Sunday, March 13, 2005

Sunday, March 13, 2005 - ARTICLE....

Stretching & Flexibility for Capoeira
Stretch your game to new heights - correctly!
Mar 13, 2002

As we all know, flexibility and agility are important attributes for playing Capoeira. They are also important for a healthy and long life. Going through the mailbag here at Planet Capoeira, questions asking about methods for stretching are near the top, especially coming form beginners. So, it seemed about time we addressed these questions. There is a science and an art to flexibility and stretching. All people are not created equal when it comes to natural flexibility, some are more naturally flexible than others. However, a disciplined and methodic approach to stretching can increase anyone’s range of motion, often dramatically. By following a routine, one can expect to achieve maximum upper body flexibility in about a month’s time. Two months time will see the maximum benefit for the muscles of the lower body.

Of course, this article is not meant to be medical fact, so refer to your doctor, health care professional, or licensed physical trainer before setting up a flexibility regimen for yourself. There are a number of quite common stretching exercises that are in fact harmful for you.

Two Types Of Flexibility
First, let’s examine the two main different types of flexibility. There is static flexibility and there is dynamic flexibility. Static flexibility refers to the ability to hold a static stretched position. Think of the classic front and side splits. These are prime examples of static flexibility. Then there is dynamic flexibility, which refers to the ability of your muscles to stretch to their maximum range while in motion. In fact, these two types of flexibility are not necessarily related. The ability to kick high (i.e dynamic flexibility) is not determined simply by the ability to hold a static front or side split. So forget what you’ve seen in martial art movies. That being said, a good flexibility program helps us increase both our static and dynamic flexibility ranges, as both are important for athletic activity and health. Each stretching session you do should include exercises for both static and dynamic flexibility.

What Is Flexibility?

Flexibility refers to the set range of motion your muscles have. This range of motion is within our control, although it does have a natural “set” point. It is through proper stretching exercises that we can reset the body’s natural set points. Each time we stretch properly and consistently, we push the set point farther. The muscles acclimate to the more elongated positions over time, increasing our flexibility.

Do not believe the myth that flexibility comes at the expense of strength. In fact, a good stretching routine in conjunction with a strength training program actually increases the muscles usable strength, giving better results than a strength training program alone would otherwise give you. Think about gymnasts, who are about as flexible as you can get, and also have superior core body strength which allows them to manipulate their body weight through full ranges of motion. Their

Despite what you might have heard, it is the muscles that do the stretching. Tendons and ligaments aren’t flexible by nature, and care must be taken to not damage them. So a key to proper stretching is an awareness of pain. Slight pain (i.e. a tingling sensation ) is acceptable when stretching, but any sensation of pain beyond that indicates you are stretching too hard, tearing the muscles and perhaps damaging your tendons, ligaments and joints. So stretch safely and slowly. Remember, this is not a contest. You are only trying to be better than the day or week before, not better than the person in your class who apparently sits in the floor in a full side split effortlessly

How To Stretch

Stretching cold is always a bad idea. It in fact weakens the muscles by depleting their contracting strength and can severely tear them. Always warm up before you stretch. Of course, the question becomes what is a sufficient warm up. This would include relaxed joint manipulations followed by about five to ten minutes of simple exercise – think light jogging, jumping jacks, etc. The idea is to warm up the muscles of the body and raise your core body temperature. It is well worth taking the extra time to warm up before stretching, as otherwise the damage you will do by stretching cold will set you back further.

The best time to stretch for gains in flexibility is after intense physical exercise. Again, take the time after a hard Capoeira class, or an intense workout at the gym and stretch those muscles! At this point the muscles can be stretched, as they are warmed up and fatigued. It is easier to “reset” a fatigued muscle to a longer length. Stretching after an intense workout also will help alleviate muscle soreness the next day by flushing out lactic acid and other exercise by products that collect in the muscle tissues. Also remember to drink plenty of water.

A good stretching regimen should also include an early morning stretching session every day. This should include a general warm up and a complete, but light, stretching routine. The idea behind the morning stretch is to reinforce the muscles “memory” to longer and longer lengths, and to keep the muscles supple for the day. Light morning stretching is not the time to increase your flexible range, but rather to reinforce the gains already made.

Incorporate both static and dynamic stretching into your program. Again, always do a warm up, do static stretches first, followed by dynamic stretches. I can assume that we are familiar with a number of basic static stretches. Dynamic stretches are excercises which take the muscles through their entire range of motion, without adding too much effort. Think of swinging kicks, arms, torso, etc. here. The idea is not to force your muscles beyond the comfortable range, but to take them dynamically through there whole range of motion without using force. You are not trying to power your kicks higher for example. Always do the static stretches first though!

With static stretching, holding a position for ten to twenty second is usually sufficient, and studies have shown that one or two repetitions of a given stretch are sufficient per session for increasing flexibility. More than two reps does not dramatically increase results. A good thing to remember when trying to be as efficient as possible with your time and your program. For the dynamic stretches, perhaps two sets of ten reps per exercise should work.

We do not have the space here to illustrate the various static and dynamic stretching positions. It’s best to track down one of the many excellent books out there on stretching, or search the web (usually medical or sports science sites will have better advice than martial arts pages in this regard). Another key is the order in which you stretch those muscles. People often just sit on the floor in a saddle stretch and consider themselves stretched! Here is the proper order for stretching the major muscle groups of the body:

1. back

2. sides (external obliques)

3. neck

4. forearms and wrists

5. triceps

6. chest

7. buttocks

8. groin (adductors)

9. thighs (quadriceps and abductors)

10. calves

11. shins

12. hamstrings

13. instep

Stretching in this order assures the optimum and most efficient stretching of the muscles. For example to get the best possible stretch from the hamstrings it’s important that the muscle groups that support them (i.e. the buttocks, lower back, calves and thighs) are already stretched. The above order is an optimum order for getting the most out of a full body stretching routine. The same order exists for both static and dynamic stretching portions of your training.

Hopefully, your flexibility will increase, and you’ll see a rise in the level of your Capoeira play. Again, check with your doctor before beginning any new physical exercise program. Happy stretching!

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Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Wednesday, March 02, 2005 - A QUICK GLANCE AT THE WORK OUT PLAN....

AIM:
Inc. Flexibility and general strength.

Duration:
1 and a half hours/atleast 4 times a week. I'm doing it every day now.

15 mins -Warm up
Rotating joints -working from ankles to head
Gentle jogging to get the muscles warm.

30 mins -Aerobics exercises
Includes arm and legs strength exercises

30 mins Flexibility exercises
Includes kicks and back stretching

15 mins -Wind down
Includes meditation and abdominal massage

.... A bit of everything.

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