I do a set of Kurz side leg raises followed by a set of conventional side kick raises. By combining them both together you can make both leg raises go higher and improve your dynamic flexibility. But remember dont fatigue yourself. Your goal is just too warm up.
Hope this helps.
-
MikeMartial
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mar 05, 2004 17:38
- Location: Alberta, Canada
I too had trouble when I first started the side leg raises; I had to modify my foot placement also. To this day, I still use the "heel toward target" of my supporting leg. I haven't tried to keep my feet both parallel, since I don't kick that way.
I found taht Kurz wasn't very specific on foot placement----but if he says that "improvement will happen", I may tried to do what Koryodan was doing---doing one set of "kicking style" leg swings, and another set of "Kurz Style" leg swings.
Regardless, I have found dynamic stretching invaluable.
I found taht Kurz wasn't very specific on foot placement----but if he says that "improvement will happen", I may tried to do what Koryodan was doing---doing one set of "kicking style" leg swings, and another set of "Kurz Style" leg swings.
Regardless, I have found dynamic stretching invaluable.
Leg Lifts
I have been performing the Dymanic Leg Lifts for over 2 years , I can do lifts nearly full splits but it takes time.
Dont change the feet position both facing the same way as there are reasons why.
1 is the strengthen of the muscle to be able to raise the leg that way.
I do TDK as well and They tend to over lean when they do Kicks, better keeping body upright when kicking and this will also help you.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Dont change the feet position both facing the same way as there are reasons why.
1 is the strengthen of the muscle to be able to raise the leg that way.
I do TDK as well and They tend to over lean when they do Kicks, better keeping body upright when kicking and this will also help you.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Learn to Teach
Teach to Learn
Teach to Learn
I don't have problem with the side leg raise. But I do not keep my feet parallel all the way. When I did the side raise my feet would be parallel at start and gradually rotated outward (heel pointed more toward the target), and keep the torso as upright as possible. If I maintained the feet position, my body would need to lean more forward and if not I could not raise high enough. The same thing when I do the side split.
The "side kick raise" sounds to me is not what Kurts means by side raise, but back raise which stretches the hamstrings, while the side raise stretches the inner thighs.
I prefer to relate the leg raises to the kicks I do in TKD, e.g. front raise for front kick, side raise for roundhouse kick, whip kick, spinning whip kick, and thrusting side kick, and back raise for back kick and piercing side kick. But this is just to simply things, after all each kick involves complex muscle groups.
The reason I do not keep my feet parallel is that I do not maintain fixed feet postions when I kick in different heights, e.g. for front kicks when I kicked to the belly I did not need to rotate my supporting foot but when I kicked to the head I would need to rotate my supporting foot.
The "side kick raise" sounds to me is not what Kurts means by side raise, but back raise which stretches the hamstrings, while the side raise stretches the inner thighs.
I prefer to relate the leg raises to the kicks I do in TKD, e.g. front raise for front kick, side raise for roundhouse kick, whip kick, spinning whip kick, and thrusting side kick, and back raise for back kick and piercing side kick. But this is just to simply things, after all each kick involves complex muscle groups.
The reason I do not keep my feet parallel is that I do not maintain fixed feet postions when I kick in different heights, e.g. for front kicks when I kicked to the belly I did not need to rotate my supporting foot but when I kicked to the head I would need to rotate my supporting foot.
Re: Leg Lifts
looneyas - are you saying you can do lifts so your raising leg is almost vertical?. also just to confirm are you say on the side raise you should keep the feet parallell. My problem with side raises is that my foot tends to turn upwards so my toes are higher than my heel at the top of the movement. is it ok to lean the body forward i.e. the direction your feet are pointing.looneyas wrote:I have been performing the Dymanic Leg Lifts for over 2 years , I can do lifts nearly full splits but it takes time.
Dont change the feet position both facing the same way as there are reasons why.
1 is the strengthen of the muscle to be able to raise the leg that way.
I do TDK as well and They tend to over lean when they do Kicks, better keeping body upright when kicking and this will also help you.
Hope this helps
Cheers
thanks
Mark
-
UKfightfreak
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Dec 13, 2003 06:58
- Location: Birmingham, England
- Contact:
Hi again,
After much experimentation(and sadly,an injury to my right hip) i'm still finding side leg raises awkward.
After re-reading all the articles published on this site i found that "high kicks with no warm up:the right body alignment for side kicks" (Article number 6) has line drawings of correct positions for the body.The overhead view in particular shows a definate turn in the supporting leg.
Does the Kurz video say different?At the moment i only have the book stretching scientifically.
Any help would be appreciated.
Dragon
After much experimentation(and sadly,an injury to my right hip) i'm still finding side leg raises awkward.
After re-reading all the articles published on this site i found that "high kicks with no warm up:the right body alignment for side kicks" (Article number 6) has line drawings of correct positions for the body.The overhead view in particular shows a definate turn in the supporting leg.
Does the Kurz video say different?At the moment i only have the book stretching scientifically.
Any help would be appreciated.
Dragon
-
Guest
here is the question i asked Tom Kurz and his answer regarding side raises:
> Dear Tom,
>
> Quick question on Dynamic Stretching (leg raises to the side).
>
> I have just about got the form right (raises to the side) but have one
> problem. My toes seem to turn up at the top of the movement. I have
> trouble keeping the foot parallel to the floor.
>
> On Mac's video he shows a leg raise to the side with toes pointing up
> (also shown in stretching scientifically I believe) which appears to
> be a modified version of the front leg raise - stressing the
> hamstring. I suppose I am performing a movement similar to the one in
> the video which differs to leg raises to the side.
>
> I want to get the side raise right as it is lagging behind my progress
> with front and back raises. I can get good height in the side raise,
> but unless I really focus, the foot shape always tilts up so my foot
> is at an angle of about 45 degrees with toes at the highest point.
> When I do focus and get it right it doesn't feel natural and the
> height is less.
>
> Can you suggest any things I can try, or where I may be going wrong.
>
> Many Thanks
> Mark
Answer: Both the leg raises to the side--toes up and toes forward--stretch inner
thigh. The toes up raise is shown by Mac on the video “Power High Kicks with No
Warm-Up!” (http://www.stretching.info/power.html ) and the toes forward (edge of
foot parallel to the floor) is shown on “Secrets of Stretching”
(http://www.stretching.info/power.html ). The one with the foot parallel to the
floor transfers better to side kicks done with the edge of the foot. So, if this
type of side kicks is what you want, I suggest you focus more. Copy the form of
side raises shown on “Secrets of Stretching.” If you can't, do not
despair--dancers do nearly only side raises with toes up, but eventually can move
their legs any way they please--even with toes pointing forward. If you reach
great enough range of motion with toes up you will be able to do a respectable
side raise with toes forward.
> Dear Tom,
>
> Quick question on Dynamic Stretching (leg raises to the side).
>
> I have just about got the form right (raises to the side) but have one
> problem. My toes seem to turn up at the top of the movement. I have
> trouble keeping the foot parallel to the floor.
>
> On Mac's video he shows a leg raise to the side with toes pointing up
> (also shown in stretching scientifically I believe) which appears to
> be a modified version of the front leg raise - stressing the
> hamstring. I suppose I am performing a movement similar to the one in
> the video which differs to leg raises to the side.
>
> I want to get the side raise right as it is lagging behind my progress
> with front and back raises. I can get good height in the side raise,
> but unless I really focus, the foot shape always tilts up so my foot
> is at an angle of about 45 degrees with toes at the highest point.
> When I do focus and get it right it doesn't feel natural and the
> height is less.
>
> Can you suggest any things I can try, or where I may be going wrong.
>
> Many Thanks
> Mark
Answer: Both the leg raises to the side--toes up and toes forward--stretch inner
thigh. The toes up raise is shown by Mac on the video “Power High Kicks with No
Warm-Up!” (http://www.stretching.info/power.html ) and the toes forward (edge of
foot parallel to the floor) is shown on “Secrets of Stretching”
(http://www.stretching.info/power.html ). The one with the foot parallel to the
floor transfers better to side kicks done with the edge of the foot. So, if this
type of side kicks is what you want, I suggest you focus more. Copy the form of
side raises shown on “Secrets of Stretching.” If you can't, do not
despair--dancers do nearly only side raises with toes up, but eventually can move
their legs any way they please--even with toes pointing forward. If you reach
great enough range of motion with toes up you will be able to do a respectable
side raise with toes forward.
That's great!
Have you been doing it both ways?
If so,do you find a change in position of the supporting leg?Is the supporting leg supposed to "mirror" the kicking leg?i.e-If you kick with toes pointing up do the toes of the supportig leg point out/if you kick with a "flat" foot does the supporting foot stay parallel to it?
Hope that makes sense!
Dragon
Have you been doing it both ways?
If so,do you find a change in position of the supporting leg?Is the supporting leg supposed to "mirror" the kicking leg?i.e-If you kick with toes pointing up do the toes of the supportig leg point out/if you kick with a "flat" foot does the supporting foot stay parallel to it?
Hope that makes sense!
Dragon
-
Guest
I've always had trouble with the side raise. i suppose I do it both ways yes, but i tend to let my foot go where it wants - which is somewhere between parallell to the floor and facing up. With regards to direction of the supporting foot if i point it slightly towards the direction of the raising leg i get the best height. if i turn it away from the raising leg it severly affects my height and the stretch is more intense. I think i am making progress though. Just persevere and if you are struggling me just post your problems and I will try and help as I've learnt how to do them through trial and error.dragon wrote:That's great!
Have you been doing it both ways?
If so,do you find a change in position of the supporting leg?Is the supporting leg supposed to "mirror" the kicking leg?i.e-If you kick with toes pointing up do the toes of the supportig leg point out/if you kick with a "flat" foot does the supporting foot stay parallel to it?
Hope that makes sense!
Dragon