dynamic flexibility variations

[dragon]

Following on from a previous thread in which Johan mentioned a type of squat dynamic stretch and i do a front lunge as a dynamic stretch:-

Does anyone else know/do any dynamic flexibility exercises rather than the conventional leg swings in all directions?

Dragon

[mmeloon]

Following on from a previous thread in which Johan mentioned a type of squat dynamic stretch and i do a front lunge as a dynamic stretch:-

Does anyone else know/do any dynamic flexibility exercises rather than the conventional leg swings in all directions?

Dragon

Well, I also do the arm swings shown in stadion's products for upper body flexibility.

Other than that I guess the only other dynamic flexibility stretch that I do is crescent kick "stretches". They are basically cresent kicks but done lightly enough that I'm just trying to warm up the joint and not actually lash out with any power. I'm not sure they really stretch muscles any more than the leg swings but they seem to prepare my hips for kicks involving rotational motion (e.g., cresent, hook, spinning hook kicks)

I find that those, combined with joint rotations prior to dynamic stretches, are sufficient for my needs.

-Mark

[wynnema]

Following on from a previous thread in which Johan mentioned a type of squat dynamic stretch and i do a front lunge as a dynamic stretch:-

Does anyone else know/do any dynamic flexibility exercises rather than the conventional leg swings in all directions?

Dragon

The front lunge is a strength exercise not a dynamic stretch. A dynamic stretch is intended to put the limb through its entire range of motion. The lunge is a strength exercise because the muscles involved have to support your bodyweight.

The only dynamic stretches you need to do are front, side and back leg raises. Also arm swings if you want.

[dragon]

Don't quote me on it but i'm sure i had a Q&A article emailed to me from stadion in which someone asks about dynamic stretches for fencing-the reply by Thomas Kurz was lunges in all directions.

Stretching has to be sport specific.It would not be essential for a fencer/boxer/rower,etc to be able to do high kicks with no warm up.



Dragon

[mmeloon]

The front lunge is a strength exercise not a dynamic stretch. A dynamic stretch is intended to put the limb through its entire range of motion. The lunge is a strength exercise because the muscles involved have to support your bodyweight.

I wasn't going to say this before but now that the topic of whether this lunge is a stretching exercise or not has come up...

What concerned me when I read about this exercise here on this board was trying to support one's weight in a stretched position dynamically. That sounds like its starting to get into the realm of ballistic, rather than dynamic, stretching. There's no problem with supporting one's weight in a static stretch (e.g., Kurz doing suspended side split between chairs) and there's no problem with doing dynamic stretches where the weight of the limb is not used to generate the motion (e.g., leg lifts). But when I try to picture someone a deep enough lunge that it would qualify as a stretch (i.e., one that challenges your range of motion), that seems like it could be awfully dangerous. I don't think I would ever try supporting my bodyweight dynamically at extreme ranges of motion. Maybe the lunge isn't supposed to be done as deeply as possible? But then I don't understand how this is a stretch as opposed to a simple warm-up exercise.

Perhaps we can have Mr. Kurz weigh in on this discussion and explain it to us. If my thinking represents a fundamental misunderstanding of stretching principles, I'd like to get that resolved before I start spouting out my misguided advice to others.

-Mark

[wynnema]

Its not a ballistic stretch. That would be getting into a stretched lunge position and then bouncing to increase the stretch.

I think it is onw of those that could be considered a stretch or a strength exercise.