The Video and Book routines question.
The Video and Book routines question.
I have a couple concerns about these. One, I've been told people I know and by reading various articles that building muscle actually "detracts" from flexibility and not helps increase it. Can anyone shed more light on this? Second, I heard Kurz' routines incorporate weights to build your leg muscles. I don't want to have bodybuilder sized legs or look bulky... I want to weigh as less as possible to maintain and achieve greater vertical jump height as well as reach and maintain maximum lower body flexibility for my XMA and Gymnastics training.
Re: The Video and Book routines question.
Depends how you train.If you only train with weights with no stretching routine and moving through a less than full ROM,then yes,you could "tighten".The theory of athletes becoming "muscle bound" through the use of weight training pretty much died out in the '70's though.Cyan wrote:I have a couple concerns about these. One, I've been told people I know and by reading various articles that building muscle actually "detracts" from flexibility and not helps increase it.
The pro's of weight training(conditioning,strength,etc) far outweigh the con's.
In my youth i took a big interest in bodybuilding.Trust me,it's hard enough to gain mass and have bodybuilder sized legs when that's what you're trying to achieve.Gaining that much mass "accidentally" just doesn't happen.Cyan wrote:I don't want to have bodybuilder sized legs or look bulky.
In order to gain extra mass(fat or muscle) you have to consume extra calories.If you have a good,sensible diet(which i assume you have as you want to keep your weight down) you aren't going to gain bodybuilder proportions.
Dragon.
Yeah, I noticed that is a big problem of mine... I have above average flexibility because I've been training in XMA & Gymnastics for about a year and a half now 4-6 days a week, but I find whenever I do Dynamic kicks during our stretching times or even some relaxed lower body stretching, my muscles always feel way too tight. Any idea as to what the problem is? It's very important that I reach maximum lower body flexibility for impressively high kicks and other things like Splits that I've been working on for a while now, front and side... I want to be able to perform these with ease and no tightness.
If you have above average flexibility but have problems displaying it without lots of preparation(marathon warm up and stretching sessions before you can display your maximum flexibility) then i'd say it's a conditioning issue.
I've seen some of the impressive displays by XMA practitioners,and to put your body through those kinds of movements without conditioning yourself to do so is an injury waiting to happen.
I'm not saying every martial artist with good acrobatic/high kicking technique has gone the weight training route,but i would say it's the safest and quickest way.
I have personally witnessed a martial artist with amazing flexibility and high/aerial kicking technique injure himself when he kicked a bag at waist height.The reason being,he spent the majority of his time kicking mid air and not enough time preparing himself for the shock of kicking a solid target/having a kick blocked.
The dynamic strength training Mr.Kurz suggests would be a start.High reps(3 sets of 30 reps or 1 set of 100-200 reps) with low or zero resistance to condition your conective tissues(lunges,side lunges,squats).
This set and rep scheme definatley won't build a bodybuilder physique.
Dragon.
I've seen some of the impressive displays by XMA practitioners,and to put your body through those kinds of movements without conditioning yourself to do so is an injury waiting to happen.
I'm not saying every martial artist with good acrobatic/high kicking technique has gone the weight training route,but i would say it's the safest and quickest way.
I have personally witnessed a martial artist with amazing flexibility and high/aerial kicking technique injure himself when he kicked a bag at waist height.The reason being,he spent the majority of his time kicking mid air and not enough time preparing himself for the shock of kicking a solid target/having a kick blocked.
The dynamic strength training Mr.Kurz suggests would be a start.High reps(3 sets of 30 reps or 1 set of 100-200 reps) with low or zero resistance to condition your conective tissues(lunges,side lunges,squats).
This set and rep scheme definatley won't build a bodybuilder physique.
Dragon.
I see. My classes have a fair bit of conditioning for the full body... lower body not as much as I'd like though. Will your suggestion of lunges, side lunges and squats eliminate that tightness while I develop my Dynamic fleixilibty and at the same time help me reach my maximum ROM? Also, will this work for developing static flexibility for my lower body? I'm extremely tired of having to do a "Marathon" warmup like you said in your post before I can come to 80-90% of my max ROM with still some tightness that actually involves slight pain.
I wouldn't say you need to perform strength exercises to advance in dynamic flexibiltiy,but the stength exercises will help avoid injury when throwing solid kicks at your new kicking height.Likewise,you don't need strength exercises to advance in static(relaxed) flexibility,but the stronger your connective tissues are the less time you need to prepare to display your maximum stretch.Cyan wrote: Will your suggestion of lunges, side lunges and squats eliminate that tightness while I develop my Dynamic fleixilibty and at the same time help me reach my maximum ROM? Also, will this work for developing static flexibility for my lower body?
Dynamic stretching will develop your dynamic flexibility.
Working the squats,lunges,and side lunges through a full ROM will strengthen your muscles through a full ROM and avoid you becoming "tight".
These high rep strength exercises will condition your connective tissue to tolerate the stress imposed on them through isometric stretching.
Dragon.
Ok, sorry I don't want to drag this on and bug you too much, but this is what I **NEED** to accomplish:
1) Develop maximum ROM Dynamic Flexibility
2) Develop maximum ROM Static Flexibility
3) Eliminate the "Marathon" warmup and ridiculous tightness so I can get to my normal training routines without spending half the sessions warming up.
4) Develop great lower body strength without adding bodybuilder size bulk. I do a lot of gymnastics as well, so I want to weigh the least possible and have that great strength to achieve that amazingly high vertical aerial height for aerial skills. This one is VERY important.
1) Develop maximum ROM Dynamic Flexibility
2) Develop maximum ROM Static Flexibility
3) Eliminate the "Marathon" warmup and ridiculous tightness so I can get to my normal training routines without spending half the sessions warming up.
4) Develop great lower body strength without adding bodybuilder size bulk. I do a lot of gymnastics as well, so I want to weigh the least possible and have that great strength to achieve that amazingly high vertical aerial height for aerial skills. This one is VERY important.
Develop max ROM in dynamic flexibility:-Perform dynamic stretches.Especially in the morning.This will reduce your warm up time later in the day(but not eliminate it!).Dynamic flexibility doesn't take that long to improve.
Develop max ROM in static flexibility:-Isometric stretching is the quickest way to increase your static ROM.Develops strength too.
Eliminate long warm ups:-The dynamic stretching performed in the morning(and again as part of your warm up for your training session) will help this.
Develop strength without bulk:-Heavy weight,low rep/set routines will achieve this along with dynamic strength(low weight,very high rep) training.
With all the other training you do,your body hasn't got the time or recovery ability to grow that much.
Dragon.
Develop max ROM in static flexibility:-Isometric stretching is the quickest way to increase your static ROM.Develops strength too.
Eliminate long warm ups:-The dynamic stretching performed in the morning(and again as part of your warm up for your training session) will help this.
Develop strength without bulk:-Heavy weight,low rep/set routines will achieve this along with dynamic strength(low weight,very high rep) training.
With all the other training you do,your body hasn't got the time or recovery ability to grow that much.
Dragon.
Ok, so I get your first 2 answers but for:
3) A lot of friends that I train with can get their legs up high everyday, without a warmup, little to NO tightness and I know they're way too lazy to do Dynamic stretching in the morning. Isn't there something I can do to get rid of that tightness without marathon warmup that doesn't require daily maintanence to keep it?
-Cyan
3) A lot of friends that I train with can get their legs up high everyday, without a warmup, little to NO tightness and I know they're way too lazy to do Dynamic stretching in the morning. Isn't there something I can do to get rid of that tightness without marathon warmup that doesn't require daily maintanence to keep it?
4) So how would a routine like this work? Can you explain in more detail?Develop strength without bulk:-Heavy weight,low rep/set routines will achieve this along with dynamic strength(low weight,very high rep) training.
-Cyan
Each individual is different.If they have been training from a very young age the could've permanently altered their bodies to accomodate their training,others are just genetically lucky!
By using the early morning dynamic stretches and again before you train,you will reach your goal faster.Once achieved,it doesn't take as much work to maintain your dynamic flexiblity as it does to gain it.I don't perform the early morning stretches anymore and usually perform only a few sets before a workout without any loss of what i gained.
A sample program:-
MONDAY-
Weighted chin ups.
Bench press.
Sit ups-1 set(100-200 reps or 3 sets of about 30 reps).
Push ups-1 set(100-200 reps or 3 sets of about 30 reps).
THURSDAY-
Squats.
Stiff leg deadlifts.
Leg Raises(100-200 reps or 3 sets of about 30 reps).
Side/front lunges(100-200 reps or 3 sets of about 30 reps).
For the weighted chin ups,bench press,squats,and stiff leg deadlift perform as many warm up sets as you need then 1 work set of 5 reps followed by a "back down set" of 90% of your work set.For example:-
Warm up set-5 reps with 40kg
Warm up set-5 reps with 60kg
Warm up set-5 reps with 80kg
Work set-5 reps with 100kg
Back down set-5 reps with 90kg.
Never work to muscular failure.You may be suprised that the strength parts hardly even tire you.The main emphasis is being able to add weight to the exercises.More weight,more strength.
Dragon.
By using the early morning dynamic stretches and again before you train,you will reach your goal faster.Once achieved,it doesn't take as much work to maintain your dynamic flexiblity as it does to gain it.I don't perform the early morning stretches anymore and usually perform only a few sets before a workout without any loss of what i gained.
A sample program:-
MONDAY-
Weighted chin ups.
Bench press.
Sit ups-1 set(100-200 reps or 3 sets of about 30 reps).
Push ups-1 set(100-200 reps or 3 sets of about 30 reps).
THURSDAY-
Squats.
Stiff leg deadlifts.
Leg Raises(100-200 reps or 3 sets of about 30 reps).
Side/front lunges(100-200 reps or 3 sets of about 30 reps).
For the weighted chin ups,bench press,squats,and stiff leg deadlift perform as many warm up sets as you need then 1 work set of 5 reps followed by a "back down set" of 90% of your work set.For example:-
Warm up set-5 reps with 40kg
Warm up set-5 reps with 60kg
Warm up set-5 reps with 80kg
Work set-5 reps with 100kg
Back down set-5 reps with 90kg.
Never work to muscular failure.You may be suprised that the strength parts hardly even tire you.The main emphasis is being able to add weight to the exercises.More weight,more strength.
Dragon.